The Los Angeles Dodgers are set as favorites in the series finale against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night. The Dodgers, considered pre-season World Series contenders, face a Mariners team that has struggled to maintain a winning record this season.
Seattle enters the game as +128 underdogs. The Mariners will start pitcher Bryce Miller (4-5, 2.75 ERA), who has shown signs of fatigue recently, including lowered velocity late in his starts. In his last three outings, Miller has allowed 11 earned runs in 16 innings, a significant increase from his earlier performance this season. He notably failed to record a strikeout in his most recent start.
Opposing Miller will be Roki Sasaki (4-5, 4.71 ERA) for the Mariners. Despite a higher earned run average, Sasaki has been performing at a career-best level in his recent starts. The 24-year-old pitched seven innings against the Mets, allowing only one run and striking out nine batters. Some reports suggest a new glove size may be aiding Sasaki by preventing opponents from noticing his pitch selection. Over his last three starts, Sasaki has surrendered just four earned runs in 18 2/3 innings, posting a 1.93 ERA.
The Dodgers are projected to win, with recommendations focusing on a run line bet of Dodgers -1.5 and the Dodgers scoring over 2.5 runs in the first five innings. Additionally, bets on Sasaki exceeding 7.5 strikeouts are suggested, with odds of over 5.5 strikeouts having been available in his previous eight starts.
Erich Richter, a betting analyst for The Post, has a strong track record in player prop markets, achieving a 30.15 percent return on investment since 2022. His betting recommendations for this game include the Dodgers on the run line and an over bet on the Dodgers' first-five-innings total runs, alongside a prop bet on Sasaki's strikeouts.