The Miami Marlins head to the West Coast to begin a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.
MLB betting lines have the defending World Series champion Dodgers installed as -208 favorites with the Over/Under opening at 7.
Here are our best free Marlins vs. Dodgers picks and predictions for Friday, May 14, with the first pitch scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET.
Marlins vs Dodgers game info
• Location: Dodger Stadium, L.A., CA
• Date: Friday, May 14, 2021
• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• TV: SportsNet LA
Marlins vs Dodgers odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Compare MLB odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
MLB Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonWith Clayton Kershaw toeing the slab tonight, Los Angeles opened -200 at BetMGM Nevada and is out to -225 at 6:30 p.m. ET. "Ticket count is 2/1 in favor of the Dodgers, money is 3/1 Dodgers," BetMGM Nevada's Scott Shelton said, while noting a much larger parlay disparity in favor of the Dodgers. L.A. also has a 7/1 ticket-count edge on the runline, laying -1.5 (-105). The total dipped from 7 to 6.5. "It's 2/1 tickets on the Under, but money is almost dead even, slightly more on the Under," Shelton said.
Check out the full line movement for this gameMarlins vs Dodgers betting preview
Starting pitchers
Sandy Alcantara (1-2, 2.72 ERA): The 25-year-old is coming off a strong performance against the Brewers where he allowed one run over seven innings.
The right-hander has pitched to a 2.72 ERA, with a 1.01 WHIP and opponent batting average of .203 in eight starts this season, all improvements from last year's 3.00 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and .226 OBA.
Clayton Kershaw (5-3, 2.62 ERA): The three-time Cy Young winner is stringing together another excellent season, pitching to a 2.62 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP ad 46 strikeouts through 44 2-3 innings across eight starts.
In his last outing, he went five scoreless innings and allowed just two hits against the Angels.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Marlins: Jazz Chisholm SS (Out), Starling Marte CF (Out).
Dodgers: Zach McKinstry 2B (Out), Cody Bellinger RF (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Over is 7-0-1 in the Dodgers' last eight home games. Find more MLB betting trends for Marlins vs. Dodgers.
Runline pick
Both of these teams are coming off back-to-back wins to snap out of a funk. The Marlins won two in a row in Arizona to break out of a four-game losing streak, while the Dodgers won consecutive games for the first time since April 17, a brutal 20-game stretch that saw them go 5-15.
The Dodgers have a loaded lineup but despite ranking among the MLB leaders in OPS all season were struggling to hit with runners in scoring position. They look to have turned that around, averaging 7.0 runs per game over their last four contests and now ranking fifth in the majors with 5.05 runs per game while ranking fourth with an OPS .754.
The Marlins have been one of the worst hitting teams in the majors for years and the 2021 season seems like no exception. Miami is currently 23rd in the majors in both scoring and OPS (.676).
That will make it very tough for them to stay competitive in this game against future Hall-of-Famer Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw has struggled in three of his eight starts this season (one of which took place at Coors Field), but has been lights out in his other five, allowing just one run over 31 innings.
The Marlins have a solid pitcher of their own in Sandy Alcantara, but he won't get the run support he will need tonight. Even with the Dodgers' recent slide, they are a commanding 94-37 in their last 131 games at home. Back L.A. on the runline.
PREDICTION: RL L.A. Dodgers -1.5 (+105)
Over/Under pick
With two strong starters on the mound, taking the Under on the total of 7 might seem like the obvious play but don't be so sure.
Kershaw isn't quite as consistent as he was in his prime, and the Dodgers batters are some of the best in the majors. Last season's NL MVP runner-up Mookie Betts, 2020 World Series MVP Corey Seager, Justin Turner, and Max Muncy lead a Dodgers attack that is clicking even without Cody Bellinger.
Keep in mind that L.A. has gone 4-0 to the Over in Kershaw's last four starts while going a sizzling 14-3-1 to the Over in their last 18 games overall.
Meanwhile, the Marlins have gone 4-1 to the Over in Alcantara's previous five starts and have gone 7-1 O/U in their last eight games against teams with a winning record.
They have also gone 15-7-2 to the Over in their previous 24 road contests with the total set between 7.0 and 8.5. We're backing the Over.
PREDICTION: Over 7 (-105)
Marlins vs Dodgers betting card
- RL L.A. Dodgers -1.5 (+105)
- Over 7 (-105)
Picks made on 5/14/2021 at 9:48 a.m. ET
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