MLB picks: Dodgers vs. Angels, Padres vs. Diamondbacks

The Freeway Series gets underway on Friday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Los Angeles Angels. We’ll preview that clash, along with the series opener between the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks, below.

Los Angeles Dodgers (13-7) at Los Angeles Angels (7-12), 9:40 p.m. ET, FS1

Clayton Kershaw and the exceptional Dodgers offense should roll to victory over the scuffling Angels on Friday night.

Kershaw got a late start to the season after being scratched on Opening Day, but his first two efforts were decent: He’s 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.10 WHIP through 10 innings. "The Claw" has seen plenty of the crosstown-rival Angels in the past and has seldom struggled with them, going 6-2 with a 2.56 ERA, 1.01 WHIP over 77 1/3 innings with 88 strikeouts. Not even Mike Trout has been able to figure out Kershaw, going 2-for-13 (.154) lifetime with just one extra-base hit. The Dodgers’ bullpen has been outstanding this season, and they lead the majors in ERA (1.26) this month.

Patrick Sandoval counters for the Angels, and though he’s pitched well through two starts in 2020 (2.70 ERA over 10 frames), that fact should be taken with a grain of salt as he faced the Mariners and Rangers. The Dodgers’ offense is made of much stronger stuff, as they’re tied for second in runs per game this season at 5.35, while the M’s and Rangers are 24th (4.10) and 27th (3.65). Once Mookie Betts and company chase Sandoval, they can get to work against the Halos’ 17th-ranked bullpen (4.38 ERA).

MLB pick: Dodgers run line

San Diego Padres (11-9) at Arizona Diamondbacks (8-11), 9:40 p.m. ET

The Padres’ Dinelson Lamet and the Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly should match zeroes early when they face off at Chase Field on Friday night.

Lamet has excelled in his first four starts of 2020, going 2-0 with a 1.61 ERA and 0.85 WHIP. Two of those occurred against Arizona, and he’s allowed just two earned runs to them over 11 2/3 innings with 19 strikeouts.

Kelly scattered six San Diego hits while allowing only one run over six frames when he saw them in his most recent outing last Saturday. He was 3-1 against the Friars last season with a 3.71 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 26 2/3 innings.

Neither offense has been particularly lethal in 2020, as the Padres are 14th in runs per game (4.80) while the D-backs are 15th (4.63), but let’s not give them a chance to break up this Under if they strike against two mediocre bullpens (Arizona is 20th by ERA while San Diego is 25th).

MLB free pick: Under 4.5 runs first five innings