Minnesota Twins vs. Los Angeles Dodgers prediction, MLB picks for April 8, 2024, best bets, and odds
Game: Twins vs. Dodgers in Los Angeles
Date: April 8, 2024, Monday
Target Field is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
TV: LA’s Spectrum SportsNet
Los Angeles (-144) Minnesota (+122) is the point spread.
On Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers (8-3) will go to Target Field in an attempt to defeat the Minnesota Twins (3-4). Los Angeles is -144 and Minnesota is +122 on the moneyline for this encounter. There is an 8.5 total. James Paxton and Louie Varland are the pitchers that are anticipated to get the start.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers rank sixth in baseball as a team because they score 6.2 runs per game on average. They have a team on-base percentage of.371, and they have scored 68 runs. The Dodgers have collectively tallied 20 two-baggers and 15 home runs. Their team batting average is.291 and they have already accumulated 110 hits and 66 RBIs this season. Los Angeles is slugging.468 and has been walked 47 times while being called upon for strikes 108 times.
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With 103 hits this season, the Dodgers rank 19th in baseball with an earned run average of 4.27. Pitchers for the Dodgers have given up 52 runs overall, including 8 home runs (26th in the league). As a team, their pitching staff has walked 38 opponents this season, and they have a 3.47 FIP. Los Angeles has given up 47 earned runs and 84 base hits (7.6 per nine innings). Their pitching staff has a combined WHIP of 1.23 and they have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.71.
Thus far this season, the Dodgers have sent 39 relievers to the hill. 33.3% of the 12 runners that the relief pitchers have inherited this season have reached base. This season, they have made 6 saves and wasted 1 of their 7 save opportunities. With a save percentage of 85.7%, the relief pitchers for the Dodgers have faced 16 save scenarios. With nine holds this year, the relievers rank third in MLB. Pitchers in the Dodgers’ bullpen have entered the game seven times in high leverage situations and eight times with runners on base.
Throughout the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers have recorded 297 putouts, 94 assists, and 7 mistakes. They have turned five double plays and their fielding percentage, which is currently 18th in professional baseball, is maintaining steady at.982. With 891 innings played, the Dodgers have converted 69.8% of balls in play into outs, good for 15th place in professional baseball.
Over his MLB career, Paxton has thrown 855 innings and recorded 937 strikeouts. His WHIP is 1.227 and his earned run average is 3.67 (349 earned runs allowed). In 9 innings, he has allowed 781 base knocks (8.2 hits per inning) and 269 walks. After facing 3,564 opposing hitters in the majors, Paxton has a 3.47 FIP and a 65-38 lifetime record.
Thus far this season, the Minnesota Twins have a batting average of.191 and an on-base percentage of.308. They have recorded 44 base knocks and been rung up 73 times, which ranks 16th in MLB. Minnesota has collected 19 RBIs this year in addition to 3 home homers. The Twins rank 26th in baseball with a slugging percentage of.300 and 3.00 runs scored per game. They have scored 21 runs, walked 29 times, and produced 10 two-baggers.
At this point in the season, the Twins have a 4.41 team FIP and a 1.148 team WHIP. With 61 strikeouts against 18 free passes, their strikeout to walk ratio is 9.00. With 52 total hits given up, they are now the third-best pitching staff in the Major League Baseball. They are seventh in the league with 3.84 runs allowed per nine innings and have surrendered ten home runs. The pitching staff in Minnesota has an earned run average (ERA) of 3.54 after giving up 26 runs so far this season.
Out of their five inherited runners, Minnesota bullpen pitchers have an inherited score rate of 80.0%. Three times in high leverage situations and four times with runners on base, their bullpen pitchers have entered the game. The Twins have had four save opportunities, three holds, and zero blown saves. With a save percentage of 100.0%, they are ranked third in baseball. This season, they have sent 20 bullpen relievers to the hill. Relieving pitchers for Minnesota have entered the game with one save opportunity and have exited with one save.
The Minnesota Twins are seventh in major league baseball with a fielding percentage of.992, having turned three double plays. This season, the Twins have 183 putouts, 56 assists, and 2 errors. The Twins rank sixth in MLB with a defensive efficiency of 72.9% after 549 innings played.
During his career, Varland has given up 98 hits while recording 96 strikeouts in 98 innings pitched. Together with a WHIP of 1.255 and a FIP of 4.9, he has given up a total of 49 earned runs. In his professional baseball career, he has faced 410 hitters and has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.84. Varland has a career win-loss record of 5-6, a 4.50 earned run average, and a 9.0 hit per nine innings pitched.
Who will prevail in the MLB game tonight, underdog or favorite?
