It doesn’t matter whether you predominantly follow one league over the other in the MLB, the reality is that you cannot help but get caught up in the playoff races on both sides at this stage of the season. Certainly, if you are a National league fan, then you are getting your money’s worth right now, especially in the race for the Wild Card, where we can basically guarantee that the battle for the final two playoff spots is going to go right down to the final week of the season.
As far as the divisional races go, the NL West is totally done and dusted, with the LA Dodgers miles ahead of the pack and uncatchable at this point. Things are still interesting there, though, as the Giants and the Diamondbacks are still hanging around in the Wild Card hunt. It goes without saying that the 4-game series between these two this weekend is absolutely huge. This is a chance for one of these teams to truly make their mark on the WC race. The Diamondbacks are favored by 1 ½, with the run total set at 9 ½.
How to Bet Giants vs Diamondbacks MLB Betting Odds & Pick
- When: Thursday, August 15 at 9:40 PM EST
- Where: Chase Field, Phoenix
- Starting Pitchers: Rodriguez vs. Young
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- Radio: ESPN 1320
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- MLB Odds: Arizona Diamondbacks -165 (Total 9.5)
Twins vs Rangers MLB Spread, Game Info & Expert Pick
Weather Forecast
- Sunny: 43°C/110°F
- Humidity: 6%
- Precipitation: 0%
- Cloud Cover: 0%
- Wind: 10 mph W
- Stadium Type: Retractable
Why bet on the San Francisco Giants?
The Giants did not do much to help their playoff cause over the last week and a half, going just 4-5 SU in a 9-game homestand. They did win 3 of 4 to close it out, though, so perhaps that’s a sign that they are ready to break out and get back to winning ways this weekend. The good news is that San Francisco have been better on the road than they have been at home this season, sitting 3 games above .500 at 31-28 in hostile territory.
There has been little between these two in the regular season series, with the Giants currently trailing Arizona 7-6. Perhaps more importantly, the Giants trail the D-Backs in the Wild Card by a single game and are sitting 4 ½ games out overall. They will have Dereck Rodriguez (4-6, 5.32 ERA) on the mound for this one.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 4.28
- Hits: 8.16
- Walks: 3.01
- Strike Outs: 8.63
- Runs: 4.75
- Hits: 8.67
- Walks: 3.15
- Strike Outs: 8.58
Why bet on the Arizona Diamondbacks?
The Diamondbacks are a little better off than their opponent this weekend, sitting 3 ½ games out of the final Wild Card spot in the NL, albeit with a handful of teams still in front of them. It is perhaps not too crazy to suggest that this could be a make or break series for both teams, so Arizona will certainly be happy to have home field advantage this weekend.
The D-Backs do have a slight winning record at home, going 34-32 SU, but they are also just 12-17 ATS as a home favorite. Arizona are doing a decent job of staying with the chasing pack, going 6-4 in their last 10 games, although they will likely need to do better down the stretch to close the gap. They will have Alex Young (4-2, 3.32 ERA) starting on Thursday.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.19
- Hits: 9.06
- Walks: 3.33
- Strike Outs: 8.29
- Runs: 4.57
- Hits: 8.53
- Walks: 3.13
- Strike Outs: 8.70
Indians vs Yankees MLB Lines & Thursday Night Pick
Giants vs Diamondbacks MLB Betting Trends
- Giants are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Arizona
- The total has gone UNDER in 13 of San Francisco’s last 19 games this season
- Diamondbacks are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against San Francisco
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona’s last 5 games at home
- Diamondbacks are 61-60 against the money line in all games this season
- Giants are 60-61 against the money line in all games this season
- Rodriguez is 1-1 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 2.38 and a WHIP of 1.500
- Young is 1-0 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 0.800
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
The regular series between these two has been close all year, so it would not be stunning to see a split over these 4 games. That said, I do think that Arizona will come out and get the win in the opener.
Score: San Francisco Giants 2 – Arizona Diamondbacks 5
