We’re always trying to make the most money possible off of the MLB odds each and every night. Join us on Friday, as we make our NLCS picks for Game 1 with our Los Angeles Dodgers @ St. Louis Cardinals free picks and predictions for what should be a great clash on the diamond.
NLCS Game 1 Picks: Los Angeles Dodgers @ St. Louis Cardinals
Date: Friday, October 11th, 8:30 ET
Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
Dodgers vs. Cardinals On TV: TBS
Los Angeles Dodgers (Zack Greinke) -115
St. Louis Cardinals (Joe Kelly) +108
Total: 6.5
One glance at the pitching matchup on Friday night, and you have to be inclined to want to back the Dodgers. They seem to have the better team on paper, they had the couple extra days of rest, and they have their de facto second ace on the mound in RHP Zack Greinke going against an inexperienced man in RHP Joe Kelly who looked the part of the worst pitcher on the staff for the Cards in the NLDS. That said, when you look a little deeper at it and consider a few other things, it doesn’t seem all that outrageous to think that the Cardinals might have some nice value here. Keep in mind that the time that the Dodgers have to travel to St. Louis more or less negates the fact that there were an extra two days off, though what the extra game did do was take RHP Adam Wainwright out of this series until it goes back to LA.
Kelly wasn’t good at all against the Pirates last round, but this game is back at home. There literally wasn’t a game this year that Kelly pitched at home that the Cardinals were out of, and only twice did he allow more than two earned runs. Yes, we know that Greinke has gone 13 straight starts allowing two runs or fewer, and even if that continues, this could get interesting in the late innings. Remember that the Dodgers bullpen didn’t look all that swift all the time against the Braves, and it is doubtful that that has gotten worked out. Greinke, for all of his great features, isn’t really pitching all that deep into games. We’ll take our chances with the Cards on Friday in Game 1.
Los Angeles Dodgers @ St. Louis Cardinals Pick: St. Louis Cardinals +108
Los Angeles Dodgers @ St. Louis Cardinals Score Prediction: Cardinals 3 – Dodgers 2
