Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs: Odds, Analysis, MLB Betting Preview

The Los Angeles Dodgers (4-4) knew Monday would be an emotional day for the Chicago Cubs (5-2), who raised their World Series championship banner at Wrigley Field in their home opener and then proceeded to win 3-2 on a walk-off hit by Anthony Rizzo in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Dodgers will find themselves as road underdogs again at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark for Wednesday’s matchup, and they are hoping the extra day between games will work to their advantage.

Los Angeles will send right-hander Brandon McCarthy (1-0, 3.00 ERA) to the mound in the second game of the three-game set at Wrigley. He is coming off an impressive start in his 2017 debut at home last Thursday.

McCarthy (pitcher log) picked up the win in a 10-2 rout of the San Diego Padres after throwing six solid innings, allowing four hits and two runs with one walk and four strikeouts. However, last season he struggled on the road with an 0-2 mark and 5.28 ERA in four games, three of which were starts.

Chicago will counter with another pitcher who has more favorable splits at home in John Lackey (1-0, 4.50), although he did pick up a road victory in his first start of the season.

Lackey (pitcher log) went 7-4 with a 2.62 ERA at home in 2016 compared to 4-4 with a 4.37 ERA on the road in his first year with the Cubs. However, he was solid in an outing away from home against his former team, the St. Louis Cardinals, last Thursday, allowing three earned runs in six innings of a 6-4 win with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Lackey did not get an opportunity to pitch versus the Dodgers last year during the regular season. But he did face them in the National League Championship Series, giving up two runs and three hits in four innings of a pivotal 10-2 victory in Game 4 at Los Angeles with three walks and three strikeouts.

Starting with that win in the NLCS, Chicago has won four straight meetings with the Dodgers, according to the OddsShark MLB Database. The under has cashed in the last two at sports betting sites along with four of the past six.