The Giants and Diamondbacks are two of the best teams in Major League Baseball. They have been competing for a World Series title since 2009, but this year they will face each other in the first round of the playoffs. With their recent success, both teams have been able to attract some big-name players from around baseball.
The diamondback baseball is a team in Major League Baseball that plays in the National League West Division. They are based in Phoenix, Arizona and were founded on April 10, 1959.
On Monday night, the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks open a four-game series in the desert, with the Giants attempting to defend their NL West lead. It’s time to continue our MLB odds series with a prediction and selection for the Giants vs. Diamondbacks matchup.
San Francisco is presently 66-39 on the season and 31-22 on the road. You’d be up $2.221 on the moneyline if you bet $100 on every Giants game so far this season.
Arizona is presently 33-73, including a 20-32 record at Chase Field. You’d be down $3,223 on the moneyline if you bet $100 on every Diamondbacks game thus far this season.
The Giants-Diamondbacks odds have been set as follows by bookmakers.
MLB Betting Odds: Giants vs. Diamondbacks
Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants (-190)
ML (+180) Arizona Diamondbacks
More than 9.5 runs (-105)
Runs under 9.5 (-115)
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Why the Giants Have a Chance to Win This Game
San Francisco has recently been especially successful, winning two series against some of baseball’s greatest clubs. The Giants have continued to win games by relying on two things: a shut-down bullpen and the home run.
Let’s start with the bullpen. Only three of the Giants’ bullpen’s past 10 outings have resulted in multiple runs. They have the league’s third-lowest ERA, the most saves, and the fewest walks as a club.
On Monday, the Giants’ pitching prowess will be on show in more than just the bullpen. Anthony DeSclafani, who has a 10-5 record and a 3.10 ERA this season, will take the mound for San Francisco.
This season, DeSclafani has shredded the Diamondbacks, giving just three earned runs in 13.2 innings in two outings. The Dodgers have been the righties’ one true vulnerability this season (22 earned runs in 21 innings pitched against them), and this D-backs offense is nothing like the boys in blue.
Arizona’s hitters are in the top ten in terms of strikeouts and among the bottom five in terms of OPS. It doesn’t help that the five D-backs who have faced Desclafani in at least eight plate appearances are all hitting under.225.
Arizona is unlikely to get to DeSclafani, but the Giants are quite likely to get to Diamondbacks starter Taylor Widener. In every area where the San Francisco offense excels, Widener suffers.
In just 36.1 innings thrown this season, Widener has given up 16 walks and eight home runs. He hasn’t thrown more than six innings this season, and in seven of his eight starts, he has allowed multiple home runs, numerous walks, or both.
Widener should be picked apart tonight by newcomer Kris Bryant and the Giants’ patient offense, and don’t expect the damage to end against a Diamondbacks bullpen with the best ERA in the league.
Why the Diamondbacks Have a Chance to Win
Despite his respectable ERA and win-loss record, Anthony DeSclafani has been shook up early in his past few outings.
DeSclafani has given up 10 runs and three home runs in his past 14.2 innings of work. Despite not exceeding 81 pitches in each of his previous three outings, he has not made it beyond the sixth inning.
Clearly, his stuff has been hittable of late, giving Diamondbacks bettors reason to be optimistic.
The Diamondbacks’ best hitters are mostly lefties: Three of the top five D-backs with the best OPS in at least 60 games are left-handed, while one is a switch hitter. DeSclafani has been considerably more susceptible against left-handed pitchers, allowing 25 runs in 58 innings vs 18 runs in 64 innings against right-handed pitchers. Left-handed batters also hit 26 points higher and walk at a higher rate against DeSclafani than right-handed batters.
In summary, this D-backs attack may be weak, but they have a good chance of getting to a right-hander who has struggled recently.
Arizona will depend on Widener to lead them through five innings within striking distance on the mound.
Despite his poor statistics so far, the right-hander has showed glimpses of brilliance. Unlike DeSclafani, he’s had success against the Dodgers and Padres this season, two of baseball’s best OPS teams.
Widener has only allowed one earned run in 10.1 innings against NL powerhouses. In those outings, he did allow five walks, but he pitched his way out of trouble.
It’ll be the same story on Monday. The Giants will draw walks and generate traffic, but if Widener can limit the damage to three runs or less, the D-backs may be able to steal a game tonight.
Final Prediction & Pick for the Giants vs. Diamondbacks
This game should easily go to the Giants, but after seeing DeSclafani get beaten up in three consecutive games, it’s hard to trust him. Yes, the Diamondbacks’ offense is bad, but they’re more likely to score a run or two against DeSclafani than to get shut out. It wouldn’t surprise me if they eventually hung a crooked number on him. The Giants’ ability to slug Taylor Widener is the closest thing to a certainty in this game. To be honest, they have a good chance of cashing the over tonight on their own. As a result, I’ll take the over tonight, betting on the Giants and D-backs to score runs.
PREDICTION FOR THE FINAL GIANTS-DIAMONDBACKS MATCH: OVER 9.5 RUNS (-105)
Related Tags
- giants baseball team
- arizona diamondbacks roster
- san francisco giants roster
