Welcome to Opening Pitch, our daily column throughout the 2024 baseball season.
The goal for Opening Pitch is to highlight top daily projection edges for MLB moneylines and totals, share favorite bets, and provide some betting notes and analysis.
My projections for every MLB game on Wednesday are available in the Action App (on both the PRO Projections tab and the game pages) and our Projections Hub.
You can also shop for the best lines on our MLB Odds page.
Here are my Mets vs Dodgers MLB predictions and expert picks and previews for NLCS Game 3 on Wednesday, October 16.
MLB Predictions Wednesday, Expert Picks, Odds for Mets vs Dodgers Game 3, Oct. 16
MLB Futures Update and Championship Series Prices
- ALCS Projections:
- NLCS Projections:
- World Series Projections:
- Yankees: 47.0% (+113)
- Dodgers: 29.0% (+245)
- Mets: 16.5% (+504)
- Guardians: 7.5% (+1237)
I'd bet the Mets' NLCS series price or their NL Pennant odds at +133 (42.1% implied) or better before Game 3.
Depending upon the book, I project slight value on the Mets in the correct score market to win the NLCS 4-1 (projected +794, listed +850 at FanDuel) or 4-3 (projected +492, listed +500 at Caesars)
I'm also interested in this exact order bet, which encompasses the Mets winning Sean Manaea's second start and both games against Walker Buehler to steal the series in seven: G1 LAD / G2 NYM / G3 NYM / G4 LAD / G5 LAD / G6 NYM / G7 NYM (+2800 at FanDuel).
The Guardians remain the value team in the AL Pennant and World Series markets (projected +532 and +1237, listed at +600 and +1600). To bet on either, I'd want around +575 and +1450, respectively.
Sean Zerillo's MLB Dodgers vs Mets Game 3 Best Bet
| Mets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Total | Run Line |
-115 | 7.5 -115 / -105 | +1.5 -180 |
| Dodgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Total | Run Line |
-105 | 7.5 -115 / -105 | -1.5 +150 |
RHP Walker Buehler (LAD) vs RHP Luis Severino (NYM)
The Dodgers have made efforts to avoid using Walker Buehler (4.68 xERA, 10.5% K-BB%, 100 Pitching+, 3.96 botERA) after a horrendous second inning (6 ER) in Game 3 against the Padres (5 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 0 K).
The former Cy Young Award contender has struggled across 17 starts this season while showing decreased command (8.1% walk rate, 101 Location+ vs. 6.2% and 104 in 2021), velocity (95 mph in 2024, 95.2 in 2023, 94.3 in 2021, 96.8 in 2020, 96.5 in 2019) and stuff (94 Stuff+ in 2024, 96 in 2023, 117 in 2022, 138 in 2020) relative to prior seasons.
Buehler hasn't pitched in more than a week — his last start came on Tuesday, Oct. 8. He hasn't faced the Mets this year.
The Dodgers used Brent Honeywell (57 pitches), Landon Knack (55 pitches) and Edgardo Henriquez (36 pitches) in long relief in Game 2. Their high-leverage relievers are well-rested, but the Dodgers need some length from Buehler to get to their bridge.
As a result, while I'm tempted by Buehler Under 14.5 Outs at plus money (+105 at Caesars), I'm also hesitant to place the bet due to the team's lack of long relievers. If Buehler falls behind early, Roberts may leave him in to eat the innings regardless — as he did after settling down against the Padres.
Luis Severino (3.88 xERA, 13.3% K-BB%, 101 Pitching+, 3.84 botERA) hasn't pitched since Oct. 6 (Game 2 against the Phillies), but he's tossed a pair of quality starts in the 2024 postseason and given the Mets some much-needed length (combined 12 IP, 14 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 10 K on 196 pitches).
Severino has used his sinker 27.4% of the time this postseason, a slight increase over his regular-season rate (25%) for a pitch he only started throwing this year.
Severino's strikeout rate dropped 8.8% between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but he's regained a quarter of that loss this season (+2.3%) while generating a 46% ground-ball rate — his highest since 2017 — and a 35% hard-hit rate, which is much more in line with his career average (36.3%) than his past two seasons (41.3% in 2022, 44.5% in 2023).
The Dodgers faced Severino once last season but have not seen him with the Mets. I'd imagine Carlos Mendoza will play things a bit more cautiously when Severino turns over the Dodgers' lineup and faces their lefties a third time (3.94 xFIP vs. righties, 4.31 vs. lefties in 2024).
I'm interested in Severino under 4.5 Strikeouts (+110) at plus money. The Dodgers' fully healthy lineup led MLB with a 133 wRC+ against righties over the final six weeks of the season, but they also lowered their strikeout rate to 19.1% (4th) compared to 22.8% (16th) in the four months prior, when several stars missed time.
I'd put the upside on Severino's usage near 27 batters or three times through the order (which would equal roughly 5.2 strikeouts). Still, my average projection is closer to 22.5 batters (and 4.3 strikeouts).
I model the two bullpens about the same for Wednesday. The Mets had the better second-half metrics (7th in xFIP, 7th in K-BB%, 23rd in botERA vs. 19th, 18th, and 16th for the Dodgers), but the Dodgers' best arms are better rested. Edwin Diaz, Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek tossed 81 pitches combined to close out Game 2 for the Mets.
I rate the Mets as the slightly better defensive team. DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) prefers the Dodgers (4th vs. 14th), while OAA (Outs Above Average) prefers the Mets (11th vs. 19th). However, the Dodgers are better on the basepaths, and the Mets also rank in the bottom five of all teams by sprint speed.
I projected the Mets as -111 favorites for Game 3 — likely the only game I'll favor New York in this series. Bet the Mets' moneyline to -105.
I set the total at 7.05 runs and would bet the under to 7.5 (-108). If there is early scoring, I will look for a life under as Buehler exits.
Despite my concerns surrounding a potential Buehler blowup, Wednesday's chilly conditions (50 degrees at first pitch, 8 mph winds blowing in from left field) should help to limit both offenses. This will decrease the run-scoring environment at Citi Field, which is typically pitcher-friendly, by more than 5% compared to a typical day.
Interestingly, FanDuel opened the total at 6.5 (-110/-110) after Game 2 before pulling that number down to repost 7.5 (-110/-110) after other books opened at 8 (-110 / -110).
Zerillo's MLB Predictions & Picks for Wednesday, October 16
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- Exact Series Order: G1 LAD / G2 NYM / G3 NYM / G4 LAD / G5 LAD / G6 NYM / G7 NYM (+2800, 0.05u) at FanDuel
- Los Angeles Dodgers / New York Mets, Under 8 (+100, 0.5u) & (-115, 0.25u) at DraftKings (bet to 7.5, -108)
- Luis Severino, Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+110, 0.1u) at DraftKings (bet to +100)
- New York Mets (-104, 0.5u) at FanDuel (bet to -105)
