Major playoff implications are on the line as the Milwaukee Brewers take on the San Francisco Giants in a National League Showdown. It is about that time to take an exclusive look at our MLB odds series, where our Brewers-Giants prediction and pick will take place.

 

Currently sitting at 50-41 which is good enough for a two-game lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central, Milwaukee needs every win they can get to hold onto their top spot in the division. The Brew Crew will use a southpaw in Eric Lauer to combat San Francisco, as the lefty is 6-3 overall with a 3.83 ERA on the year.

With a more focused approach at the plate and from the mound, San Francisco is poised to get back on track and return to their winning ways from 2021 that saw them win the NL West for the first time in nearly a decade. It will be righty Alex Cobb who will be responsible for getting the Giants one step closer with a triumphant win on Saturday. Cobb is 3-4 with a 4.57 ERA in his 13 overall starts in 2022.

Here are the Brewers-Giants MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Brewers-Giants Odds

Milwaukee Brewers: +1.5 (-194)

San Francisco Giants: -1.5 (+160)

Over: 8 (-105)

Under: 8 (-115)

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Why The Brewers Could Cover the Spread

Despite the tough loss yesterday, the Brewers will attempt to get back to being ten games above the all but important .500 mark by using a balanced attack that has served them well throughout the majority of the year. Not to mention, closing out games would be a nice touch as well.

Milwaukee surely showed flashes of dominance and an appetite for destruction at the plate on Friday when they were able to score five times in the top of the fifth that ultimately gave them a 5-2 lead. This should've been a plenty enough margin for the Brewers to close the deal. However, it was not. Fast forward a few more innings, and the Brewers saw themselves lose in heartbreaking walk-off fashion.

With the bad taste still in their mouths not even 24 hours later, Milwaukee let a golden opportunity slip right from their fingers. Nevertheless, the Brewers still have an excellent chance to cover the spread at Oracle Park. Even with a below-average 39-52 record ATS, Milwaukee certainly has what it takes.

It all starts at the plate, as the heavy-hitting Brewers possess a .417 slugging percentage on the year, good for the ninth-best mark in baseball. If the Brewers can receive some timely, clutch moments from within the batter's box, the pressure felt on Eric Lauer and the Milwaukee bullpen will remain scarce.

With that being said, Lauer enters this ballgame seeking a third-consecutive outing with at least five innings thrown. He will be going up against a more than capable Giants lineup that can inflict damage at any given time. Simply put, the Brewers are desperate for an effective showing from Lauer would give them a much-needed spread-covering win.

Why The Giants Could Cover the Spread

The Giants fell on hard times before they were able to reel off five games in their previous seven to avoid being under the .500 mark halfway through July. It appears that the G-men are ready to go streaking. A week ago, yesterday's 5-2 deficit may have been too much to overcome. Now, San Francisco is slowly but surely starting to gain confidence out on the diamond.

No other example of this could be more true when OF Mike Yastrzemski hit a towering three-run shot off of the MLB saves leader Josh Hader into the night that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. With clutch moments like these, the Giants hope that this could be the start of a triumphant stretch of play.

While Friday's dramatic conclusion sent the Giants on a euphoric high, they would most likely prefer to be firmly in control from start to finish. In order to accomplish this, San Francisco will need to get started early and often. With the sixth-most runs scored in the game and an impeccable .321 on-base percentage, look for especially the right-handed hitters in this offensive attack to make Lauer's life harder than it needs to be from the bump.

It would also be a welcome sign if Alex Cobb can put together a quality outing, something that he has been able to accomplish in his last few starts. In fact, Cobb has pitched at least five innings in three straight outings and hasn't allowed a home run since a June 19th appearance against the Pirates.

Final Brewers-Giants Prediction & Pick

For the past several seasons, closer Josh Hader has been one of the game's elite closers but he has surrendered nine runs in his last two appearances and has blown multiple saves in his recent stretch of play. With Hader's current unpredictability at full force, the Brewers better hope that they can pull away handily to avoid another possible ninth-inning letdown. While it may not be Hader's fault this time around, the Giants' newfound confidence will help them cover the spread in this Saturday contest.

Final Brewers-Giants Prediction & Pick: Giants -1.5 (+160)