Diamondbacks Should Be Favored Over Dodgers On Saturday Night

Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks 8:10 ET

It was an easy 2-0 yesterday and the third game (at least at the time of writing this) looks like a cakewalk as well. It is always nice to sweep rather than be swept (duh) but this is the first either way of the season (provided the scores hold up). I don't often write games the night before, but I felt like this would be a better opportunity and already have a spot circled for us.

The Dodgers are a good team. Let's get the obvious statements out of the way. If you play the Dodgers vs. the Diamondbacks 100 times, the Dodgers are likely to win 65 times at least. That's not how the game works though. See they already went through their best pitchers and for whatever reason this season started with Los Angeles facing Arizona eight times and then not again until close to the end of the season. They can't control that, they just need to win the games that they are scheduled to play. This exact matchup happened a week ago with the Dodgers winning 2-1. However, there is one significant difference in my opinion. Noah Syndergaard was pitching at home in that game. Now he pitches on the road. Maybe it means nothing and he goes out and dominates, maybe it is something significant. Only the game played today will really tell us an answer, but outside of California, Syndergaard wasn't a very good pitcher last season and now he has to travel. Maybe it is a factor of his routine being off. I really don't know. He was really good in his first Dodgers start going six innings and allowing just one earned run on four hits. I do think he will improve this year under Mark Prior, but if the guy is going to struggle, it is on the road.

The Diamondbacks are one of those teams that made me a lot of money last season. Hell, they've already made me some cash this season. Anyway, that doesn't matter because that's in the past and someone out there is reading these articles for the first time ever. The Diamondbacks are one of those teams that I have some faith in, but mostly in the right opportunities. Today is one of those days. Zach Davies takes the hill for them today. If we are being honest, the isn't very special. He's fine. He's like a third or fourth starter, which is where the Diamondbacks have him in their rotation. He faced Syndergaard in his first start and was able to keep Arizona in the game until they finally won. He went five strong innings and allowed just four hits and one earned run. I was impressed with his work to be honest. I'm not thinking he will be able to always beat the Dodgers, but he should be able to at least keep up with Syndergaard.

The wrong team is favored in this game. Honestly, Syndergaard is a bigger name, but he hasn't been the Thor people know him as for years. Davies is arguably a more consistent pitcher right now and I'll happily back him through five innings as he guides the D-backs. I don't feel as confident in the full game, but the first five makes a ton of sense as this is more about the starters than anything.

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