Giants vs Brewers MLB | NL Division Leaders Clash

We wouldn’t have expected it before the season, but the marquee matchup this weekend around baseball is a potential National League playoff preview between the NL West-leading Giants and NL Central-leading Brewers. Milwaukee is a home favorite on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Giants at Brewers MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Friday, 8:10 PM ET
Where: American Family Field
Probable pitchers (away/home): Logan Webb/Corbin Burnes
TV: MLB Extra Innings
Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
Opening MLB Lines: TBA (Brewers will be favored)

Why Bet on San Francisco?

San Francisco is 9-7 against the Brewers at Miller Park/American Family Field since 2015.

The Giants got a big piece back from a long injured list stint Thursday in first baseman Brandon Belt. The 33-year-old provided plenty of power over the first couple months of the season, recording 11 home runs and 28 RBI over 55 games. He was also slashing .253/.363/.512 before his knee injury. On Wednesday, the Giants saw the return of infielder Tommy LaStella from a long stint on the injured list.

Giants relievers have posted the second-best bullpen ERA in MLB beginning June 1, fashioning a 2.76 ERA. Only the Rays (2.55 ERA) have had a better bullpen ERA in that span. The Giants’ 48-12 (.797) record when scoring first is the best mark among all big league teams.

It’s Logan Webb (5-3) on the mound for the Giants. Webb allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk with three strikeouts over six innings in a 5-3 win over the Astros last Sunday. Webb has been outstanding since he was activated from the injured list on July 9. He delivered six strong innings for Giants on Sunday, holding the Astros to two runs. Both runs would score in the first inning on a two-run homer by Yuli Gurriel. Webb would settle in for five more scoreless frames. He took the mound in the seventh but allowed the first two runners to reach on back-to-back singles, and that would be it for him.

Webb missed five weeks of game action with a right shoulder strain that forced him to the injured list at the end of May, but since returning to the Giants’ rotation in June, he’s been the team’s most effective starter. He has allowed just six runs in 24 innings since he returned from that injury.

The 24-year-old has a 3.33 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 73:23 K:BB through 73 innings this season. When not striking batters out, the righty is inducing contact on the dirt. Framber Valdez is the only starter (minimum 50 innings pitched) with a higher ground-ball rate than Webb (59.9%).

Why Bet on Milwaukee?

Avisaíl García, who is leading the Brewers in HR (18), RBI (66), hits (92) and total bases (160) this season, is batting .370 (37-for-100) with 5 HR and 24 RBI in his last 26 games. Since June 26, García ranks second in the majors in batting average (.370).

Milwaukee remains without outfielder and former NL MVP Christian Yelich and closer Josh Hader, both on the COVID list. Starting pitcher Eric Lauer joined them there this week. Lauer was the seventh player in the organization to land on the COVID-19 IL as a result of the team’s recent outbreak in positive test results.

It’s possible that Yelich is activated for this game, but Hader won’t be. Devin Williams struck out two in a scoreless inning to record his first career save Wednesday versus the Pirates and should continue to close with Hader out. Williams has looked dominant in five appearances since returning from an elbow injury.

All-Star right-hander Corbin Burnes (6-4) is on the mound for the Brewers. Burnes surrendered five runs on nine hits over four-plus innings while taking a no-decision in last Friday’s win over the Braves. Burnes struck out six and walked two. Four of the five runs on his line came in the first inning — the other touched home inherited in the fifth inning — keyed by a Freddie Freeman RBI single, an Austin Riley two-run homer and a Stephen Vogt RBI single.

The 26-year-old right-hander still owns a 2.46 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 152/20 K/BB ratio across 106 frames this year. The team is 10-8 in his starts and he has made 11 quality starts. Opponents are batting .210 (83-for-395, 4hr) off him.

Burnes is 1-1 with a 10.80 ERA in 7 career games against the Giants, all coming in relief (5ip, 11h, 6r, 6er, 0bb, 8k, 1hr).