Dodgers vs. Cubs Prediction, Odds & Expert Picks Today: Tokyo Series Game 2 Preview

We're offering our best Dodgers vs. Cubs prediction for Game 2 of the Tokyo Series on Wednesday morning.

Andrew Brennan

Last updated: March 18, 2025 2:47 PM EDT • 5 min read

Dodgers vs. Cubs Prediction & Tokyo Series Picks: Best MLB Odds for March 19 — Pictured: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki against the Cincinnati Reds during a spring training game. Photo by Mark J. Rebilas via Imagn Images.

The Los Angeles Dodgers took Game 1 of the Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday morning, and they'll look to kick off the campaign with two straight wins when the second contest gets underway at 6:10 a.m. ET (FS1) from the Tokyo Dome in Japan.

Our Dodgers vs. Cubs prediction for the Tokyo Series looks at whether Roki Sasaki will start his MLB Rookie of the Year odds bid off on a high note, or whether the Cubs can get to him after mustering only four baserunners in the 4-1 defeat on Tuesday morning.

We know Mookie Betts will miss the second game, and Freddie Freeman was a late scratch Tuesday morning and could potentially be out for Wednesday's affair, too. Do the Dodgers have enough firepower without them to take two in a row against the Cubs, or will Kyle Tucker and the Chicago offense wake up in Game 2?

💰 Best Dodgers vs. Cubs predictions: Tokyo Series Game 2

Here are my best Dodgers vs. Cubs Tokyo Series predictions for today's MLB matchup with my pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale. Be sure to check out the rest of our MLB picks along with our guide on how to bet on the MLB.

🔢 Dodgers vs. Cubs odds & betting lines

Here are the latest Dodgers vs. Cubs odds and betting lines from our best live betting sites.

📊 Who will win today's Tokyo Series matchup?

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Dodgers are favored to beat the Cubs in Wednesday's MLB matchup at 6:10 a.m. ET from the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. After a 4-1 victory for L.A. on Tuesday, it should be another close contest, and I'm predicting the Cubs will get some revenge and defeat the Dodgers in Game 2.

🎯 Dodgers vs. Cubs score prediction: Cubs 8, Dodgers 5

Could history repeat itself? In last year's Tokyo Series, the Dodgers won Game 1 by a score of 5-2 before falling 15-11 to the San Diego Padres. In that second game, a Dodgers rookie pitcher and former star in Japan, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, was torched for five earned runs over just one inning. Will this year's MLB Rookie of the Year odds favorite in the NL, Sasaki, suffer the same fate?

I don't imagine it'll be quite as high-scoring, but I am expecting the Dodgers to lose Game 2. The total is set at 7.5 or 8 runs, but I think we'll see this game reach double digits.

Meanwhile, we once again see Cubs +1.5 heavily juiced to odds as short as -135, which tells me that the expectation is Chicago will keep this close. I think it'll do better than keep it close, as I predict Chicago will beat Los Angeles by a final score of Cubs 8, Dodgers 5.

Best bet: Cubs moneyline (+130 via bet365)

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1️⃣ Tokyo Series first-inning prediction: YRFI (+110 via DraftKings)

We said there would be no runs in the first inning of Tuesday's Game 1, and that cashed. Now, we're switching sides for this second contest, which we expect to feature much more scoring.

Not only do I think this pitching matchup is slightly less intimidating than yesterday's - there's a reason the two guys who went in Game 1 are their team's aces - but I also believe the offenses will wake up after combining for only 10 hits.

Additionally, if you really want to buy into the narrative that Sasaki will be hit around similarly to how Yamamoto was last year, you can take Over 1.5 first-inning runs at DraftKings for a very tasty +265.

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🚑 Dodgers vs. Cubs injuries

Here are the latest injuries for today's Dodgers vs. Cubs matchup, which will update in real time.

📺 How to watch the Tokyo Series

⚔️ Matchup: Dodgers vs. Cubs
📅 Date: Wednesday, March 19
🕗 Time: 6:10 a.m. ET
📍 Location: Tokyo Dome (Tokyo, Japan)
📺 TV: FS1
💻 Streaming: MLB TV

❓ Tokyo Series FAQs

Who is favored to win Dodgers vs. Cubs?

The Dodgers are favored to beat the Cubs on Wednesday morning with moneyline odds as short as -155, which come with an implied probability of 60.78% that they'll win.

What are the odds for Dodgers vs. Cubs?

The odds for today's game are Dodgers -1.5 (+110), Cubs +1.5 (-130) at bet365, and the total is set at 7.5 or 8 runs.

What time is Dodgers vs. Cubs tonight?

First pitch for Dodgers vs. Cubs is expected for 6:10 a.m. ET.

How to watch Dodgers vs. Cubs

You can watch Dodgers vs. Cubs on FS1 or stream it on MLB TV.

🏆 MLB betting odds pages

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Written By:
Andrew Brennan

Andrew Brennan is a publishing editor for Sportsbook Review. He also heads the website’s MLB coverage, from the various futures markets to daily picks. Andrew believes a math-based approach is the best way to enjoy long-term success in sports betting, and he’s spent the better part of the last year fine-tuning his own process for MLB, NBA, and NFL picks. Andrew uses eight different sportsbooks to find the best odds available and various projection models to gather as much information as he can. His most used sportsbooks are bet365, FanDuel, and theScore Bet. When it comes to daily projection models, he regularly references NumberFire across all sports, as it’s one of the best free tools available. In terms of which daily markets Andrew attacks, he almost exclusively bets on pitcher strikeouts for baseball. When the winter rolls around, you’ll see him providing more variety when it comes to the NBA (points, assists, rebounds) and NFL (almost any offensive-based player prop). He used these tools to go +150 units in 2023. Andrew is also a passionate fantasy sports player. He’s played fantasy football, fantasy Premier League, and fantasy baseball for the last decade. He graduated from Durham College with his diploma in journalism after earning his degree in law from Carleton University. He’s worked in sports media since early 2017, first contributing at FanSided before moving to theScore. He joined SBR in 2022.