Inside Look at the Arizona at San Francisco MLB Betting Preview

It’s still too early to make any rash projections for the baseball season, but in the early going the Arizona Diamondbacks are the biggest surprises in the NL West and the San Francisco Giants the biggest disappointments. They conclude their series on Wednesday with the Giants as MLB odds favorites.

Inside Look at the Arizona at San Francisco MLB Betting Preview

RECAP: @eltanquetomas homers but the #Dbacks see their winning streak snapped: https://t.co/Os4AfJJsdt pic.twitter.com/NX7APyn2BC

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 11, 2017

When: Wednesday, April 12, 10:15 PM ET Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco Probable pitchers (away/home): Shelby Miller/Matt Cain TV: MLB Extra Innings Stream: MLB.tv Radio: Arizona / San Francisco Opening MLB Lines: Giants favored by TBA

Why Bet On Arizona?

The D-backs entered this series at 6-1, tying the franchise record set in 2000. Over the weekend, the D-backs swept the defending American League-champion Indians for their first 3-game sweep in Interleague play since July 27-29, 2015 @ Mariners and the first @ Chase Field from Aug. 12-14, 2013 vs. Orioles. The D-backs’ 48 runs were a team record through 7 games, besting the previous mark of 46 in 2010. However, Arizona lost the series opener to the Giants 4-1 on Monday. The D-backs, with 2 outs, are hitting .375 (33-for- 88) with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homer, 18 RBI and 11 walks. They lead the Majors in average (.375) and are third in RBI (18). Paul Goldschmidt is a lifetime .320 (57-for- 178) hitter with 8 home runs and 35 RBI in 50 games @ AT&T Park. Rubby De La Rosa (elbow) will face hitters in extended spring training Wednesday. De La Rosa received two rounds of stem-cell therapy in his elbow over the winter in hopes of avoiding Tommy John surgery. According to Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, the right-hander been throwing in the mid-to- upper 90s. The real test will be how he responds to throwing in games. He would provide bullpen depth. Outfielder Gregor Blanco (oblique) has resumed a throwing program. Blanco strained his right oblique two and a half weeks ago and his recovery has gone a little slower than expected. It’s Shelby Miller on the mound here. He beat the Indians last time out, allowing three runs over 5.1 innings. Miller was acquired from the Braves in a Dec. 9, 2015, five-player trade that sent Ender Inciarte and Dansby Swanson to Atlanta. He was expected to back up $206.5 million free-agent signee Zack Greinke, but instead was 3-12 with a 6.15 ERA and suffered the indignity of being sent to the minors to work out his issues. It’s hard to say where poor mechanics and lack of success leads to a shattering of confidence, but that all happened to Miller, whose win vs. Cleveland was his first after 11 tries at home as a D-back. Last year, he was 0-8 with a 7.39 ERA at Chase in 10 starts.

Why Bet On San Francisco?

Keep an eye on the status of Giants star catcher Buster Posey as he departed Monday’s game versus the Diamondbacks after being hit on the helmet by a Taijuan Walker pitch. It was a 94 mph fastball that got Posey on the side of the helmet. He immediately fell to the ground and while he sat up shortly after, he looked a bit dazed. Posey is undoubtedly set to go through concussion protocol. That has the potential to be something that sidelines him for a while. Posey was replaced by Nick Hundley. First baseman Michael Morse (hamstring) is close to playing in extended spring training games. Morse was set to make the make the Giants’ Opening Day roster before injuring his left hamstring toward the end of spring training. It’s Matt Cain on the mound for the Giants. He wasn’t involved in the decision of his first start this year vs. San Diego. He he yielded four runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. “We need to tighten it up a little bit as far as making some pitches,” Cain said. Cain will make his first AT&T Park start of the season. He owns a 57-56 record with a 3.37 ERA in 164 career appearances (161 starts) at home. Against Arizona overall, Cain is 14-8 with a 3.47 ERA. The Giants went 45-36 (.556) at home last season, the fourth-best home winning percentage in the NL. Since AT&T Park opened in 2000, the Giants' .571 home winning percentage (788-591) ranks as the fourth-best among NL teams (STL, .606; LAD, .575; ATL, .573).

Arizona at San Francisco MLB Betting Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks

Cain’s time as a big-league starter is about up. And it’s not looking like Posey will play. Go Arizona on the road.