A historic MLB betting playoffs series is set to get underway tonight. For the first time in baseball history, two teams who won 105 games or more in the same season will meet in a postseason series. The fact that the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are division rivals only figures to make this NLDS matchup even better. After the two clubs matched each other win for win all season long and were separated by a single game in the final standings, this has the makings of an epic division series. The MLB betting odds have dubbed the visitors as a small favorite ahead of Friday’s Dodgers vs Giants series-opener.
This MLB betting preview for Dodgers vs Giants NLDS Game 1 includes game info, projected starting pitchers, betting odds, trends and a prediction for this series-opening matchup.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants Betting Preview and Prediction | MLB Playoffs Game 1
NLDS Game 1
Los Angeles Dodgers (106-56, 48-33 Away) vs. San Francisco Giants (107-55, 54-27 Home)
Date: Friday, Oct. 8, 2021
Time: 9:30 p.m. EST
Venue: Oracle Park — San Francisco, CA
Coverage: TBS
Dodgers vs Giants Starting Pitchers
Dodgers: Walker Buehler (16-4, 2.47 ERA)
Giants: Logan Webb (11-3, 3.03 ERA)
Los Angeles Dodgers Preview
Thanks to finishing but a single game behind the Giants in the NL West Division standings, the Dodgers had to sweat out a win-or-go-home NL Wild Card Game contest on Wednesday night. Ace pitcher Max Scherzer didn’t make it out of the 5th inning, but Los Angeles still managed to knock off the feisty St. Louis Cardinals. After falling behind 1-0 early, Justin Turner clobbered a solo home run in the 3rd inning to tie it. That’s how things stayed until the bottom of the 9th when Chris Taylor slugged a walk-off two-run shot to win it. The fact that their No. 9 hitter was the one to hit the winning homer speaks to the depth of this loaded Dodgers lineup. Add in Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Will Smith and there is literally no easy out for opposing pitchers. The status of star first baseman Max Muncy for the NLDS remains to be seen after he suffered an elbow injury in the regular-season finale.
The one major downfall of having to play in the NL Wild Card Game is that the Dodgers cannot send Scherzer out to start Game 1 of the NLDS. That being said, their alternative option still sees them listed as small MLB betting favorites. Walker Buehler was a leading NL Cy Young Award candidate this season. He has been nearly unhittable ever since he joined the Dodgers’ rotation. That continued in 2021 as Buehler compiled a 16-4 record to go along with a 2.47 ERA and 0.968 WHIP. He faced the Giants a whopping six times in the regular season, shutting them down in the majority of those starts. However, San Francisco did tag him for seven hits and six runs in just three innings in the most recent matchup.
San Francisco Giants Preview
It only took an entire 162-game season for many MLB betting analysts to finally admit that the Giants are a World Series contender. Coming into the 2021 campaign, the Dodgers were runaway favorites to win the NL West Division. San Francisco jumped to the top of the standings early and managed to stay out ahead of L.A. all year long. The 107 wins were a whole 32 more than the Giants’ preseason betting win total of 75. It has truly been a remarkable season for Gabe Kapler’s squad.
For as loaded as the Dodgers are when it comes to pitching, the Giants staff had an incredible year as well. One of the most dominant starting pitchers in all of baseball during the second half of the season was Logan Webb. He’ll get the nod as the NLDS Game 1 starter tonight. Webb won 11 games on the year and finished with a 3.03 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. Take out the first month of the season and change and the Giants won a whopping 18 of Webb’s 20 starts from May 11th on. He allowed all of seven hits and five runs to the Dodgers over 16 innings in three regular-season appearances against them.
Despite the lack of much name-brand talent in the lineup, the Giants still ranked sixth in runs scored per game this season. Of course, catcher Buster Posey remains the face of the franchise. He certainly brings plenty of postseason experience to the table that figures to help the Giants as MLB betting underdogs. Wilmer Flores, Brandon Crawford and Mike Yastrzemski all had a phenomenal year as well. San Francisco also added former World Series champion Kris Bryant at the trade deadline, a move that already paid dividends down the stretch.
Dodgers vs Giants MLB Betting Odds
MLB betting odds for Dodgers vs Giants are taken from BetMGM Sportsbook.
Moneyline: LAD: (-120) | SF: (+100)
Run Line: LAD: +1.5 (+145) | SF: -1.5 (-175)
Total: 7 — Over: (-120) | Under: (+100)
Public (Spread) Betting Percentages via Action Network: LAD: (45%) | SF: (55%)
Dodgers vs Giants MLB Betting Trends
- Dodgers are 8-0 SU in their last eight games.
- Five of the Dodgers’ last six games have gone over the total.
- Giants are 8-1 SU in their last nine games.
- Giants are 5-1 SU in their last six home games.
- Dodgers are 12-5 SU in their last 17 head-to-head matchups against the Giants on the road.
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Dodgers vs Giants Stats
- Los Angeles is averaging 5.11 runs per game (RPG) this season (No. 4 in the MLB).
- Los Angeles is surrendering 3.45 RPG this season (No. 1 in the MLB).
- San Francisco is averaging 4.96 RPG this season (No. 6 in the MLB).
- San Francisco is surrendering 3.67 RPG this season (No. 2 in the MLB).
Dodgers vs Giants Weather Report
Status: Partly Cloudy
Temperature: 56℉
Humidity: 68%
Precipitation: 20%
Wind: 12 MPH (blowing west)
Dodgers vs Giants Prediction
The Dodgers vs Giants MLB betting prediction uses NumberFire’s probability model. They give San Francisco a 56.3% chance to win Game 1 of this NLDS matchup.
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