Marlins-Dodgers prediction: Picks, odds on Friday, August 18

The Miami Marlins (63-59) and Los Angeles Dodgers (74-46) will begin a three-game weekend series this evening. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Marlins ace Sandy Alacantara (5-10, 4.09 ERA) will go up against Tony Gonsolin (8-4, 4.24 ERA) for the Dodgers.

L.A. is the hottest team in baseball at the moment, as it has rattled off 11 straight victories heading into this weekend set. The team just stifled the Brewers offensively in a three-game sweep and that allowed it to push its growing lead at the top of the NL West standings to 10.5 games.

Miami is beginning a six-game road swing out west and is hoping to keep pace in a crowded NL Wild Card race. The Fish just dropped two of three games to the Astros earlier in the week, getting smacked in a 12-5 setback on Wednesday.

The Dodgers enter the game as -142 favorites on the moneyline over at DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Marlins are +120 underdogs. The run total is set at 8.5.

Marlins-Dodgers picks: Friday, August 18

Injury report

Marlins

Out: RP JT Chargois (rib), RP Matt Barnes (hip), RP Anthony Bender (elbow)

Dodgers

Day-To-Day: DH J.D. Martinez (hamstring)
Out: SP Walker Buehler (elbow), SP Jimmy Nelson (elbow), SP Michael Grove (lat), RP Shelby Miller (neck), RP Joe Kelly (forearm), SS Gavin Lux (knee), OF Jonny Deluca (hamstring), OF Jake Marisnick (hamstring), RP Yency Almonte (knee)

Starting pitchers

Sandy Alcantara vs. Tony Gonsolin

Alcantara is fresh off what was arguably his best start of the season and will try to keep things rolling this evening. The reigning NL Cy Young winner looked like his 2022 form against the Yankees last Saturday, pitching a complete-game gem with 10 strikeouts and one earned run allowed on five hits. His success in recent starts can be attributed to him simply keeping runners off base, as he’s yielded no more than six hits and two walks in each of his last four outings.

Gonsolin has been a huge beneficiary of the Dodgers’ hot streak this month, as he’s picked up wins in each of his last three outings. He put together a quality start against the Rockies last Saturday, going six full innings and yielding just one earned run off three hits. The righty is 6-2 with an opponent batting average of .220 at home this season, so Marlins batters could have a tough time stringing together hits this evening.

Over/Under pick

Both teams have been middle of the road in batting average and OPS over the last week, and those numbers could go down with tonight’s pitching matchup. Alcantara and Gonsolin are both capable of putting together quality starts on the mound this evening and it could be a struggle for both lineups to gain traction in this one. Take the under.

Pick: Under 8.5

Moneyline pick

I’ll keep riding the hot hand and predict the Dodgers make it a perfect dozen tonight. They currently boast the best home winning percentage in the Majors at .672, and with the way they’ve handled business as of late, I could easily see them coming up big late in a tight ballgame.