Subscribe
Follow Us
The third-place San Francisco Giants will look to bolster their playoff resume in a big road test against one of the hottest teams in baseball in the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves. It is about that time to take a sneak peek at our MLB odds series, where our Giants-Braves prediction and pick will be made.
After coming out on the short end of things in a 2-1 defeat versus Atlanta on Monday, the Giants have now lost back-to-back games and will look to get back on track with RHP Anthony DeSclafani making his first start since April 21st.
Winners in 16 of their last 18 games, the tide of the Braves' season changed almost overnight after a lengthy winning streak saw Atlanta return to playoff contention. Now a10 games above .500 at 39-29, it appears the defending champs are here to stay. Getting his fifth start of the campaign will be RHP Spencer Strider who has a 3-2 record with a 2.45 ERA thus far.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Giants-Braves MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Giants-Braves Odds
San Francisco Giants: +1.5 (-134)
Atlanta Braves: -1.5 (+112)
Over: 9 (-122)
Under: 9 (+100)
*Watch MLB Games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)
Why The Giants Could Cover the Spread
Well within play for the division crown out west in the National League, the Giants only trail the Dodgers and Padres by 3.5 games as the final week of the June season approaches. With the season rapidly progressing, each contest played matters more and more with an added sense of intensity only increasing from here on out. San Francisco certainly hasn't played very soundly during their mini two-game losing streak, but the Giants are not too far removed from winning seven of eight games which only helped propel them in the NL Wild Card race.
With seven men left on base, the Giants cannot afford to replicate their hitting performance from the game one defeat. Fortunately for the team out in the bay, offensive letdowns have come few and far between, as the Giants have scored the ninth-most runs in baseball with 317. Additionally, San Francisco does an exceptional job in putting the pressure on opposing pitching with a very productive .322 on-base percentage.
After the first couple of months saw the Giants pitch rather averagely, they have had a nice resurgence in recent weeks. While it is far from being one of the best units in baseball, San Fran is better in the pitching department than many would think. All eyes will be on Anthony DeSclafani, who may be shaking some rust off after not appearing in a game in more than two months with severe right-ankle inflammation. DeSclafani has seen his struggles against the Braves, as he has an overall 1-4 record with a 4.54 ERA.
Why The Braves Could Cover the Spread
Although it took them a few months to start clicking on all cylinders, Atlanta is finally back. The champs from 2021 have sent out a stern reminder that they aren't going anywhere.
During their torrid stretch, The Braves have played as dominant as home as they have played in recent years. With eight consecutive wins within the confines of Truist Park, it is the longest such streak since Atlanta won 13 in a row back in 2019 from Aug. 17th-Sep. 7th. Now with a record of 21-14 as the home team, the Braves have showcased that they are a tough out when their crowd is rocking and the noise is at a deafening pitch.
Only trailing the Mets by 5.5 games in the NL East, Atlanta has used a deadly combination of hitting and pitching to put their opponents away in commanding fashion. Currently eighth with 319 runs scored including second in slugging percentage at .440, the long ball has been a weapon of destruction within the Gate City. With 101 home runs sailing into the bleachers, Atlanta surely can ensue some damage if a pitcher throws a mistake pitch.
During their 2021 championship run, the Braves pitching arms were superior. In 2022, they may be even better. With the seventh-best ERA in the league at 3.61, the starting staff and bullpen have been magnificent. The starter of record for the Braves this evening has played a ginormous role in that, as Spencer Strider is coming off a 106-pitch outing last Wednesday in which he struck out a career-high 11 batters in the Braves victory. If Strider can have any ounce of similar success, then chalk up another spread covering for the Braves.
Final Giants-Braves Prediction & Pick
In one of the more highly anticipated matchups among the MLB scheduled slate on Tuesday, the Giants and Braves should live up to the hype. With DeSclafani more than likely to not be as sharp with the time off, this game is the perfect opportunity for the Braves to out-slug the Giants. With the recent dominance at home, San Francisco will have a tough time keeping this one close.
Final Giants-Braves Prediction: Braves -1.5 (+112)
