The MLB served us quite the three-game regular-season appetizer on Sunday, but now it’s time for the rest of the league to get in on the act with the 12-game smorgasbord of a slate this Monday.
Over in the National League, the San Francisco Giants will visit Miller Park to take on the Milwaukee Brewers for the first of their many encounters this 2016. Will San Francisco get its even-numbered season off on the right foot, or will the rebuilding Brewers stun the Giants to the delight of the home crowd? Let’s take a closer look at this sizzling opening day matchup below.
For a couple more equally intriguing NL showdowns on Monday, check out our previews for Dodgers vs. Padres and Nationals vs. Braves right after this.
MLB World Series News and Previews
- Cleveland Indians vs. Minnesota Twins Preview –August 17, 2017
- Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays – August 17, 2017
- Chicago White Sox vs. Texas Rangers Betting Preview – August 17, 2017
San Francisco Giants vs. Milwaukee Brewers Preview
Where: Miller Park, Milwaukee
When: Monday, April 4, 2016, 2:10 PM ET
Line: San Francisco Giants (-175) at Milwaukee Brewers (+155); total: 7.0 – view all MLB lines
Betting on the San Francisco Giants
Yes, the team won baseball’s grand prize in 2010, 2012 and 2014… so this year shouldn’t be any different, right? Even-year superstitions aside, the Giants have veteran depth and seemingly made all the right offseason moves for this campaign’s title run to back up their moxie.
Taking the mound on opening day is the team’s bona fide ace and 2014 World Series hero, Madison Bumgarner. MadBum will be starting his third-consecutive opening day game for San Francisco, and he’ll be licking his chops to get the better of the Brewers again on Monday. In 28 total at-bats last season, Bumgarner only allowed three RBIs to Milwaukee hitters while containing the team to a dismal batting average of .179.
As for offense, the Giants are thrilled to have a healthy lineup to start the renewed season – one that has a rather intimidating homegrown infield corps in Joe Panik, Matt Duffy, and Brandons Crawford and Belt. The team also has the best-hitting catcher in the majors in Buster Posey, so the firepower could come from any of the Bay Area’s carefully-curated talent.
Then again, and based from its most recent performances against Milwaukee, maybe having rock-solid Bumgarner as the starter in the opener is all the team needs after all. The Giants won four of their last five games played in Miller Park, and eight of their last 10 contests against the Brewers overall.
Create a betting account now to place some stakes at any and all of the exciting 2016 Major League Baseball regular-season action while the games are still coming fresh from the oven.
Betting on the Milwaukee Brewers
Unlike the Giants, the Milwaukee Brewers are headed in a different direction this 2016 season. They’re undergoing a major transformation to their roster, with only three position players – outfielder Ryan Braun, catcher Jonathan Lucroy and second baseman Scooter Gennett – the remaining holdovers from last season.
Fortunately, two of those Milwaukee stalwarts have shown exemplary work in Spring Training. Braun has a three-game home run streak entering the regular season’s opening day, while Lucroy averaged .360 at the plate during the preseason.
If the Brewers don’t get solid production from those two on Monday, then maybe former Arizona third baseman Aaron Hill will have a solid debut for his new team. Hill has six career RBIs against San Francisco’s Bumgarner – the most by any active Brewer on the starting lineup – and a couple of homers, which is actually the same number of long balls that Braun has gotten off of the Giants’ esteemed starting pitcher.
Milwaukee also has a superb starter penciled-in to start in the opener in Wily Peralta. The young Dominican righty was quite the breakout ace for the team last season as a 17-game winner, and has only allowed one home run in 73 Giants batters that he faced over the last five seasons.
However, it should be noted that the Brewers typically start their campaigns out really slow. In the previous season, they only won three of their 13 games played in April. And with that in mind, don’t be shocked if the team lays a huge egg in its inaugural regular-season contest.
Writer’s Prediction
The Giants (-175) notch their first win of the season, 5-2.
