Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 4/8/2022

Time: 4:10 p.m. ET

Venue: Coors Field, Denver, CO

Where to watch: SportsNet LA, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain

DraftKings: NL

BetMGM: Dodgers -225, Rockies +170

Caesars: Dodgers -208, Rockies +180

Dodgers: 106-56 (2nd place, NL West -- Lost NLCS vs. Braves)

Rockies: 74-87 (4th place, NL West)

It wouldn’t be a baseball season without the Los Angeles Dodgers trying to fight for world domination, and this season won’t be any different. Because just when you thought that this already stacked team was ridiculously talented before, they go out and add Freddie Freeman of all people.

Yeah, that same Freddie Freeman. He’s with the Dodgers now in the off chance you forgot. He will make his L.A. debut on Friday when the Dodgers visit the Colorado Rockies on Friday to begin a season filled with high expectations and nothing more.

The Dodgers will be strapped to the need to win for a long time. There is absolutely a World Series-or-bust mentality in Southern California after falling to Freeman and the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS, who went on of course to win the World Series. If you can beat them join them if you want, if that makes sense.

"You have a city that expects to win and we expect to win, too, as players," Freeman said. "We look good on paper, but any team can beat you any single different night. I think we're setting up ourselves to be on the other side of that, but [we've] still got to go out there and play and we got the names to do it and the guys to do it."

The Dodgers have become Yankees West with their willingness to spend money to upgrade at any position. They signed Freeman to a six-year, $162 million deal on top of giving a hefty payday last year to Mookie Betts, trading for Trae Turner, and still have a plethora of young talent to build around like Max Munch, Will Smith and Gavin Lux.

That doesn’t even begin to talk about the pitching. Sure, the Dodgers lost Max Scherzer to the New York Mets, but still have Walker Buehler and Julio Urias. There’s also that Clayton Kershaw guy that can still bring the heat when fully healthy.

"There's always this low level of anxious feeling or anxiety, but things have worked out to be in our benefit," said Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior. "But again, you gotta grind it out every day. And a lot of that is on the players, and they go out and do their job."

The Dodgers aren’t the only team to make moves in this stacked NL West, however. The Rockies are not going to be talked about for much of the season, but they made a big splash in signing former MVP Kris Bryant, who was traded to the San Francisco Giants last summer for a playoff push for the surging Giants … that lost to the Dodgers in the NLDS in the battle of 100-win teams.

Bryant goes to the hitter’s-friendly Coors Field, which is good for his numbers. Team-wise, this is the same group that traded away Nolan Arenado in hopes of saving money. So much for that idea. But the Rockies have a group to work with at the plate with Charlie Blackmon, Raimel Tapia and C.J. Cron. But they did lose longtime franchise stalwart Trevor Story to Boston.

Kyle Freeland will take the mound against Buehler in the pitching matchup.

“They’re so often overlooked in terms of the players they have here, the pitching staff, the velocities that they're running out in the bullpen,” Bryant said the day he joined up. “I don't think I've ever had a comfortable at-bat versus the Colorado Rockies. 

“I come from teams in Chicago, winning a World series there and knowing what it takes. We brought veterans in at that time. I want to be that veteran presence for the guys here. And hopefully they can lean on me for advice, and in big games.”

Major ambitions for Bryant. But it’s still going to be an uphill climb for the Rockies.

The reason why the Dodgers will win many games is the pitching. Yeah, there’s the fact this lineup 1-9 is stacked and can score 10 runs a game if it wants. But Buehler and Urias, fresh off big seasons in 2021, will be asked to replicate it. How they replace Kenley Jansen is something to watch out for. When you have that dominant of a closer for a while, it changes your approach to the bullpen. The starting rotation should be enough, and it’ll get Buehler off to a good start on Friday. Dodgers win 6-2

The Dodgers are 77-29 (+17 net games on money line) as a favorite of -175 to -250 the past three seasons.

The Dodgers are 72-45 (+2.6 net games on ML) on the road the past three seasons.

The Rockies are 60-51 (+11.9 net games on ML) at home the past three seasons.

Dodgers:
1. Mookie Betts, RF
2. Freddie Freeman, 1B
3. Trea Turner, SS
4. Max Muncy, DH
5. Will Smith, C
6. Justin Turner, 3B
7. Cody Bellinger, CF
8. Chris Taylor, LF
9. Gavin Lux, 2B

Rockies:
1. Charlie Blackmon, RF
2. Kris Bryant, LF
3. Brendan Rodgers, 2B
4. C.J. Cron, 1B
5. Randal Grichuk, DH
6. Ryan McMahon, 3B
7. Elias Díaz, C
8. Sam Hilliard, CF
9. José Iglesias, SS

LAD: Walker Buehler
COL: Kyle Freeland