Chicago Cubs @ Los Angeles Dodgers - April 12, 2025

Ah, the world of Major League Baseball—the thrill of stepping up to the plate, the crack of a bat hitting a ball and the anticipation that follows. As someone who has spent years betting on these games, I’ve witnessed my fair share of surprises and heartbreaks. This Saturday, we’ve got an intriguing matchup as the Chicago Cubs take on the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium—a clash that’s sure to keep us on our toes.

Let’s dive right into it. The Cubs are sending out Ben Brown, whose record stands at 1-1 with an ERA sitting at 5.0. Now, I know what you’re thinking—those numbers don’t exactly scream ‘ace’. A 7.3 strikeout per game average isn’t terrible, but with a struggling ERA like that, he’s bound to face some hefty challenges against a potent Dodgers lineup.

On the other side of the diamond is Roki Sasaki for Los Angeles—his win-loss record may be 0-0 this season, but let’s not forget he boasts a respectable ERA of 3.5 and has shown flashes of brilliance with his nine strikeouts. While he hasn’t secured a win yet, he certainly has the potential to turn things around in front of his home crowd.

Now let’s get into what both teams bring offensively. The Cubs have been decent this season—averaging 5.7 runs and racking up about 7.8 hits per game; they even manage an impressive 5.4 RBIs per outing! However, their batting average sits at .228 which leaves something to be desired.

The Dodgers’ stats paint a slightly different picture: they score around 4.9 runs and accumulate about 7.6 hits per game with an equal number of RBIs—not too shabby either! Their batting average is also hovering around .231; however, if there’s one thing we can count on from this squad, it’s their ability to make timely plays when it counts.

In terms of recent performance, Los Angeles is riding high with a solid record—they’ve won sixteen out of their last twenty-one games! On top of that, they recently shut out Chicago in their last encounter by a scoreline of 3-0; it was enough to make UNDER bettors rejoice while leaving Cubs fans scratching their heads.

Given all this information—the struggles faced by Brown on the mound against Sasaki’s potential for greatness—I’m placing my bets firmly on the Dodgers taking this one home tonight. Oddsmakers have made them -172 favorites for good reason; they carry momentum and confidence heading into this matchup.

As far as totals go? I expect tonight’s action to push past that opening mark set at 8.5 runs—it feels like we’ll see plenty of scoring opportunities from both sides given how each team has performed lately.

So grab your lucky socks and maybe throw in some extra good vibes—it’s always worth having those little superstitions in play when putting your money down! Here’s to hoping we witness an exciting game where my predictions hold true: Dodgers take it home and we see plenty more than just eight runs scored! Happy betting!