Dodgers vs Giants MLB Betting Trends and Prediction for NLDS Game 2

The National League Division Series matchups continue on Saturday. The nightcap features Game 2 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. These two NL West Division rivals had the two best records in all of baseball during the regular season. After earning a shutout victory in Game 1 last night, the Giants will look to hold serve at home before the action shifts south down the California coast. The MLB betting odds have made this Dodgers vs Giants showdown a virtual toss-up.

This MLB betting preview for Dodgers vs Giants NLDS Game 2 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 2

NLDS Game 2 (SF leads series 1-0)
Los Angeles Dodgers (106-56, 48-33 Away) vs. San Francisco Giants (107-55, 54-27 Home)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021
Time: 9 p.m. EST
Venue: Oracle Park — San Francisco, CA
Coverage: TBS

Dodgers vs Giants Starting Pitchers

Dodgers: Julio Urias (20-3, 2.93 ERA)
Giants: Kevin Gausman (14-6, 2.81 ERA)

Los Angeles Dodgers Preview

Despite the presence of a seemingly endless number of stars in the Dodgers’ lineup, they ran into a brick wall in Game 1 of the NLDS on Friday night. Los Angeles only managed five hits and failed to score in a shutout loss. For a team that averaged the fourth-most runs per game during the regular season, it was a very uncharacteristic performance. Furthermore, only three players accounted for all five of the Dodgers’ hits. Mookie Betts and Will Smith each had a pair while Corey Seager recorded the other knock. As a team, L.A. struck out 11 times in the series-opener.

Walker Buehler was sharp on Friday, but not quite good enough. Given that they had to play in the NL Wild Card Game, the Dodgers have now exhausted each of their top two starters this week. Dave Roberts will send lefty Julio Urias out to start tonight’s MLB betting matchup. The 25-year-old compiled an impressive 20-3 record on the season with 195 strikeouts, a 2.95 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. He allowed two runs or less in four of his five starts against the Giants during the regular season. Most recently, Urias tamed the San Francisco bats back in an early-September start to the tune of one run allowed and eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work.

San Francisco Giants Preview

Imagine winning 107 games, finishing with the best record in all of baseball, and still being the MLB betting underdogs in your playoff opener. That’s exactly what the Giants experienced Friday night. Perhaps they won’t get the full amount of respect they deserve from the betting market at all this season. The Giants weren’t phased despite being pegged as short home dogs in Game 1 of the NLDS. Fittingly, Buster Posey got the action started with a two-run homer in the 1st inning. That was all Logan Webb and the Giants’ bullpen would need. Webb struck out 10 Dodgers over 7.2 innings, delivering an absolute gem in his first career postseason start. San Francisco would get a couple of insurance runs late on solo homers by Kris Bryant and Brandon Crawford to remove all doubt.

Webb certainly will be a tough act to follow in Saturday’s Game 2. Gabe Kapler will give the ball to veteran Kevin Gausman and hope that he can deliver on the mound as well. 2021 was a career year for Gausman. His numbers rivaled several of the top MLB betting candidates for the NL Cy Young Award all the way down to the stretch run of the regular season. He finished with a record of 14-6, 227 strikeouts, a 2.81 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. Gausman allowed just two hits in six shutout innings in his first start against the Dodgers this season. His other two appearances against L.A. weren’t quite as sharp. Notably, Gausman surrendered three home runs in just eight total innings pitched spanning both of those latter two starts.

Kris Bryant MLB betting trends Dodgers vs Giants prediction starting pitchers — Credit: Norm Hall/Getty Images

Dodgers vs Giants MLB Betting Odds

MLB betting odds for Dodgers vs Giants are taken from BetMGM Sportsbook.

Moneyline: LAD: (-115) | SF: (-105)
Run Line: LAD: +1.5 (+150) | SF: -1.5 (-185)
Total: 7.5 — Over: (-105) | Under: (-115)
Public (Spread) Betting Percentages via Action Network: LAD: (63%) | SF: (37%)