Reds vs. Dodgers prediction and odds for Friday, July 28

The Cincinnati Reds are right in the middle of what's going to be a highly competitive race for the National League wild card.

There are a total of eight teams in the NL that are all within 7.0 games of the top spot in the wild card hunt. As of today, the Reds are holding on to the final spot by a mere half-a-game.

That makes their weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers a pivotal one. If they can win the series, they're going to feel good about their chances to the stretch.

Let's dive into the betting odds and my prediction for the series opener in Los Angeles on Friday night.

Reds vs. Dodgers odds, run line, and total

Reds vs. Dodgers prediction and pick

I love the Reds as underdogs in this spot and it largely comes down to Brandon Williamson, who will be getting the start tonight. He has been pretty solid through his first 12 starts, posting a 4.60 ERA and a 1.261 WHIP.

But it's not just his numbers that make me confident in him, it's more the fact he's a lefty. The Dodgers' numbers drop off significantly when facing left-handed pitchers.

In fact, over the last 30 days, their OPS drops from .908 against right-handed pitchers down to .740 against left-handed pitchers. Those numbers against lefties rank just 18th over that time frame.

Bobby Miller gets the start for the Dodgers tonight and he's struggled for Los Angeles over the past month. In fact, dating back to June 17th, he has an ERA of 6.82. That tells me that his first four starts in the Majors this year, which were stellar, are skewing his numbers a little bit to make them seem better than what he's actually performed.

I'll take a shot on the Reds as big time underdogs tonight.