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National League West leaders the Los Angeles Dodgers head to the north side of Chicago to square off against the Chicago Cubs.
This will be the first game of their three-game series. The Dodgers currently hold a 14-7 record in the win-loss column while the Cubs are at 9-13.
The Dodgers are locked in and have looked like one of the favorites to win the National League pennant again this year. A major reason for this has been their consistent battery lineup and even better pitching staff.
On the other side of the spectrum, the Chicago Cubs enjoyed a decent start to the season but have fallen off a cliff recently. The Cubs have tasted defeat in seven of their last ten games.
Match Details
Fixture: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs.
Date & Time: Friday, May 6, 2:20 p.m. EDT.
Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois.
Los Angeles Dodgers Preview
The Dodgers are looking as dominant as people expected them to be. They are the current leaders of the stacked National League West with both the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants lurking and waiting in the wings.
Their division is so competitive that the last-placed Arizona Diamondbacks are just two games behind a wildcard berth.
The Dodgers have been steady with their production at the plate, but what's been more impressive about this team is their pitching staff. They currently own the best pitching crew in albaseball, which that has an ERA of only 2.25. They've left opposing batters swinging into thin air by allowing just a .190 batting average.
If the Cubs can't find the proper solution for their recent slump, the Blue Crew will surely steamroll them.
Key Player - Freddie Freeman
The Freddie Freeman era in Los Angeles is starting to take shape. Freeman has been batting .309/.381/.509 with three homers and ten RBIs on 17 base hits over his last 15 games.
It was well-documented that the first baseman struggled in his first few games in Dodger blue. But he seems to have shaken the rust off and has settled in well with his new team.
Freeman seems to be relishing his time in Chavez Ravine and the Dodger faithful seem to be returning the favor. Look for him to pick apart a below-average Chicago Cubs pitching staff in this game.
Los Angeles Dodgers Projected Lineup
Starting Pitcher: Tim Anderson.
- Mookie Betts, RF
- Trea Turner, SS
- Freddie Freeman, 1B
- Will Smith, C
- Max Muncy, DH
- Justin Turner, 3B
- Chris Taylor, LF
- Cody Bellinger, CF
- Gavin Lux, 2B
Chicago Cubs Preview
The Chicago Cubs are in a slump. They have won just one of their last five games and three of their last ten. This includes a 2-1 series defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and just earlier, to an injury-riddled Chicago White Sox.
The batting order of the Cubs is pretty decent and has a collective average of .243 with 88 RBIs through 23 games. It is their pitching staff that has hindered the Cubbies' chances of victory. They have an ERA of 4.18 and have given up 92 earned runs. They've also surrendered the third-most homers with 29.
Key Player - Seiya Suzuki
The Japanese infielder has had a productive start to his MLB career. In the month of April, Seiya Suzuki was named the National League Player of the Week for the first week of the season. More recently, he was named the National League Rookie of the Month.
Baseball fans and pundits alike will tune in to see if Suzuki can outmaneuver the best pitching staff in baseball in their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Chicago Cubs Projected Lineup
Starting Pitcher: Tim Anderson.
- Alfonso Rivas, 1B
- Seiya Suzuki, RF
- Wilson Contreras, C
- Ian Happ, LF
- Frank Schwindel, DH
- Patrick Wisdom, 3B
- Jason Heyward, CF
- Nick Madrigal, 2B
- Nico Hoerner, SS
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Prediction
The Los Angeles Dodgers are dominating opponents from the mound. Despite the Cubs boasting a decent enough batting lineup, they will find it hard to stop the hot streak from the Blue Crew's pitching staff. Dodgers to win 4-1.
Where to follow Dodgers vs Cubs?
Watch: Sportsnet LA (Dodgers), Marquee Sports Network, MLBN (out-of-market only) (Cubs).
Listen: Dodgers Radio AM570, KTNQ 1020 (Dodgers), 670 The Score, WRTO 1200 (Cubs).
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