The Dodgers (21–13) and the Astros (14–21) open a three-game series tonight with a clear pitching mismatch headlining the opener: Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Steven Okert.
The Dodgers sit first in the NL West thanks in large part to a tremendous pitching staff. Yamamoto brings a 2.87 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 32 strikeouts to the bump tonight. In 15 of their 34 games, the Dodgers have not allowed a home run. They would certainly welcome a bit more run support, but Yamamoto and co. have proven they can carry the load themselves.
Houston, meanwhile, is fourth in the AL West, and dealing with significant pitching injuries and ineffectiveness. The Astros are turning to Okert (0–0, 4.20 ERA) as an opener due to those injuries and rotation shortages, a strategy that puts immediate pressure on a bullpen carrying a lousy 5.75 ERA this season. Unlike the Dodgers, Houston’s offense rarely takes a night off ranking third in MLB in slugging percentage at .440, led by Yordan Alvarez (.326, 12 HR). Still, good pitching beats good hitting which is why Houston sits last in the division.
That is why this matchup ultimately hinges on whether Houston’s offense can keep pace long enough to offset the pitching gap. Yamamoto’s elite command and swing‑and‑miss arsenal have been difficult for opponents to solve, while Okert’s short outing will likely force Houston into a bullpen-heavy night. The Astros’ path to a win likely requires early damage against Yamamoto and continued production from Alvarez and Christian Walker, who has been hot over his last 10 games. But with Los Angeles entering healthier, deeper, and more stable on the mound, the Dodgers hold the advantage as these two teams take the field at Daikin Park.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Astros vs. Dodgers
- Date: Monday, May 4, 2026
- Time: 8:10PM EST
- Site: Daikin Park
- City: Houston, TX
- Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, SCHN, Sportsnet Los Angeles
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The Latest Odds: Astros vs. Dodgers
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Houston Astros (+163), Los Angeles Dodgers (-199)
- Spread: Astros +1.5 (+104), Dodgers -1.5 (-126)
- Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: Astros vs. Dodgers
Pitching matchup for May 4:
- Astros: Steven Okert
Season Totals: 15.0 IP, 0-0, 4.20 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 10K, 6 BB - Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Season Totals: 37.2 IP, 2-2, 2.87 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 32K, 9 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Astros vs. Dodgers
- Christian Walker is enjoying a 4-game hitting streak (8-15)
- Yordan Alvarez was 1-14 over the weekend against Boston
- Kyle Tucker was 2-11 over the weekend against St. Louis
- Shohei Ohtani is hitless in his last 4 games (0-14)
- Freddie Freeman has hit safely in 3 straight games (5-13)
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Astros vs. Dodgers
- The Astros are 8-8 at home this season
- The Dodgers are 9-7 on the road this season
- The Astros are 14-21 on the Run Line this season
- The Dodgers are 16-18 on the Run Line this season
- The OVER has cashed 23 times in Astros’ games this season (23-11-1)
- The OVER has cashed 15 times in Dodgers’ games this season (15-19)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
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Expert picks & predictions: Astros vs. Dodgers
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Astros and the Dodgers:
- Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Run Line
- Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers Team Total OVER 5.5 runs
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