Walker Buehler made a triumphant return to the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers, his first appearance since June 2022. Despite some early rust, Buehler conceded three earned runs in the first two innings against the Miami Marlins, but the Dodgers’ potent offense quickly rallied to support their ace.
Shohei Ohtani got the scoring started with a blast in the first inning, marking his fourth home run in three games and bringing his MLB-leading total to 11. He was immediately followed by Freddie Freeman, who went back-to-back with another home run. Later in the inning, the Dodgers added a couple more homers to their tally, putting up six runs on the board by the end of the third inning.
The Marlins struck early against Buehler, tallying all three of their runs within the first two innings. However, the Dodgers, closing as a -330 moneyline favorite, backed their returning pitcher with an offensive explosion to secure a 6-3 victory.
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Despite not landing all their prop bets, some bettors found success with the game. Ohtani delivered a quick payout on his RBI prop bet with his first-inning home run.
The game was analyzed before the action, and the SportsGrid hosts discussed whether Buehler’s return warranted taking the Marlins +2.5 runs, given his long absence from the mound. This was a reasonable call since Miami scored three runs early. However, the real betting strategy focused on the over/under, set at 8.5. With six earned runs surrendered by the Marlins, the over was comfortably cleared, proving that even a shaky start from Buehler could be offset by the Dodgers’ reliable bats.
Despite trailing early, the Dodgers quickly regained the lead in the first inning and recaptured it again in the second. For Buehler, this consistent offensive support provided peace of mind, allowing him to focus on finding his rhythm. The Dodgers’ bats proved once again that they can overcome early deficits and secure wins, giving their pitching staff a strong safety net on any given night.
