Dodgers vs Rangers Pick: Yamamoto Faces deGrom in Texas (Apr 18)

• In our Dodgers vs Rangers pick, we assess a marquee MLB pitching matchup between LA’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Texas’s Jacob deGrom
• LA has one of the league’s best records, but is jockeying for 1st place with the Padres and Giants (and the Diamondbacks gaining) in the rough NL West
• Texas is in first place in the AL West

Yamamoto Has Had an Excellent First Month

Yamamoto has pitched at least 5 innings in all 4 starts so far in 2025. In 22 innings, he has surrendered 13 hits, 3 earned runs, and struck out 28. His ERA is a minuscule 1.23.

Yamamoto has only faced three current Rangers players. But one, Joc Pederson, has hammered him with 4 hits in 6 at-bats.

LA has gotten off to a slow start at the plate en masse. Although Will Smith is scorching with an OPS over 1.000 and Tommy Edman is battling for the league lead in home runs (with Shohei Ohtani, among others), the rest of the Dodgers’ bats have not performed up to standard.

They will need to get their bats going if they want to ensure a playoff spot, an unthinkable statement before the season started, but becoming more realistic with the excellent play of the Padres and Giants.

DeGrom Is Trying To Find His Cy Young Award Form

In his first full season back after Tommy John surgery, deGrom is trying to find his form. His first start was excellent, allowing 2 hits and no runs in 5 innings, striking out 6. His next two starts were mediocre, giving up 7 earned runs in 9.2 innings. He allowed 2 homers in each.

Even more worrisome for the Rangers and deGrom is the decline in average velocity. He’s down about 2-3 ticks from his heights with the Mets when he won two Cy Young Awards, but was frequently injured.

DeGrom has faced the Dodgers many times. His biggest nemesis is Freddie Freeman, who, despite a .242 batting average, has hit 3 home runs in 66 at-bats. Mookie Betts is 2 for 8 with a home run. Max Muncy is 2 for 13 with a home run. Chris Taylor is 3 for 6 with 1 home run.

The Rangers are hitting less than .220 as a team. Pederson is hitting well below .100. Marcus Semien isn’t doing much better. Nor is Jake Burger. Their pitching has kept them afloat.

Dodgers vs Rangers Pick: A Pitchers’ Duel Is on the Docket

Yamamoto and deGrom will keep the score low. This game will come down to which team makes a mistake and whose bullpen has an unusually bad night. Expect a 1-run affair.