The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Cincinnati Reds on October 1, 2025. First pitch from Dodger Stadium is scheduled for 9:08 p.m. EDT; the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Find my MLB betting preview and Reds vs Dodgers prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
My Reds vs Dodgers Prediction
- Reds vs Dodgers picks: Dodgers First Five Innings -1.5 (+112) | Play to -105
My Reds vs Dodgers best bet is for the Dodgers to be ahead by 1.5 through the first five innings. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Reds vs Dodgers Odds
| Reds Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 +115 | 8 -110o / -110u | +235 |
| Dodgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -135 | 8 -110o / -110u | -290 |
Reds vs Dodgers Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Zack Littell (CIN) | Stat | RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto |
|---|---|---|
| 10-8 | W-L | 12-8 |
| 1.5 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 5.0 |
| 3.81 / 4.50 | ERA /xERA | 2.49 / 2.73 |
| 4.88 / 4.35 | FIP / xFIP | 2.94 / 3.05 |
| 1.10 | WHIP | 0.99 |
| 12.9% | K-BB% | 20.8% |
| 40.3% | GB% | 52.8% |
| 85 | Stuff+ | 98 |
| 104 | Location+ | 110 |
Kenny Ducey’s Reds vs Dodgers Preview
Cincinnati Reds Betting Preview: Flyball-Heavy Dodgers Tough Task for Littell
The Reds never had a real shot on Tuesday night, falling behind 5-0 through three innings as Hunter Greene crumbled under the pressure of his first playoff start. They did manage to bring the tying run on deck in the eighth inning after an inspired comeback against the Dodgers' bullpen, but on the night they recorded just seven hits to five walks and certainly are going to need some better production from their staff.
It doesn't seem like Zack Littell is a great guy for the job. He's firmly in the fly ball pitcher category, aiming to record all his outs on contact with a low 17.1% strikeout rate and 4.2% walk rate this season which are right in line with his last few years in the league.
The issue for the Reds is that there were very few flyouts to be found. The Dodgers homered five times — good for a 41.7% home run-to-fly ball ratio — and while they struck out 12 times to just three walks, it didn't seem to be much of a bother. Littell should have an equally as tough job as Greene at best, and without the missed bats he may be minced meat.
Cincinnati should at least have a solid plan of attack here behind Littell with its two best high-leverage relievers rested and the likes of Chase Burns and Nick Lodolo set to work multiple innings if need be. Perhaps that creates an opening for the Reds later in the game, but a worrying start beckons.
Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Preview: Look For Length From Yamamoto
On the flip side, the Dodgers will likely keep riding Yoshinobu Yamamoto until the tires are well worn. The right-hander has been magnificent in 173 2/3 innings this season with a .207 Expected Batting Average sitting near the top of the league and a robust 29.4% strikeout rate making life even tougher on opponents.
Yamamoto's ability to keep the ball on the ground at a 53.7% clip should deliver him the same kind of success Blake Snell had on Monday. The Reds grounded out eight times versus Snell in seven innings, striking out nine times, and they added two more against the Dodgers bullpen to give them a 10:4 groundout-to-air out ratio.
The righty just turned in his best month of the season, allowing just two runs on seven hits in 27 innings, and while he walked six Giants back in the middle of September he still managed to strike out a whopping 34 batters for the month and came home with a shiny .188 xBA.
The Dodgers' bullpen, as I've preached for months now, is the only thing worth monitoring here. The offense should remain in gear even when faced with a heavy strikeout pitcher like Monday, and the rotation projects out as one of the strongest in the National League.
L.A. got nothing from Alex Vesia, however, which is scary considering he's probably been its best relief arm all year. After he allowed two runs on a hit and a walk, the flamethrowing Edgardo Henriquez allowed three runners before Jack Dreyer barely escaped the eighth.
The Dodgers were forced to use their bullpen a whole lot this season with all the injuries and lackluster fill-in performances in the starting rotation, and it's left them vulnerable in the late innings. Four of their top five relief arms were burned on Monday in what should have been a comfortable win from 10-1 up, and they'd probably prefer to preserve Emmet Sheehan and Tyler Glasnow for more important games. That means we could see two shaky young arms in Roki Sasaki and Justin Wrobleski which could throw a wrench into this one.
Reds vs Dodgers Prediction, Betting Analysis
I've seen all I need to see out of this Dodgers bullpen; I won't be flirting with disaster once again. I think they've got some serious issues, and while having two dominant starting pitchers in your stable will certainly help, it's not like we're going to see Sheehan and Glasnow pitch in a ton of games.
With a series lead in his pocket, I'm pretty confident Dave Roberts is going to burn Sasaki and Wrobleski here in the second half of this game. We saw what he did last year with a lead in the NLCS, essentially punting a game with his worst reliever opening, and if he does that again here the game may be up for grabs.
I do have confidence in the Dodgers to jump all over Littell, however, and with Yamamoto working I don't think there's much to worry about especially with the way he bounced back from a poor start at the beginning of last year's postseason. You'd have to think he goes deep here with the state of the bullpen, but even nine outs seemed to be too many to ask of this group on Tuesday.
I'll stick with what we know, which is that the Dodgers should be well out in front yet again through the first part of this game.
Pick: Dodgers First Five Innings -1.5 (+112) | Play to -105
Moneyline
No play on the moneyline.
Run Line (Spread)
I'm taking the Dodgers over the first five innings, but I'm not playing the full game spread.
Over/Under
No play on the over/under.
Reds vs Dodgers Betting Trends
