Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Prediction 3/18/25 MLB Picks

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs meet Tuesday in MLB action at the Tokyo Dome. It’s part of the MLB World Tour: Tokyo Series. Here’s a Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Prediction. This article will include a Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Pick.

Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Preview

The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming off their second World Series in the last five years and are the favorites to repeat. The Dodgers have won no less than 98 games in each of the last five full seasons and their projected win total is over 100 games. On paper, the Dodgers are as stacked as any team in recent memory. 

A lineup that includes Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez, and Freddie Freeman is the best in baseball. The Dodgers signed Michael Conforto in free agency, which is the only real change to a stacked lineup. The Dodgers rotation lost Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler, but replaced them with Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell. From a talent perspective, there’s not really a team in baseball that can compete with the depth. Still, there are only 14 teams in MLB history to repeat, and it hasn’t happened since the 1998-2000 Yankees. So, while loaded, the odds and history are against the Dodgers this season.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto gets the ball for the Dodgers, and he was 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 105 strikeouts last season. Yamamoto is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 16 strikeouts in his career against the Cubs. 

Chicago Cubs Betting Preview 

The Chicago Cubs won 83 games last season and haven’t made the postseason since the 2020 COVID year. The Cubs haven’t made the postseason in a full season since 2018, but many believe this is the year they return to October. 

The Cubs made the splashy trade for Kyle Tucker, while adding Jon Berti to the back of the order. The Cubs have a brand new bench with the additions of Carson Kelly, Justin Turner, and Gage Workman. The rotation got deeper as well with the signings of Matthew Boyd and Colin Rea to bolster the back end. The Cubs have more pop in the lineup, and the starting rotation which was already top-10 in ERA and WHIP, got stronger. The Cubs have a great chance to win the NL Central this season and end their postseason drought. 

Shota Imanaga gets the ball for the Cubs, and he was 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA and 174 strikeouts last season. Imanaga is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 7 strikeouts in his career against the Dodgers. 

Why the Chicago Cubs will win

• The Cubs have won three of their last four season openers as underdogs against National League opponents.
• The Dodgers have lost four of their last five Tuesday games as favorites.
• The Cubs have covered the run line in each of their last five season openers as underdogs against National League opponents.
• The Dodgers have failed to cover the run line in five of their last six night games against NL Central opponents.

Why the Los Angeles Dodgers will win

• The Dodgers have won 12 of their last 14 season openers against National League opponents.
• The Cubs have lost each of their last three night games against NL West opponents.
• The Dodgers have covered the run line in 11 of their last 13 season openers as favorites against National League opponents.
• The Cubs have failed to cover the run line in four of their last five night games after going to extra innings.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Dodgers’ last six games as favorites against National League opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Eight of the Cubs’ last nine games as underdogs against the Dodgers have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Cubs’ last six Tuesday games against NL West opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in five of the Dodgers’ last six games against National League opponents.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Injury Report

The Cubs will be without Javier Assad, Nico Hoerner, and Brett Bateman. Brandon Birdsell is considered day-to-day with a shoulder injury.

The Dodgers will start the season without Tony Gonsolin and Clayton Kershaw, but the big news is that Mookie Betts won’t play in the Tokyo Series due to an illness.   

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Prediction

The Dodgers are going to be favored in nearly every game this season and for good reason. The problem is the Dodgers get so many inflated lines that they weren’t even profitable last year despite 98 wins. The news about Mookie not playing does hurt the Dodgers’ price a bit, and as good as Yamamoto was last year, there’s value to getting Imanaga in the underdog role. In fact, Imanaga was 3-1 last season as an underdog. The Cubs enter the season with expectations and a point to prove and this is an early statement game against the defending champs. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Cubs come out swinging out of the gate and there’s always value to getting an ace at a more favorable price. I’ll take a shot with the Cubs in the first MLB game of the 2025 season.