Giants vs. Dodgers MLB Picks and Predictions

The three-team dogfight in the National League West finds a new level of intensity this week. For the first time this season, the second-place team faces the NL West leader with a chance to move into the top spot as the Giants head to Los Angeles for four games with the Dodgers.

San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Monday, July 19, 2021 – 10:10 PM EDT at Dodger Stadium

The National League West has given baseball fans one high-profile showdown series after another this season. The World Champion Dodgers, up-and-coming, star-laden Padres and surprising Giants have battled each other in games that more often than not, live up to the hype. The teams seem destined to take both Wild Card spots, in addition to the division crown, but that hasn’t reduced the urgency as the contenders slug it out whenever they meet.

Now, the dogfight reaches a new level of intensity as, for the first time this season, the second-place team faces the division leader with a chance to take a share of the top spot.

The Giants, who have led the West for 50 straight days, travel to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers, who are just a game out of first place. The opener of the four-game series could end with both teams in a flat-footed tie for first.

The Giants have held onto the top spot, despite doubts from many top sportsbooks over whether they could hold on against the two powerhouses beneath. In recent weeks, San Francisco’s hold on first has gotten more tenuous. The Giants haven’t had a lead of more than two games at any point in July. No one has been able to take advantage of this point, however. Their luck will get tested as the Dodgers face them seven times in the next 10 games.

Help Is On the Way

The Giants have lost two straight, dropping a weekend series to the disappointing Cardinals and scuttling a five-game winning streak. San Francisco managed just two runs over the two games, failing to score with the bases loaded and one out in the first on Sunday and runners on first and third with no outs in the sixth.

The good news for our MLB picks is that the team is confident that reinforcements will be arriving in the nick of time. Catcher Buster Posey, who was chosen for the All-Star Team, has been on the injured list since July 6 with a thumb contusion that forced him to miss the Midsummer Classic. Manager Gabe Kapler said he expects Posey to be back for Monday’s game. He caught a bullpen session late last week but was held out of the Cardinals series.

San Francisco will also get back pitcher Kevin Gausman, who has been away on Emergency Family Leave. He’s expected to be activated and start Monday’s game. Gausman is 9-3 with a 1.73 ERA this season and will be making his first start of the second half.

Seize the Day

The Dodgers have been lurking in second place for much of the last two months, but Los Angeles hasn’t been able to overtake the Giants, coming extremely close but always falling short. Since July 5, the Dodgers have lost five straight games on days when they opened to play a game or less out of first, presumably able to move into the top spot in the West if the Giants stumbled. That includes Sunday’s game against Colorado when L.A. was twice within three outs of victory but suffered a pair of blown saves and lost in extra innings on a walk-off homer.

The Dodgers last had a share of first place on April 28 and have been in third place in the West more than in first (23 days to 22). Since June 9, however, they’ve been the bridesmaid, looking up at only the Giants every day since then.

Los Angeles could be without infielder Gavin Lux, who left Sunday’s game with an injury described by manager Dave Roberts as “a cramp/strain-ish” thing. The team is supposedly considering a trip to the injured list for him.

The Dodgers will start Tony Gonsolin, who has started two straight after getting a win in relief. Despite a pair of no-decisions, he’s allowed just one earned run in 9.1 innings, giving up six hits and fanning nine.

The Pick

Every time the Giants have had their backs to the wall, they’ve survived for another day atop the West. The little engine that could keep chugging along, while the teams with all the stars and headlines fumble away chance after chance. We’ll stick with whatever magic San Francisco is using this year and pick the Giants to once again get just enough breathing room for our MLB odds.

MLB Pick: Giants (+114) with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)

Giants (+114)

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*The pick reflects the line at the moment the writer made the play, the odds at the beginning of this article show the live line movement. Since the lines might vary, don’t forget to refer back to our live odds.

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