Barstool Bush
Predictions

Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs

By Bush StaffUpdated 18d ago·2 min read
Los Angeles DodgersLAD(69-44)
Chicago CubsCHC(64-49)
5—10
FINAL
123456789RHE
LAD
3001010005101
CHC
22201300—10101

Justin Wrobleski (11-3, 3.31 ERA) got the ball for LA and Matthew Boyd (7-1, 3.59) countered for the Cubs, a matchup of two of the more unexpected stabilizers in either rotation this year. First pitch went off at 7:05 PM CT under the lights at Wrigley.

Show fees
FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Dodgers(69-44)
LLLLW
5
Cubs(64-49)
WLWLW
10
Best BetDodgers -127
Postgame

The Dodgers lost outright 10-5, and it wasn't Wrobleski who let them down early — it was the bullpen exactly as the bear case flagged. LA led after Edman's homer, but a bases-loaded walk and a two-run single off Tanner Scott in the 6th turned a winnable game into their 4th straight loss.

Pregame

The Dodgers are short favorites here, and Wrobleski's season-long numbers back that up even after a shaky final line last time out. Boyd's been excellent, but Los Angeles has the deeper lineup on paper, and that gap usually shows up over 9 innings.

The Dodgers were already shorthanded walking in. Dalton Rushing landed on the 10-day IL Monday with an elbow strain, leaving Will Smith's backup without a backup, and the pitching staff remains a MASH unit with Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Blake Treinen and Brock Stewart all still working back. Chicago has its own list — Justin Steele and Cade Horton among the shelved arms — but nothing at the level of LA's attrition.

Justin Wrobleski
Justin Wrobleski
(11-5)·3.56 ERA
Jul 28 vs Mariners
ND
6.0IP
5ER
7K
0BB
102P
08/03 Lineup
Matthew Boyd
Matthew Boyd
(8-2)·4.02 ERA
Jul 29 @ Cardinals
ND
7.0IP
0ER
5K
2BB
89P
08/03 Lineup

For 3 innings the plan worked. Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages singled to open the game, and Tommy Edman turned it into instant offense with a 3-run homer off Boyd. Wrobleski cruised behind it early, and the Dodgers carried a lead into the middle innings looking like they'd finally snap their funk.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
(69-44)
Aug 4L@ Cubs5-10
Aug 2Lvs Red Sox4-8
Aug 2Lvs Red Sox2-3
Aug 1Lvs Red Sox4-9
Jul 31Wvs Mariners6-2
Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
(64-49)
Aug 4Wvs Dodgers10-5
Aug 2Lvs Yankees1-2
Aug 1Wvs Yankees5-2
Jul 31Lvs Yankees0-2
Jul 30W@ Cardinals4-2

