The San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks continue their four-game series at Chase Field in Phoenix, as the third contest of this National League West set is scheduled for Wednesday, August 4, with the first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.
The Giants won the opener this past Monday, 11-8, thanks to a three-run tenth inning. It was their tenth victory in 11 encounters with the D-backs this season, and the Giants are listed as firm favorites for Wednesday’s contest on BetDSI Sportsbook.
San Francisco needs more from Kevin Gausman
Kevin Gausman will toe the slab for the Giants on Wednesday, and since the start of the abbreviated 2020 MLB season, the 30-year-old right-hander has been one of the top aces in baseball. However, Gausman has struggled over his last three starts, going 0-2 in the process and surrendering a whopping 11 earned runs across 11.2 innings of work.
In his six career starts and one relief appearance against the Diamondbacks, Gausman has recorded four wins and a loss to go with a sharp 2.39 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings. He’s 2-0 in a couple of starts against Arizona in 2021.
The Giants haven’t been at their best since the All-Star break, but they still own the best record in the majors (67-39 on Tuesday). San Francisco has recorded the sixth-best OPS in the second half of the season (.784), whereas the Giants’ pitching has regressed, posting a 4.11 ERA in that span (14th in the MLB).
The Diamondbacks continue to struggle on the mound
The Arizona Diamondbacks fell to 33-74 on the season following that 11-8 defeat to the Giants this past Monday, recording their third loss on the spin. It was another bad day in the office for the D-backs pitching staff, as Arizona has yielded 32 runs in its previous three outings.
The Diamondbacks have registered the fourth-highest ERA in baseball since the All-Star (5.37) along with a 1.38 WHIP and a .268 opponent batting average. On the other side of the ball, Arizona has scored 65 runs over its previous 15 games overall while slashing .246/.332/.418.
Zac Gallen will get the starting call Wednesday against the Giants, and the 26-year-old righty is 1-5 with a 4.61 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 12 starts this season. In his four starts in July, Gallen has yielded 13 earned runs on 19 hits and nine walks across 17.2 innings of work.
Zac has been charged for a loss in each of his previous two starts against the Giants in 2021. He’s 1-3 with a 5.16 ERA in five career starts against San Francisco.
Trends:
San Francisco:
- 13-1 in the last 14 games against Arizona
- 6-2 in the last eight games overall
Arizona:
- 4-15 in the last 19 home games against San Francisco
- 1-8 in Zac Gallen’s last nine starts
San Francisco Giants vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Pick
Zac Gallen has tossed just 4.2 frames in his two starts against San Francisco this season. He’s yielded a whopping seven earned runs in the process along with nine hits and a 6/4 K/BB ratio. Hereof, I’m expecting the Giants to put on another strong offensive performance, although Gallen has thrown six innings of a two-run ball against the Dodgers last time out.
Also, I’m expecting Kevin Gausman to finally return on the right track after some poor displays in July. He’s owned the D-backs so far this season, yielding just a couple of earned runs on nine hits and three walks while punching out 15 across 13 innings of work.
Giants vs Diamondbacks Pick: Giants -174
The Total:
The totals are a tricky wager in this clash, especially if both starting pitchers put on a solid performance. The Diamondbacks bullpen owns the highest ERA in baseball (5.41), while the Giants’ pen is the third-best in the majors, sporting a 3.39 ERA.
Over the last two weeks, the Giants’ relievers have struggled a bit, posting a 4.13 ERA and 3.71 FIP. The D-backs ‘pen has registered a 4.98 ERA and 4.50 FIP in that span. I’m expecting Kevin Gausman to bounce back and shut down the Diamondbacks once more, so give me the under on the totals, but the visitors to win should be the best betting pick here.
Giants vs Diamondbacks Total: Under 8.5
