Quick Picks with Coach Rick Bowe, MLB Picks, MLB Free Picks, MLB Predictions 6/29/26

Quick Picks with Coach Rick Bowe, MLB Picks, MLB Free Picks, MLB Predictions 6/29/26

LA DODGERS @ ATHLETICS (LAD -112, 10.5)

MLB ODDS, MLB PREDICTIONS, MLB PREVIEWS

COACH RICK MLB PREVIEWS

DODGERS @ ATHLETICS 6/29/26

The Dodgers enter this contest as the superior statistical side, and getting them at near-even money on the moneyline represents significant value. While the Athletics have shown flashes of competitiveness, the Dodgers' lineup depth remains a major advantage, even with key injuries to players like Will Smith and Teoscar Hernández.

The Dodgers are currently priced at -102 on Polymarket, which is the best available line for the road favorites. Eric Lauer takes the mound for Los Angeles, and while his season has been a mix of results, he has historically performed well against the current Athletics roster. In 17 career plate appearances against him, the A's are hitting .250 with a high 35.3% strikeout rate. Lauer’s ability to generate swings and misses (6 strikeouts in 16 at-bats) should neutralize an Oakland offense that is missing the power of Brent Rooker and the hitting ability of Zack Gelof.

The Dodgers are navigating a difficult injury stretch, but the return of Mookie Betts and the consistent excellence of Shohei Ohtani provide a floor that Oakland struggles to match. The Athletics are dealing with their own significant absences, including Gelof and Rooker, which severely limits their offensive ceiling. Expect the Dodgers' experience and superior bullpen depth to be the deciding factor in a close contest.

GAME TOTAL ANALYSIS

While both teams have capable hitters, the total of 10.5 feels slightly inflated given the pitching matchup and the suppressed offensive environments both teams are currently operating in due to injuries.

The best value for the Under is found on the trading platforms like Kalshi and Novig where you may still be able to get plus-money. Lauer has been effective at limiting damage recently, posting a mean of just 1.6 earned runs allowed over his last 5 starts. On the other side, Gage Jump has been a revelation for Oakland. In his 6 games this season, he has maintained a mean of 1.33 earned runs allowed and has only allowed more than 5.5 hits in 16.67% of his starts.

Jump’s ability to limit hits (mean of 4.0 per game) is critical against a Dodgers lineup that relies on stringing hits together. Furthermore, Lauer has stayed under the 3.5 earned run line in 100% of his last 5 games. With both starters showing the ability to pitch deep into games while keeping the score low, the Under 10.5 provides a strong statistical cushion.

BEST PLAYER PROP BETS

You can get Betts at plus-money betting the Over on his HRR at 2.5. He has gone Over 2.5 HRR in each of his last 5 games and 6 of the last 10. His average over the last 10 games is 3.1 HRR. In 3 games against Oakland in 2025, he hit this over 66.67% of the time, averaging 3.33 HRR.

Betts is the engine of the Dodgers' offense. His 100% hit rate over the last 5 games demonstrates that he is seeing the ball incredibly well right now. He faces Jump, a left-hander, and while Jump has been good, Betts historically thrives in these matchups. His ability to contribute across all three categories (Hits, Runs, and RBIs) makes this 2.5 line very attainable, especially considering he has averaged nearly double that line over his last five outings.

Oakland's young lefty Jump has been a strikeout machine since joining the rotation, and the Dodgers' lineup, while elite, has shown a tendency to swing and miss against high-quality left-handed stuff. He’s gone Over 4.5 Ks in 5 of his starts with an average of 6 strikeouts per game. 

In 3 road starts, he has hit the Over 100% of the time, averaging 6.0 strikeouts. Jump’s consistency is his greatest asset here. He has cleared this 4.5 line in 5 of his 6 starts this season. The Dodgers' lineup is currently missing high-contact bats like Will Smith, which increases the strikeout floor for opposing pitchers. Jump’s mean of 5.83 strikeouts per game suggests he should clear this line with ease if he pitches into the 5th or 6th inning.

The other Dodger you can get at plus-money is Ohtani. He has gone Over 2.5 HRR in 13 of his last 20 games. In 3 games against the A’s last year, Ohtani averaged a ridiculous 5.0 HRR and hit the Over 2.5 in 2 of the 3 games. 

When playing away from home, Ohtani hits this Over 60% of the time (24 of 40 games), averaging 2.95 HRR. Ohtani’s history against Oakland is dominant. His mean of 5.0 HRR in previous matchups is double the current line. While Gage JumpGage Jump is a tough lefty, Ohtani’s elite exit velocity and ability to drive in runs (or score them himself after a walk) make him a constant threat to clear this total in just one or two plate appearances. At +105, the math heavily favors the over.

Get free MLB Picks and MLB Predictions for the top games on the weekly 2026 MLB schedule from the YLose.com  crew, one of the industry's largest networks of premier expert MLB handicappers. YLose.com has been bringing the MLB betting community the best MLB free picks and predictions for nearly three decades. Visit daily for the best MLB moneyline and point spread odds and game totals.

FREE PICK: ATHLETICS F5 +0.5

The Dodgers have really struggled against LHP over the last month. In 320 PA, they are batting just .200 with a .272 SLG% and a 0.072 ISO. They have gone up against guys like Reid Detmers, Trevor Rogers, Eduardo Rodriguez, Jesus Luzardo, and more and just have not been able to produce. Jump has never faced the Dodgers, which will give him an advantage at least the first time or two through the Dodgers’ order. Eric Lauer has pitched well enough for the Dodgers to win all of his starts since being traded. Still, his ER prop tonight is set at 3.5. Why so high? Well, the A’s are actually No. 1 in SLG% and No. in wRC+ against LHP for the month of June. They should be able to keep this one close enough to cover the F5 run line. 

Coach Rick Day Pass $49

BUY NOW

Ylose expert Coach Rick Bowe delivers his daily Quick Picks. The Coach continues to roll up big wins in college basketball, college football, the NFL, MLB and much more. Coach Rick offers a unique perspective to handicapping. Check out his daily free picks right here and jump on his daily Best Bets, which you can find right here at Ylose.com/coach.