Dodgers vs. Rangers prediction and odds for Sunday, July 23 (Back LA against lefty)
By Reed Wallach
![Jul 21, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) celebrates Jul 21, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) celebrates](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_7954,h_4474,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/426/01h61wzv4cpnpf4g3030.jpg)
The Dodgers American League road trip continues to produce wins with LA taking the first two games of a three game set against the Texas Rangers, who are first place in the AL West.
The Dodgers look to make it a clean sweep against a fellow first place opponent on Sunday after winning 16-3 on Saturday. Can rookie Emmet Sheehan continue his fine start to his career against an elite offense? That is the goal against left hander Martin Perez, which could open up opportunities for the surging LA offense.
Here are the odds and our best bet for Saturday's matchup:
Dodgers vs. Rangers odds, run line and total
Dodgers vs. Rangers prediction and pick
He has a limited sample size, and his numbers may not show it yet, but Sheehan is going to be a fixture for the Dodgers rotation for years to come. In five big league starts, Sheehan has pitched to a 4.91 ERA, but has had some poor home run luck so far, allowing 1.4 per nine innings. However, his underlying metrics are glowing, posting a 3.51 xERA.
While the Rangers pose a stiff test, I fancy the matchup for the Dodgers lineup more against the lefty Perez. The Dodgers are sixth in the big leagues in OPS against left handers this season and are scorching at the plate, hitting .272 over the last 30 days per MLB.com and posting the best OPS in the bigs since then.
Both teams are elite, but the Dodgers are starting to realize its ceiling. I'll take advantage of the cheap price and back LA on the road to complete the sweep.