The Los Angeles Dodgers make a trip to face off with the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park Monday night, kicking off a four-game slate.
The visiting team has won three of four on the road at Colorado, while the Giants had the same success against the Chicago Cubs.
When these two clubs got together out of the All-Star break, Los Angeles earned a four-game home sweep.
MLB Matchup Performance Recap
The Giants (51-51) are in the thick of the National League Wild Card race, sitting four games behind Philadelphia. In the National League West, they trail the Dodgers by 17.5 contests.
Even a surge during this set wouldn’t help them all that much in catching up. It certainly didn’t help the Giants’ case that they began the second half with seven consecutive losses.
Los Angeles (68-33) has come out on the right side of most games in the NL. They’ve gone 7-3 over their last ten outings and hold a dozen-game advantage over San Diego in the grouping. The Dodgers have 33 wins on the road, tied with the New York Mets most in the Senior Circuit.
Batting Average
At the plate, Los Angeles has the third-highest team batting average (.258) in MLB. As good as they’ve been with racking up hits, the Dodgers have been selective, as well.
They’ve earned the most walks in the NL. They’ve scored the second-most runs in the majors, and, in terms of home runs, they grade out in the top 10.
Three different regulars:
- first baseman Freddie Freeman
- shortstop Trea Turner
- second baseman Gavin Lux
Are hitting .299 or better at this point. Freeman places the order with a .325 batting average and a .402 on-base percentage. Turner has 73 RBIs, while right fielder Mookie Betts has belted 23 homers.
Los Angeles has four different batters in away games, including backstop Will Smith, who are .314 or better at the plate with at least 153 at-bats. In the last week, Lux has turned in a .417 batting average in 24 plate appearances.
Giants vs. Dodgers Odds
MLB odds considers the guests to be the favorites in this clash. Los Angeles is -1.5 on the run line at +130, while the Giants are -156 to cover the spread.
On the moneyline, the Dodgers are -126 and San Francisco a +108 underdog. The total has been set at 7.5 runs, with the over being -110 and the under the same at the time of this writing.
Giants’ Necessity to Improve
The Giants would benefit from some improvement with the bats, as they rank in the bottom third of the bigs when it comes to collective batting average (.235). Their power numbers are better, though, as they’ve clubbed the 10th-most long balls at the top level.
Second baseman Thairo Estrada leads the charge, hitting .262, while left fielder Joc Pederson has sent 17 baseballs over the outfield wall. Third baseman Wilmer Flores has a team-leading 55 RBIs.
San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Preview
Logan Webb Preview Breakdown
Logan Webb, a 25-year-old right-hander, is slated to take the hill for the home crew. As of right now, he has a 9-4 record, along with a 2.91 ERA.
In five of his six starts in July, he gave up three earned runs or less, but the San Francisco Giants weren’t able to capitalize. They fell short in four of his efforts last month.
That included a tilt at Arizona in which Webb went 6.1 innings, allowing seven hits and four earned runs, his most since early June.
Andrew Heaney Preview Breakdown
Andrew Heaney will pitch for the Dodgers. He’s made four starts to this juncture, posting a 1-0 mark and 0.47 ERA. Over that time, he’s conceded ten total knocks, and a single earned run.
Giants vs. Dodgers Picks and Predictions
We’ve seen the Dodgers vs. Giants odds, so now let’s make some free MLB picks. Heaney has been more of a spot starter for Los Angeles, but he’s done a fantastic job with the opportunities that have been presented.
The prowess of the lineup behind him is hard to choose against, but Webb has among the best ERAs in the majors. It will help him that he’s throwing at home, too. Take the Giants to cover the spread here.
MLB Pick: Giants +1.5 (-145)
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