Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
LAD	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	2	0	4	11	0
NYM	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	4	0

Roki Sasaki draws Sean Manaea in the series opener at Citi Field, first pitch 7:10 PM ET, and both arms are trying to build off very different momentum. Sasaki has been wildly inconsistent all year but just authored maybe his best start as a Dodger, blowing 100-mph fastballs by the Yankees lineup. Manaea, meanwhile, is trying to shake off a rough turn against the Phillies where he couldn't get through the fifth inning.

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ML

Total

Dodgers(65-38)

WWLLW

4

-1.5+135-120o8.5-115

Mets(43-60)

LWLWL

2

+1.5-138+117u8.5+117

Best BetDodgers -143

Pregame

The Dodgers' moneyline price has actually come down from -142 to -127, which tells you the market's building in some respect for a Mets team playing better than its record lately. Still, LA is the deeper roster top to bottom and Sasaki just had his best start of the year against a good Yankees lineup. Backing the Dodgers here is paying a fair price for the better team, not chalk for chalk's sake.

The Dodgers (65-38) enter having taken series wins over both the Yankees and Phillies to open the second half, and they're doing it without two projected rotation cornerstones in Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, both still on the 60-day injured list. Edwin Diaz remains out too, which has forced Dave Roberts to get creative in high-leverage innings — a real crack in an otherwise stacked roster.

Roki Sasaki

(5-5)·4.64 ERA

Jul 17 @ Yankees

ND

5.2IP

0ER

5K

1BB

94P

07/24 Lineup

Sean Manaea

(3-5)·4.33 ERA

Jul 18 @ Phillies

L

4.2IP

4ER

7K

2BB

99P

07/24 Lineup

New York is in a much different spot. At 43-60, the Mets are reportedly open for business ahead of the trade deadline, and a roster that was supposed to compete has instead spent the summer treading water. Mark Vientos is out with a fractured hand, and the rotation has its own issues with Clay Holmes and Justin Hagenman both on the shelf. Manaea's start on July 9 — seven strikeouts over seven innings, his longest outing in 639 days — showed the upside is still in there somewhere, but it hasn't been the norm.

Los Angeles Dodgers

(65-38)

Jul 22W@ Phillies9-5

Jul 21W@ Phillies2-1

Jul 20L@ Phillies7-10

Jul 19L@ Yankees1-2

Jul 19W@ Yankees8-2

New York Mets

(43-60)

Jul 22L@ Brewers3-4

Jul 21W@ Brewers4-0

Jul 20L@ Brewers3-8

Jul 19W@ Phillies6-1

Jul 18L@ Phillies1-6

Both teams have been streaky rather than steady lately — the Dodgers alternating losses with blowout wins, the Mets losing 3 of their last 5 with a pair of one-run defeats mixed in. That kind of form usually favors the deeper roster in a longer sample, and that's the Dodgers, even shorthanded in the bullpen.

Los Angeles Dodgers

(11)

• 10-Day-ILEnrique Hernandez (1B) — Hernandez (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.07/17
• 15-Day-ILBlake Treinen (RP) — The Dodgers announced Thursday that Treinen (elbow) has resumed playing catch, per MLB.com.07/05
• 60-Day-ILBlake Snell (SP) — Snell (elbow) tossed 1.1 innings in a minor-league rehab outing with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, allowing one hit and issuing one walk while striking out four batters on 32 total pitches.07/22
• 60-Day-ILEdwin Diaz (RP) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts intimated Tuesday that Diaz (elbow) is likelier to be activated from the 60-day injured list next week than this weekend, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.07/22
• 60-Day-ILWill Smith (C) — Manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Smith's neck continued to bother him as he attempted to ramp up his activity, so the Dodgers will fully shut him down for a week, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.07/21
• 60-Day-ILTyler Glasnow (SP) — Glasnow (back) threw a bullpen session this past weekend, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.07/16
• 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-ILBen Casparius (RP) — Casparius (shoulder) was moved to the 60-day injured list Monday.05/19
• 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

New York Mets

(7)

• 10-Day-ILMark Vientos (1B) — Mets interim manager Andy Green said Thursday that Vientos has been diagnosed with a fractured right hand and will be placed on the 10-day injured list, Chelsea Janes of SNY.tv reports.07/10
• 15-Day-ILAustin Warren (RP) — An MRI on Warren's right forearm revealed no ligament damage Wednesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.07/09
• 60-Day-ILClay Holmes (SP) — Holmes (fibula) pitched 2.1 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two batters in his rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday.07/24
• 60-Day-ILJustin Hagenman (RP) — The Mets announced June 1 that Hagenman (rib) has yet to resume a throwing program, MLB.com reports.07/13
• 60-Day-ILDedniel Nunez (RP) — Nunez (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie on Thursday, Michael Mayer of MetsmerizedOnline.com reports.06/25
• 60-Day-ILReed Garrett (RP) — The Mets placed Garrett (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
• 60-Day-ILTylor Megill (SP) — The Mets placed Megill (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.05/08

None of this changes the vibe around Queens right now: a talented group that's underachieved, angling toward selling instead of buying. For the Dodgers, it's just another stop on a schedule built around October, not July.