Then the wheels came off. The Cubs had already chipped away with 2 in the 2nd and 2 more in the 3rd before the game flipped in the 6th, when a reliever walked the bases loaded and Tanner Scott came in to try to strand it. He struck out the first hitter, then walked in a run after getting ahead 0-2, and a two-run single blew it open. The Dodgers had led once and never threatened to get it back.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
(13)
  • 10-Day-ILDalton Rushing (C) — The Dodgers placed Rushing on the 10-day injured list Monday due to a mild elbow strain, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.08/03
  • 15-Day-ILWill Klein (RP) — The Dodgers placed Klein on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to right elbow discomfort, Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times reports.08/02
  • 15-Day-ILBrock Stewart (RP) — MRI results on Stewart's right shoulder revealed tendinitis Saturday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.08/01
  • 15-Day-ILBlake Treinen (RP) — Treinen (elbow) will face live hitters Wednesday, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.07/29
  • 60-Day-ILKris Bubic (SP) — The Dodgers acquired Bubic (shoulder/elbow) from the Royals on Monday in exchange for right-hander Carlos Duran, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.08/03
  • 60-Day-ILBen Casparius (RP) — Casparius (shoulder) made the third appearance of his rehab assignment Friday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, allowing one earned run on no hits and four walks while recording just one out.08/02
  • 60-Day-ILWill Smith (C) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that Smith (neck) will need at least 3-to-4 weeks to ramp back up to full speed, including a rehab assignment, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.08/01
  • 60-Day-ILBlake Snell (SP) — Snell (elbow) said Friday that he'll make one more rehab start at Triple-A Oklahoma City before returning from the injured list, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.07/31
  • 60-Day-ILTyler Glasnow (SP) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Glasnow (back) will begin a rehab assignment after completing Wednesday's live batting practice session, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.07/29
  • 60-Day-ILBobby Miller (SP) — Miller (shoulder/back) will resume throwing off the mound this week, Cody Snavely of DodgersBeat.com reports.06/03
  • 60-Day-ILGavin Stone (SP) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Tuesday that Stone has been unable to ramp up his throwing without feeling soreness in his surgically repaired right shoulder, Cody Snavely of DodgersBeat.com reports.06/03
  • 60-Day-ILBrusdar Graterol (RP) — Graterol (shoulder) underwent surgery recently for a back injury he suffered while on a rehab assignment, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.06/01
  • 60-Day-ILJake Cousins (RP) — The Dodgers transferred Cousins (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.05/08
Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
(15)
  • 10-Day-ILMatt Shaw (RF) — Shaw is still feeling discomfort related to his left hand sprain and has yet to resume swinging a bat, Vinnie Duber of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.07/18
  • 15-Day-ILGavin Hollowell (RP) — The Cubs placed Hollowell on the 15-day injured list Friday with right shoulder inflammation, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.07/31
  • 15-Day-ILHoby Milner (RP) — Milner (abdomen) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, tossing a scoreless inning.07/30
  • 15-Day-ILEdward Cabrera (SP) — Cabrera (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.07/27
  • 15-Day-ILDaniel Palencia (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Palencia (elbow) is scheduled to throw an up-and-down bullpen session Tuesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.07/26
  • 15-Day-ILPhil Maton (RP) — The Cubs placed Maton on the 15-day injured list Monday with right knee tendinitis, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.07/20
  • 15-Day-ILBen Brown (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Brown (neck) has begun to increase his activity and has taken part in workouts with plyometric balls, MLB.com reports.07/20
  • 15-Day-ILEthan Roberts (RP) — Roberts (forearm) tossed a perfect inning in a rehab appearance Sunday with Triple-A Iowa.07/20
  • 15-Day-ILRiley Martin (RP) — The Cubs announced June 10 that Martin (elbow) has resumed playing catch, MLB.com reports.06/22
  • 60-Day-ILJustin Steele (SP) — Steele (elbow) will throw from flat ground and then toss 20 pitches off a mound Saturday, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.07/31
  • 60-Day-ILShelby Miller (RP) — The Cubs announced July 5 that Miller (elbow) has resumed a throwing program in Arizona, MLB.com reports.07/20
  • 60-Day-ILHunter Harvey (RP) — Manager Craig Counsell said July 8 that Harvey (triceps/shoulder) has resumed a throwing program at the Cubs' facility in Arizona, but the right-hander remains without a clear timeline for a return from the 60-day injured list, MLB.com reports.07/20
  • 60-Day-ILPorter Hodge (RP) — The Cubs transferred Hodge (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILCade Horton (SP) — The Cubs transferred Horton (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILTyler Austin (1B) — The Cubs placed Austin (knee) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08

Chicago's offense did the rest, tacking on another run in the 5th to complement the 6th-inning explosion. Boyd wasn't sharp — he'd been stellar in his last start against St. Louis — but the Cubs didn't need him to be once the Dodgers' bullpen imploded behind him. It's the exact type of late-inning collapse that's plagued LA for weeks now.

LA leaves Wrigley having dropped 4 straight and, worse, having done it in the same way each time — a lead built early, a bullpen that can't hold it. The Cubs, meanwhile, get a signature win over the sport's best record and a Boyd start that, even shaky, kept them in first-place position in the wild-card race.

Sources

MLBLos Angeles DodgersChicago CubsPolymarketKalshiJustin WrobleskiMatthew Boyd