Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
LAD	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	0
CHC	0	0	1	0	0	1	2	1	—	5	9	0

Tarik Skubal gets the ball for Los Angeles at 7:05 PM CT looking to be the arm that finally stops the bleeding, and he's been about as good as it gets this year. Javier Assad counters for Chicago off a start where he punched out 6 Cardinals but couldn't stretch past the 5th inning.

Show fees

FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Dodgers(69-44)

LLLLW

1

-1.5-115-178o8.5-120

Cubs(64-49)

WLWLW

5

+1.5+113+174u8.5+120

Best BetDodgers -207

Pregame

Dodgers are the play here even at a pricey number — Skubal's a top-of-market arm and LA still has the better record top to bottom. The losing streak is a real weight, but paying up for the correct favorite beats fighting Chicago's shorthanded bullpen with an unpredictable Assad follow. Feels overpriced on tickets, not on true talent.

The Dodgers' pitching depth is a mess right now. Snell, Glasnow, Bubic, Stone, Miller and Casparius are all on the injured list, and now both catchers — Dalton Rushing and Will Smith — are out too, with Rushing landing on the 10-day IL for an elbow strain. That's a lot of talent to replace behind the plate and in the rotation at the same time.

Tarik Skubal

(7-7)·2.85 ERA

Jul 29 vs Orioles

ND

6.2IP

3ER

6K

1BB

92P

08/04 Lineup

Javier Assad

(6-1)·3.59 ERA

Jul 30 @ Cardinals

ND

4.1IP

1ER

6K

2BB

83P

08/04 Lineup

Chicago isn't fully healthy either, with a handful of relievers out including Hollowell, Milner, Palencia and Maton, but the Cubs have had the better week and it showed in the finale of this series, when they put up 10 runs on the Dodgers' bullpen.

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

(64-49)

Aug 4Wvs Dodgers10-5

Aug 2Lvs Yankees1-2

Aug 1Wvs Yankees5-2

Jul 31Lvs Yankees0-2

Jul 30W@ Cardinals4-2

LA still owns the better record in this one at 69-44, and Skubal's 2.79 ERA is the best number on the mound tonight by a wide margin. But 4 straight losses, 3 of them against Boston, are a real signal that something's off, and the Cubs have won 3 of their last 5 while finding ways to win the close ones.

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

(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

Assad's been reliable all year at 6-1, even if his last start got cut short early. If Chicago's lineup can work him deep innings tonight, and keep pressuring a taxed Dodgers pitching staff, Wrigley could see another high-scoring night like the one that just happened.