The San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers will finish up their four-game series on Thursday night. It's time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Giants-Dodgers prediction and pick.
The Giants have taken control of one of the most important series of the season. The rival Dodgers are only two games back of San Francisco in the hotly contested NL West, with San Francisco's last two wins keeping them in the lead. Los Angeles can't really afford to drop this series finale, as the opportunity to pull within a game is just too valuable. Regardless of who comes out on top, this game has it all. A huge rivalry, playoff implications, and two great teams will always make for an entertaining watch.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the lines for Thursday's game.
MLB Odds: Giants-Dodgers Odds
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
San Francisco Giants ML (+156)
Los Angeles Dodgers ML (-169)
Over 7 1/2 runs (-115)
Under 7 1/2 runs (-105)
Why The Giants Could Cover The Spread
The Giants are one of the best offensive teams in the MLB, surprisingly. San Francisco ranks in the top ten in the league in OBP, OPS, and slugging percentage. The lineup is incredibly patient while maintaining the ability to absolutely unload on the ball when the opportunity presents itself. The Giants have scored more than four runs in seven of their last 10 games, making them one of the hotter offensive teams in baseball. Everything is going right at the plate for this lineup.
While the bats have been fantastic, the pitching rotation has also had a heavy hand in San Francisco's success. Starter Anthony DeSclafani will be trusted with the start in this series finale.
DeSclafani has had a surprisingly good year. He owns a 2.74 ERA and a .99 WHIP on the year. Both statistics are elite, but they get even better when we look at DeSclafani's last seven starts. Over that span, he's earned himself a 1.74 ERA and a .81 WHIP. Those are absolutely ridiculous numbers that indicate truly elite pitching.
Why The Dodgers Could Cover The Spread
The Giants are sending out a great pitcher for Thursday night's game, but the Dodgers will be doing the same. Walker Buehler is set to take the mound for Los Angeles in this crucial matchup.
Buehler has been truly elite for the Dodgers this season, posting a 2.37 ERA and a .91 WHIP. He's already faced the Giants three times in this campaign, posting great numbers in all three appearances. Combined, Buehler has pitched 19 innings against San Francisco and has only allowed two runs. Another great performance from Buehler could be in the cards.
Although DeSclafani has had a great year, the Dodgers seem to have his number. He's made three appearances against Los Angeles, with none of them ending particularly well. In total, DeSclafani has pitched 11 innings against the Dodgers and given up 15 runs. For whatever reason, the Dodgers see DeSclafani particularly well and don't expect that to change in Thursday's game.
Final Giants-Dodgers Prediction & Pick
It's a tough game to call, but the Dodgers should take this one. DeSclafani struggles against the Los Angeles lineup, while the opposite is true about Walker Buehler and San Francisco's lineup. The under isn't out of the question here, but the Dodgers are a better bet.
FINAL PICK: Los Angeles Dodgers ML (-169)
Follow Us
Subscribe