Pitching Should Dominate Giants Vs Dodgers

Giants vs. Dodgers, 4:10 ET

Thursday is one of the two days of the week that we have a smaller schedule for baseball. I actually prefer this for a few reasons, but the biggest reason is that I can spend a bit more time evaluating each game and not feel as rushed to get through some of them. It doesn't always result in wins, but it does help my process. There are eight games on the schedule today and six of the games feature the end of a series. The other two games start series, and both offer different perspectives for betting. This is one of the games that will close out a series as the Giants take on the Dodgers. 

The Giants are fading from the Wild Card race. They currently sit at 49-54 which is 4.5 games back from the finals spot in the race. Not only are they behind the Reds and Pirates, they are also behind the Padres (who are tied for the final spot) and the Diamondbacks who are just 0.5 games back of that final spot. They need a win today against the Dodgers in order to get a series split. After dropping the first two games of the series, the bats finally broke out last night and they won 8-3. This was encouraging for more than one reason - they were able to get Robbie Ray back from the injured list and he pitched a beautiful game, going five innings and allowing one earned run on no hits (something rather challenging to do) and he struck out eight hitters. The other good thing is that they were able to beat Dodgers ace Tyler Glasnow. It may be too late (still plenty of time, but there are so many teams in front of them), but this was encouraging if the team wants to try and keep it together. Logan Webb takes the ball for the Giants. He is one of three starters on the Giants that would form an incredibly tough rotation if they were to make the playoffs. Webb is 7-8 this season with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. This has been his worst month of the season, where he has allowed 13 earned runs over 18 innings. This will be the fourth time that he faces the Dodgers this season. At home, in two games, he has covered 13 innings and allowed a total of eight hits and two earned runs. In one road start, he allowed five earned runs in 3.2 innings on seven hits. 

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 27: Starting pitcher Logan Webb #62 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on July 27, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks beat the Giants 5-3. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

The Dodgers are also getting healthy, but they already know where they will end up at the end of the regular season. Los Angeles will make the playoffs and in all likelihood will be the division winner. Even with their issues with the pitching staff and losing Mookie Betts for a large chunk of time, the team is still sitting at 61-42. They will be the home team against pretty much anyone but the Phillies in the playoffs, too. The front office has already been open that they are looking to upgrade the club at the deadline, looking to acquire a starting pitcher at the very least. They do get to make an addition to their rotation today as they are getting back Clayton Kershaw to their team. Kershaw needs no real introduction. He is going to be a Hall of Famer (actually who knows, baseball writers are grumpy), and he has been a dominant force in the Dodgers rotation since 2008. He had a great campaign last year, including three starts against the Giants. In those three games, he went 16.1 innings and allowed a total of four earned runs. Overall, Giants hitters have gone just 25-for-125 against Kershaw. 

Webb has been good, but I will say he is a guy who gets the best of me very often. When I think he will struggle, he doesn't. When I think he will be great, he turns in a terrible outing. If this one doesn't work out, I'll put him with Mitch Keller and Miles Mikolas for the year. I do think that the teams are unlikely to score a lot of runs in this game though. Kershaw should get through five innings and Webb is capable of turning in a gem any time he toes the rubber. Let's back the under 8.5 in this one. 

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