Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 3/18/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Location: Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan

TV: FOX

Odds/Point Spread: Los Angeles (-152) Chicago (+126)

The Chicago Cubs (83-79 last season) will compete against the Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64 last year) at Tokyo Dome on Tuesday. The line on this matchup has Los Angeles at -152 while Chicago is sitting at +126. The over/under is 8. The starting pitchers are Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga.

The Dodgers tallied 291 doubles as a team and smacked 233 baseballs out of the park. Los Angeles had a slugging percentage of .446 and struck out 1,336 times, while being walked on 602 occasions. As a team, the Los Angeles Dodgers notched 5.2 runs per outing, which ranked them 2nd in MLB. They amassed 815 RBI's and 1,423 base knocks in the prior season, and their average at the plate sat at .258. They were sitting with 842 runs scored and held an on-base percentage of .335.

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The Dodgers compiled a team earned run average of 3.90 last year (13th in MLB), and the staff struck out 1,390 hitters. Dodgers pitchers surrendered 198 home runs and 686 runs (13th in the league). Their pitching staff walked 501 players from the other team and their FIP came in at 4.18 as a team in the previous season. Los Angeles surrendered 1,273 hits (7.9 per 9 innings) in addition to 626 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio was at 2.77 and their pitching staff held a collective WHIP of 1.23.

Dodgers bullpen pitchers entered the contest with runners on 118 times and also had 179 contests in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers accumulated 104 holds over the course of last year (4th in the league). The Dodgers relief pitchers compiled a save rate of 63.3% and entered the game in 186 save situations. They tallied 50 saves last year and blew 29 of their 79 save chances. The bullpen inherited 160 base runners over the course of last season and 32.5% of those runners crossed the plate. The Dodgers dispatched 565 relievers to the hill for the prior year.

The Dodgers converted 71.0% of balls in play into outs out of their 13,011 innings, which had them sitting at 2nd in pro baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers amassed 4,337 putouts in the prior season, as well as 1,366 assists and 88 errors. Their fielding percentage was at .985 which was 18th in baseball, and they turned 119 double plays.

Yamamoto has pitched in 90 innings and has accumulated 105 K's thus far in his career. His earned run average is 3.00 (30 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.111. He has conceded 78 base hits (7.8 hits per nine innings) with 22 walks. Yamamoto (7-2 win-loss mark in his career) holds a FIP of 2.96 and he has gone up against 368 batters during his time in the majors.

The Cubs had a team slugging % of .393 and they averaged 4.54 runs per contest (12th in MLB). They had 253 two-baggers, while walking 546 times and notching 736 runs. Chicago knocked in 170 home runs for the previous season to go along with 696 RBIs. They struck out on 1,362 occasions (17th in the league) and had 1,318 hits. The Chicago Cubs tallied a team OBP of .317 as well as a batting average of .242 over the course of last season.

The Cubs had a WHIP of 1.248 and were the owners of a FIP of 4.04 as a team for the previous season. They had a K/BB ratio of 8.50 (1,348 strikeouts vs 485 free passes). They had a ranking of 12th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 1,302. They yielded 181 home runs and they allowed 4.20 runs per 9 innings (12th in the league). The Chicago pitching staff relinquished 669 runs over the course of the prior season while holding an ERA of 3.78 (602 earned runs yielded).

Finishing with 145 save situations, the Cubs recorded 80 holds and 26 blown saves. Chicago had relief pitchers step onto the hill in 64 save chances and they tallied 38 saves. Their relief pitchers came in 170 times in high leverage situations in addition to 141 occasions with runners on base. Chicago relievers held an inherited score percentage of 31.8% out of 217 inherited base runners. They ranked 26th in baseball with a save rate of 59.4%, and they sent 496 relievers onto the field last year.

The Chicago Cubs had 91 double plays and had a fielding percentage of .987 (7th in professional baseball). The Cubs recorded 1,349 assists, 76 errors and amassed 4,297 putouts for the previous season. In their 12,891 innings played, the Cubs had a efficiency on defense of 70.5% (8th in MLB).

So far in his MLB career, Imanaga has given up 149 base hits while totaling 174 strikeouts in 173 innings. Imanaga (15-3 win-loss record in his career) holds a 2.91 earned run average and has conceded 7.7 hits per 9 innings. He has conceded 56 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.023 and being the owner of a FIP of 2.9. His strikeout to walk ratio is 6.21 and he has gone up against 694 batters in his MLB career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Los Angeles (-152)

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