Play This Live Home Dog In NL West Battle

Giants vs. Padres, 9:40 ET

I'm going to say it, but even I feel like this is a wild statement for right now in the season: Tonight's game could be a National League Championship Series preview. It is just about to be May, so thinking about the playoffs and potential matchups is probably a pretty big waste of time. That's what everyone plays for though, so I tend to think about where the season is headed more than anything. Tonight we see just a small glimpse of the season as the Giants take on the Padres. 

The Giants are one of the more surprising teams in baseball. They are currently at 19-10 for the season, and one of very few teams that are winning games on the road. San Francisco was a bit of an afterthought in this division dominated by three other teams with more favorable outlooks for this season. That's why they play the games, I guess. I am not 100% sure that the success will be sustainable for the Giants. Last year, the team was very streaky, and ultimately they ended basically as a .500 team. If they remain streaky this year, they are currently on a hot one with a 4-1 record over the past five games. Their hitting has struggled, but their pitching has been pretty solid this season. Tonight, they have a guy who has been super reliable for them - Logan Webb. Webb is 3-1 for the season with a 1.98 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He has only made four road starts this season, and has allowed eight runs in 23 innings. Padres hitters have been good against Webb, hitting .265 against him. Gavin Sheets and Manny Machado are the best two hitters against him.

San Francisco Giants RHP Logan Webb fires one in against the Los Angeles at Oracle Park. (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

The Padres aren't quite surprising. The expectation now for multiple seasons is that they would have the potential to win the World Series, not just make the playoffs. Last season was the first time that the Padres made progress on their talent, but they ultimately lost in the playoffs. This year, they are starting strong - something they haven't done in the past - and they are 17-11 for the year. Most of their success, like so many other teams, has come on their home diamond. Things are clicking for San Diego at the moment. Fernando Tatis Jr. looks like the superstar we knew he could be, with a .346 average, 8 homers and 18 RBIs. The pitching staff has been outstanding though. The team ERA is 2.82 and they have a 1.14 WHIP. Nick Pivetta is one of the reasons. Although it is only five starts, Pivetta has been Cy Young-caliber. Pivetta has had one bad start, and it wasn't that bad. He went three innings and allowed three earned runs. The other four starts were quality outings with just one earned run. Giants hitters don't have a ton of success or experience with him, hitting .256. 

I wouldn't be surprised to see the under hit here, but there is no room for error. I'm also in the camp that Pivetta will eventually lose his success. Maybe he finally figured something out. I'm really not sure. Webb has been great this year, but so has Pivetta. I think the Padres are live dogs here on their home diamond. The Giants have been one of the few good road teams, but I think behind Pivetta and at home, the Padres shouldn't be dogs. I'll back San Diego on the moneyline.

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