First place in the NL West is up for grabs on Friday when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the San Francisco Giants for the start of a three-game series. The two teams are tied for first place, so this series will be critical in the playoff race. The Dodgers are listed as slight road favorites with a moneyline of -125 while San Francisco’s moneyline of +105.
The Giants have had a rough week, which is why they’ve lost their grip on the first place. They lost two of three to the Braves last weekend and three of four to the Brewers earlier this week. Not only are they now tied with the Dodgers, but the Giants also struggled to beat the types of teams they’ll face in the playoffs.
The Dodgers, on the other hand, swept the Braves in a three-game series earlier this week. Los Angeles has now won 16 of its last 19 games, putting together a stretch that most felt was inevitable at some point this season. The Dodgers now have a chance to seize control of the NL West as they aim for their ninth straight division crown.
The Price is Right
David Price is scheduled to start for the Dodgers on Friday. He’s been key in taking over one of the vacancies in the Los Angeles rotation with a few other players unavailable for a variety of reasons. While he’s 0-2 in his 11 starts, Price has pitched to a solid 3.92 ERA in those starts, typically giving the Dodgers a fighting chance to win.
On Friday, Price could have a leg up against a San Francisco lineup that is struggling and desperate to get back on track. The Giants have scored just ten total runs over their last five games, although half of those runs came in Thursday’s win. But despite the entire team being in a funk, the Giants will be able to stack their lineup on Friday with right-handed hitters to face Price.
Going for an Even Dozen
The Giants will counter Price with Anthony DeSclafani, who will be aiming for his 12th win of the season, going 11-6 with a 3.38 ERA over his 25 starts of the season. However, DeSclafani has not been himself, pitching to a 5.93 ERA over his four starts in August. He also faced the Dodgers twice in late July, giving up seven runs over just 8.2 innings.
That being said, the Dodgers aren’t clicking offensively the way you would think for a team that’s 16-3 in its last 19 games. Over their last 14 games, the Dodgers are only averaging 3.6 runs per game. Outside of Trea Turner and Will Smith, nobody in the LA lineup has been particularly hot over the last two weeks.
Who Do You Trust?
It’s a good thing that the betting odds in this game are so close because neither team seems that trustworthy right now. Both starting pitchers have seen better days, and neither team has been that good offensively lately. However, the Dodgers are finding ways to win while the Giants aren’t, so bet on Los Angeles to take Friday’s game.
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