The 2025 Major League Baseball season gets underway on Tuesday when the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers battle the Chicago Cubs. It will be the first of two games of the 2025 Tokyo Series. The Dodgers, who finished the regular season 98-64 a year ago, will be without shortstop Mookie Betts, who is dealing with an illness. The Cubs, who tied for second in the National League Central last season at 83-79, won four of six meetings with Los Angeles last year.
First pitch from the Tokyo Dome is set for 6:10 a.m. ET. The Dodgers have won 16 of the past 23 meetings with the Cubs. Los Angeles is a -159 favorite on the money line (risk $159 to win $100) in the latest Dodgers vs. Cubs odds from SportsLine consensus, while the total number of runs Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 8. Before making any Cubs vs. Dodgers picks, be sure to see the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It enters the 2025 MLB season on a 32-17 roll on top-rated run-line betting picks (+699) that dates back to 2023. Anybody following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Dodgers vs. Cubs and just locked in its picks and MLB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several MLB odds and betting lines for Dodgers vs. Cubs:
- Dodgers vs. Cubs money line: Los Angeles -159, Chicago +134
- Dodgers vs. Cubs over-under: 8 runs
- Dodgers vs. Cubs run line: Los Angeles -1.5 (+110)
- LAD: The Dodgers have covered the run line in 33 of their last 53 games (+15.80 units)
- CHC: The Cubs have hit the money line in 44 of their last 75 games (+10.85 units)
- Dodgers vs. Cubs picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Dodgers vs. Cubs streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Dodgers can cover
Los Angeles is expected to send 26-year-old Japanese native Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound. The right-hander had a solid rookie season in 2024, going 7-2 in 18 appearances, all starts, with a 3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. In 90 innings pitched, he allowed 78 hits, 30 earned runs with 22 walks with 105 strikeouts. He went 1-1 against the Cubs in 2024, including a 4-1 victory at Chicago on April 6, when he pitched five innings, allowing three hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.
Another Japanese player set to showcase his talent for the Los Angeles offense is designated hitter/pitcher Shohei Ohtani. In 159 games last season, he batted .310 with 38 doubles, seven triples, 54 homers and 130 RBI. He also stole 59 bases and was caught just four times. In six games against the Cubs, he hit .400 with two doubles, one triple, two homers and six RBI. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Cubs can cover
Japanese-born left-hander Shota Imanaga (15-3, 2.91 ERA) is expected to start for Chicago. Imanaga made 29 appearances for the Cubs, all starts. In 173.1 innings of work, he allowed 149 hits, 56 earned runs and just 28 walks, while striking out 174. In two starts against the Dodgers in 2024, he went 1-0, picking up a 6-3 win on Sept. 10. In that game, he allowed three earned runs in seven innings, allowing seven hits, no walks and striking out four.
Among the Cubs’ top hitters is right-fielder Seiya Suzuki. The 30-year-old from Japan played in 132 games a year ago, batting .283 with 27 doubles, six triples, 21 homers and 73 RBI. He also stole 16 bases. In six games against the Dodgers last year, he hit .286 with two doubles, one homer and six RBI. In 20 career games against Los Angeles, he has four doubles, one triple, two homers and 12 RBI. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Dodgers vs. Cubs picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total and it says one side of the money line has all the value. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s MLB picks.
So who wins Dodgers vs. Cubs on Tuesday, and which side has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its MLB picks, and find out.
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