Mets vs. Dodgers (June 2): Gonsolin, Dodgers to win opener between NL pennant favorites

The top two favorites to win this year’s National League title meet for the first time this season as the New York Mets visit the Los Angeles Dodgers for four games, starting tonight.

The Dodgers enter this series after surprisingly being swept at home by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but oddsmakers still see them as a clear favorite for the NL pennant and the World Series title. BetOnline has the Dodgers, who are three games ahead of the San Diego Padres atop the NL West, at +175 to win the NL title and +400 to win the World Series.

The Mets, who have a commanding 10.5-game lead in the NL East, are the second favorite to win the NL pennant, with their +350 odds placing them behind the Dodgers and ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers (+550). And they are the third favorite to win the 2022 World Series, with their +700 odds placing them behind the Dodgers and New York Yankees (+650).

While the Dodgers come in off of a poor result, the Mets make the trip to Los Angeles after sweeping consecutive home series against the Phillies and Nationals.

Who will take tonight’s opener? Two unbeaten pitchers take the hill, so someone could end the night with their first loss of the season.

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Odds and Matchup Information

Matchup Information

• Matchup: New York Mets (35-17, 16-9 road, 1st in the NL West) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (33-17, 15-8 home, 1st in the NL West)
• Venue & Location: Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles, California)
• Date: Thursday, June 2, 2022
• Time: 10:05 p.m. Eastern Time (7:05 p.m. local time)
• How to Watch Today’s Mets vs. Dodgers Game: MLB Network

Mets vs. Dodgers Pitching Matchup

• New York Mets: Taijuan Walker (2022: 7 starts, 3-0, 2.83 ERA)
• Los Angeles Dodgers: Tony Gonsolin (2022: 9 starts, 5-0, 1.80 ERA)

Mets vs. Dodgers Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline. Odds from our other top reviewed and recommended online sportsbooks are also included in this article.

Moneyline

• New York Mets +150
• Los Angeles Dodgers -178

Over/Under

• OVER 8.5 (-122)
• UNDER 8.5 (+100)

Run Line

• New York Mets +1.5 (-137)
• Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (+114)

Dodgers Look to Bounce Back with Unbeaten Gonsolin

Let’s let this little factoid marinate for one second:

The Dodgers are 4-9 against #MLB teams from Pennsylvania (1-5 vs. the Pirates, 3-4 vs. the Phillies) & 29-8 against the rest of the league.

Sports are strange.

— Betting News (@BN_Content) June 2, 2022

Naturally, this means that the Dodgers are going to go out and take all four or three of four from the Mets, who appear to be their closest competition for the NL pennant, along with NL Cy Young Award favorite Corbin Burnes and the Milwaukee Brewers.

While the Dodgers may face Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer when the two teams meet at Citi Field at the end of August or at some point in this year’s MLB playoffs, they won’t face either one in this series, as both players are currently on the injured list.

As a result, the Dodgers arguably have the edge over the Mets in all four scheduled starting pitching matchups in this series, at least based on results this season. That includes tonight, as Gonsolin is aiming to tie for the major league lead in wins.

In four home starts this season, the 28-year-old is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA. In 21 innings pitched, he has allowed 10 hits, nine walks and three runs (all earned), and opponents are hitting just .143 against him at Dodger Stadium.

Walker, meanwhile, is 3-0 in five home starts this season, but there are some potential areas of concern with tonight’s game in mind. In 28 innings, he has allowed 30 hits and 10 walks, and opponents are hitting .270 against him.

After hitting just .237 in April, the Dodgers hit .260 in May and had 12 hits in 35 at-bats in yesterday’s 8-4 loss to the Pirates. And statistically, no team is better across the board than the World Series favorites are.

Statistical Rankings for the Los Angeles Dodgers (Hitting)

• Batting Average: .253 (t-4th)
• Runs Per Game: 5.48 (1st)
• Doubles: 102 (2nd)
• Triples: 10 (t-4th)
• Home Runs: 60 (6th)
• Walks: 211 (1st)
• On-Base Percentage: .338 (2nd)
• Slugging Percentage: .432 (1st)

So, Walker and the Mets could be in some trouble tonight, especially given that the Dodgers are much more dangerous offensively at night.

• The Dodgers are hitting .261 at night and .237 in day games.
• They have a .351 on-base percentage in night games and a .311 OBP in day games.
• The Dodgers are averaging 5.79 runs per game in night games and 4.88 runs per game in day games.

Mets vs. Dodgers Prediction and Best Bets

Mets vs. Dodgers Prediction: Dodgers to win

Mets vs. Dodgers Best Bets: Dodgers -1.5 (+125 at BetUS)

The Dodgers have only four one-run wins among their 33 wins this season, with three of those wins coming against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Matchups are an important thing to keep into consideration, of course, but the run line has the best value tonight, and not just because the best price you can find for the ML is -165 (BetMGM).

Walker’s splits are also worse in night games compared to day games, and the same can be said for his splits against right-handed hitters compared to left-handed hitters. Among the Dodgers’ top six run producers, the only left-handed hitter is Freddie Freeman.

You can get decent -1.5 run line value at any of our top recommended sportsbooks, but the best value can be found at BetUS.