Former Cy Young winners Zack Greinke and Tim Lincecum will face off as the Los Angeles Dodgers pay a visit to their state rival San Francisco Giants tonight.
The Dodgers are eager to close the 1.5 game lead of the Giants atop the NL West, but they’ll have to get by “The Freak” Lincecum, who’s been absolutely dealing for the Giants all July.
This Cy Young showdown is just one of the five great games highlighted on today’s MLB Free Picks. Check that out, and read on for more on this all-California clash.
[sc:MLBArticles ]Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants Betting Preview
Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco, California
When: Friday, July 25, 10:15 PM ET
Line: Los Angeles Dodgers (-125) at San Francisco Giants (+115); total: 6.5 – view all MLB lines
Betting on the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers have jumped out of the gate slowly in the second half, dropping two out of three in their first two series. L.A. finally heads back to the West Coast, but stay on the road to visit the neighboring Giants in San Francisco.
[sc:MLB240banner ]The Dodgers dropped their last two games to the Pittsburgh Pirates by five runs each, with starting pitching an issue in both games. Neither Dan Haren nor Josh Beckett could get out of the fifth inning, as they combined to give up nine runs.
Tonight’s starter Zack Greinke (11-6, 2.90 ERA) is coming off one off one of his worst outings of the season against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 19. Greinke gave up four runs in 5.2 innings, with a season-high five walks and a season-low three strikeouts.
However, he’s pitched well in two starts against the Giants this season. He’s given up just four runs with 16 strikeouts in 13 innings, which have resulted in two Dodger wins.
The Dodgers will get a much needed boost with the return of their leading hitter, Yasiel Puig (.308/.398/.519) to the lineup after suffering a hand injury. However, shortstop Hanley Ramirez may not be ready to return from his own hand injury.
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Betting on the San Francisco Giants
Fresh off his save-earning relief appearance against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum (9-6, 3.65 ERA) will look to continue his resurgence when he takes to the mound to face the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Lincecum has followed it up his no-hitter against the San Diego Padres on June 25 with a sparkling 1.24 ERA in five starts this July. San Francisco has won four of those five starts.
The Giants will be relying on the red-hot bats of Buster Posey and Hunter Pence to supply the runs against the Dodgers. Posey has begun the second half of the season on fire, going 11-for-28 in his last seven games, while leadoff man Pence has also gone 12-for-34 during that time. The two are a combined 8-for-28 lifetime with two homers and five RBI vs. Greinke.
The Giants are 7-3 against the Dodgers this season. The total has also gone under in seven of their last 10 meetings in San Francisco.
Writer’s Prediction
Greinke and Lincecum engage in a pitching duel which nullifies both teams’ offenses. Take the total to go under 6.5 runs.
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