Rockies vs Dodgers Opening Day Prediction and Betting Odds April 8
Rockies vs Dodgers Betting Preview
Play Ball! WagerTalk MLB analyst Brian Ochsner offers his Rockies vs Dodgers Opening Day betting preview for Friday, April 8. With the designated hitter now introduced in the National League, does that mean we’ll see even more fireworks at Coors Field this season?
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| Friday, April 8 | MLB Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | Los Angeles Dodgers -200 at Colorado Rockies +180 |
| Runline: | Dodgers -1.5 (-125) / Rockies +1.5 (+105) |
| Total: | 11.5 Runs (Over EV / Under -120) |
| Game Time: | 4:10pm ET / 1:10pm PT |
| Where: | Coors Field in Denver |
| Weather: | 65* with Light Winds Blowing In from Center |
Rockies vs Dodgers Analysis
The Dodgers start the year as one of best teams in baseball, with three former MVPs in their lineup: Outfielders Mookie Betts and Corey Bellinger, and newly-signed first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Notable off-season changes include SS Corey Seager leaving LA to sign a huge contract with the Texas Rangers, and Kenley Jansen signing a one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves. The club also traded OF AJ Pollock to the White Sox for closer Craig Kimbrel.
Ace on the Mound
Staff ace Walker Buehler gets the Opening Day nod, coming off a great 2021 season where he posted a 16-4 record and a 2.47 ERA in 207.2 innings. The right-hander doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, and gave up only 19 home runs and 52 walks last year. That’s one free pass every four innings, and a long ball about every other game.
The lineup is one of – if not the – best in baseball. Not much else to say about it, except that it’s a modern-day Murderer’s Row. Barring injury or slumps from key players, the Dodgers should win the NL West and play well into mid-to-late October.
The Missing Story
The Rockies start the 2022 season with a few changes, but not a lot of improvement on paper. The club let star SS Trevor Story sign with the Red Sox as a free agent, and the big signing was Giants OF Kris Bryant to a 7 year, $182 million deal. They traded OF Raimel Tapia for OF Randal Grichuk to get more power in the lineup, and signed veteran free agent SS Jose Iglesias.
Denver native left-hander Kyle Freeland gets the start. He’s not over-powering with a lot of strikeouts, but he doesn’t give up a lot of walks or home runs. Although his stats didn’t jump off the page (a 4.34 ERA), he’s coming off a really good second half of the 2021 season.
How good was it? In 15 of his last 18 starts, the lefty only gave up only three earned runs or less. If your starting pitcher only gives up three runs or less in five or six innings, you’ve got a great chance to win – especially at Coors Field.
Unlike most previous Rockies seasons, the biggest problem was a lack of offense. The Rox had the lowest team batting average in its history at .249, and a paltry .219 on the road.
Early-Season Betting Tip: Watch the Rockies’ offense the first couple of weeks – where they play most of their games at home – and see if they get off to a fast start. If they don’t, look at betting the Rockies’ team total unders (especially on the road).
With the exception of Bryant and Grichuk, the starting lineup is similar to last year, and I don’t see a lot of improvement. If the Rox want to exceed last year’s 74-win season, it’ll have to be at the plate.
Rockies vs Dodgers Prediction
Buehler and Freeland are two quality pitchers who don’t make a lot of mistakes. With a shortened Spring Training and baseballs being stored in a humidor, pitchers have an edge over the hitters to start the season.
The total for this game has opened at a whopping 11.5 runs, and I see some value here. My best bet is Dodgers-Rockies under 11.5 runs.
Interested in placing a bet on Friday’s Rockies vs Dodgers Opening Day clash? Caesars Sports is offering up to a $1,500 match bet for first-time deposits in New Jersey, West Virginia, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, New York and Louisiana.
2022 MLB Division Previews
Sportsmemo’s content team has the 2022 MLB season covered from every angle. Before this afternoon’s first pitch, check out the division previews from JM Sports, which highlight the incoming and outgoing players from each team. Content Manager Kyle Kargel, breaks down the DraftKings prop markets for most home runs, strikeouts and stolen bases. Check ’em out!
AL East
AL Central
AL West
NL East
NL Central
NL West
First Pitch | MLB Opening Day Predictions for April 8
Join Drew Martin and a rotating panel of guests for First Pitch as we break down the daily baseball slate from a betting perspective. The Blue Jays have drawn a lot of attention in the AL East. Can Toronto kick off the season on the right foot with a home win over the Rangers? Join WagerTalk’s team of MLB betting experts every weekday at 1:45pm ET / 10:45am PT for First Pitch as we discuss the baseball betting slate.
WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the MLB moneylines, run lines and betting percentages for all of Friday’s Opening Day games, including this Rockies vs Dodgers showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Brian Ochsner graduated from Kansas State University with degrees in Accounting and Agribusiness. He’s a life-long baseball fan and “numbers guy” who tolerates the Colorado Rockies (bad ownership), and is a Denver Broncos and Kansas State Wildcats fan. Along with his interest in the sports wagering industry, he enjoys eating good BBQ, reading books on marketing, finance and economics, and playing Texas Hold ‘Em poker.
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