A Major League Baseball matinee battle between the Los Angels Dodgers and Oakland Athletics takes place later today. The game is scheduled for a 3:35 p.m. start time and it will be televised live in both markets. Currently the odds for the game have the Dodgers favored to pick up the win in matinee action on the road.
Mat Latos was supposed to start today's game for the Dodgers, but LA seems to be wanting to experiment with a four-man rotation. Because of that Alex Wood gets the ball yet again. Wood was acquired from Atlanta in what many thought could be parlayed into a bigger move but that never materialized and now he's just one in a crowded Dodgers rotation.
Wood has been inconsistent in three games since being acquired by the Dodgers, going 1-1 and earning a no decision as well. The lefty has given up at least three earned runs in three straight outings and two of those starts came on the road. His 8-7 record and 3.74 ERA certainly seem solid, but he pitches quite a bit to contact as opponents are hitting .285 against him this season. For what it's worth, Wood's ERA on the road this season is 3.16, better than a run and a half of an improvement compared to his numbers at home.
Current Athletics are hitting .333 against him in nine at bats. Danny Valencia has all three hits against him, two of them have gone for doubles. In 11 games for the Athletics Valencia has hit safely in 10 games since being acquired from the Blue Jays.
Oakland will pitch Jesse Chavez, the pitcher who has 12 losses on the season but a sub-4.00 ERA on the year. Chavez is 4-5 so far this season at home in 10 starts with a 2.92 ERA on the season. His numbers in August are not good, though, he's just 1-2 in three starts with a 5.94 ERA in 16 2/3 innings. Chavez has allowed opponents to hit .309 so far this month and he surrendered a combined 10 earned runs against Toronto and Baltimore, a pair of defeats.
Current Dodgers are hitting .239 against him in 46 plate appearances with Yasiel Puig having the only home run. In the limited at bats, nobody for Los Angeles has three hits against Chavez in his career.
The Dodgers lost a 5-4 decision last night as Clayton Kershaw didn't have his best outing and the Dodger bullpen couldn't get anybody out. It was a nice win for Oakland, which came in having lost seven straight games. Oakland hits just .245 against lefties this year, Wood has decent numbers on the road and Los Angeles will be looking to earn a split in this short series.
Free Pick: Dodgers
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