Dodgers vs Giants Odds & Top Pitching Matchup

No question the top pitching matchup around Major League Baseball on Wednesday is between the rival Dodgers and Giants as Cy Young candidates Walker Buehler and Anthony DeSclafani face off from San Francisco. The Dodgers are short favorites on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Dodgers at Giants MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Wednesday, 9:45 PM ET
Where: Oracle Park
Probable pitchers (away/home): Walker Buehler/Anthony DeSclafani
TV: MLB Network; MLB Extra Innings
Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
Opening MLB Lines: Dodgers -135, Giants +125 (total 7.5)

Why Bet on Los Angeles?

The Dodgers aren’t at full strength with former AL MVP Mookie Betts, ex-NL Rookie of the Year Corey Seager and second baseman all on the injured list.

Betts is batting .270 this season with an .876 OPS and has 14 home runs with 40 RBIs. His OPS this season would be his lowest since 2017, but still is considerably better than the NL average (.716). Factor in defense and base running, and he’s been one of the most valuable outfielders and trails only Max Muncy and Walker Buehler among his Dodgers teammates in Baseball-Reference WAR.

Lux admitted Sunday that his hamstring is doing a lot better than he thought it would at this stage of his recovery. The Dodgers are going to continue to bring him along cautiously, but he’s at least trending in the right direction toward a return to the lineup. It probably won’t be for this game. Although the Dodgers did not welcome back Seager last week as initially expected, it is only a matter of time before he returns to the lineup. Seager was put on the 10-day injured list May 16 due to a right hand fracture suffered as a result of being hit by a pitch.

It’s Walker Buehler on the mound. Buehler (10-1) recorded nine strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings last Thursday in a no-decision against the Giants in Los Angeles. Buehler yielded a sacrifice fly to Mike Yastrzemski in the opening frame, but kept the Giants off the scoreboard the rest of the way. He generated 12 swinging strikes and finished with a 30 percent CSW (called strikes plus whiffs).

Buehler did everything he could to come away with his 11th win of the season, but the bullpen surrendered four runs in the top of the ninth and that forced the right-hander to settle with a no-decision. It was his third straight quality start.

The 26-year-old All-Star has faced the Giants four times this season, allowing only three runs across 27 innings. He has a 2.31 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 131/29 K/BB ratio across 128 2/3 innings (20 starts). Oddly, Buehler has been far better when batters put the ball in play. In the 12 starts in which he has struck out seven or fewer, he owns a 1.45 ERA. In the eight starts in which he has struck out eight or more, he owns a 3.50 ERA. He is pitching equally deep into games in both instances.

Clayton Kershaw says his teammate has “the best stuff in the game.”

Why Bet on San Francisco?

The Dodgers outscored the Giants 17-9 in the three-game set at Oracle Park in May.

The Giants have three regulars on the injured list in first baseman Brandon Belt, shortstop Brandon Crawford and third baseman Evan Longoria. None of them are expected by this game. Crawford was an All-Star this year – he could be back Thursday — and Longoria was playing at an All-Star level before suffering a shoulder injury in June that will leave him sidelined until Aug. 5.

San Francisco’s team OPS in games started by opponents’ righties is .793. Against lefties, it’s nearly 100 points lower, a mere .695. The Giants are averaging 5.10 runs per game against right-handed starters, 4.4 versus left-handers.

It’s Anthony DeSclafani (10-4) pitching for the Giants. He was opposite Walker Buehler last Thursday and allowed three runs over six innings in a no-decision. DeSclafani recorded seven strikeouts and only issued one walk. An RBI single from Justin Turner in the opening frame and a two-run homer by Will Smith in the fourth inning accounted for all of the damage. It was DeSclafani’s fourth straight quality start, but it was also the first time he took a no-decision since May 28. He’s had his struggles versus the Dodgers this season with a 0-2 record. He is 10-2 with a 1.78 ERA against all other opponents.

The 31-year-old right-hander has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 19 of his 20 starts this season. He has a 2.87 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 110/30 K/BB ratio across 119 1/3 innings.

His .239 BABIP is currently tied for seventh-best among qualified pitchers. His average exit velocity is in the 41st percent of baseball and his hard-hit rate is in the 31st percent. DeSclafani’s 3.98 SIERA indicates that he has gotten lucky in general. Plus, he is outperforming himself significantly in terms of BABIP. His career mark is .291.