San Francisco heads to Dodger Stadium in LA for Game 3 of the 2021 NLDS, so we bring you the best Giants vs. Dodgers betting pick and odds for Monday, October 11, along with the latest team stats, news, and betting trends. 

The series is tied following a couple of games at Oracle Park in San Francisco, and the Dodgers are -175 favorites to reach the next round. According to Bookmaker Sportsbook, the Giants are +175 moneyline dogs for Monday’s clash in LA, while the totals sit at 7.5 runs.

The Giants need more from their pitching staff              

The San Francisco Giants took the first blood in the 2021 NLDS, blanking the Dodgers as slight +100 home dogs, 4-0. Logan Webb fanned ten across 7.2 innings of work, while the Giants smacked a couple of homers off Walker Buehler. However, things turned around in Game 2, as San Francisco’s pitching staff fell apart in a heavy 9-2 defeat.

Kevin Gausman yielded four earned runs on four hits and three walks in 5.1 frames of work. Zack Littell got pounded for three earned runs on four hits while getting just a couple of outs, and Dominic Leone surrendered a pair of earned runs to round up the Giants’ awful day on the mound.

Alex Wood will toe the slab Monday in Game 3, and he went 10-4 with a 3.83 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 26 starts (138.2 innings) this past regular season. Over his previous five showings, the 30-year-old lefty has recorded a strong 2.31 ERA and 2.10 FIP, allowing just a .594 OPS to his opponents.

Wood is 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers in 2021. Through 17 innings of work, Alex has surrendered nine earned runs (five homers) on 20 hits and three walks. The former Dodger has a 3.05 ERA in 250.2 innings pitched at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers hope for another strong display at the dish

The Los Angeles Dodgers bounced back from a rough Game 1 performance and dismantled the Jints last Saturday, 9-2, playing as -125 road favorites. The reigning champs recorded 11 hits and four free passes, and A.J. Pollock led the way, going 2-for-3 and a walk for a couple of RBI and runs scored.

Once more, the Dodgers bullpen did a terrific job, allowing one earned run on three hits and a walk across four innings. Back in Game 1, Walker Buehler yielded three earned runs through 6.1 frames, while Julio Urias tossed five innings of a one-run ball in Game 2.

Max Scherzer will get the nod Monday, and the 37-year-old righty went 15-4 with a 2.46 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in 30 starts (179.1 innings) last regular season. He’s struggled a bit down the stretch, yielding ten earned runs over his last two regular-season starts, but Max has been a true ace for the Dodgers since joining them at the trade deadline.

The eight-time All-Star got the starting call in the wild-card clash against the St. Louis Cardinals this past Wednesday and threw 4.1 frames of a one-run ball (94 pitches). Scherzer met the Giants on June 11, 2021, but exited with an injury after facing just one batter. It was his first date with San Francisco since 2018. 

Trends:

San Francisco:

  • 2-4 in the last six road games in the postseason

LA Dodgers:

  • 9-1 in the last ten games overall
  • 16-0 in the last 16 games at home

San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Pick

As well as the Dodgers, the Giants can lean on their bullpen despite that meltdown in Game 2. I’m expecting the reigning champs to make the difference early in the game. The current Giants are slashing only .134/.185/.311 in 104 at-bats against Max Scherzer, while the current Dodgers boast a .276/.343/.563 in 109 at-bats against Alex Wood.

A.J. Pollock is 10-for-25 with a couple of homers against Wood. Justin Turner and Chris Taylor have also smacked a couple of dingers off the Giants’ lefty. 

Pick: Take Los Angeles Dodgers at -190    

The Total:

The under is 6-3-1 in the last ten meetings between the Dodgers and Giants, and I’m sticking with this betting trend. In the last two weeks of the regular season, the Giants bullpen has registered a sharp 2.25 ERA and 3.40 FIP, while the Dodgers ‘pen has posted a solid 3.23 ERA and 3.77 FIP.

On the other hand, both teams have mashed the ball in that stretch, especially the Dodgers, who have recorded a .989 OPS over their last seven outings.

Pick: Go under 7.5 runs at -115