Slumping Rivals
The San Francisco Giants will face the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-game series between National League West rivals on the Fourth of July.
The opening pitch in the series is set for 6:10 p.m. ET at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz.
Let’s check the latest MLB picks, stats, news injury reports, and MLB odds for Giants vs Diamondbacks. We’ve plenty of MLB predictions.
Not So Giant Anymore
The San Francisco Giants won the NL West in 2021 and looked ready to contend once again, but a drop in output has resulted in four straight losses and 10 losses in the team’s last 13 games. They are just three games above .500 and 8½ games behind the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
San Francisco made moves at last year’s trade deadline, but it does not appear as if it is in a strong enough position to replicate the success of 2021
Joc Pederson’s 17 home runs have provided a majority of the team’s explosive scoring moments, with all other players on the roster failing to eclipse 10 homers.
The team also struggles for consistency at the plate, ranking 23rd in combined average and leaving many runners in scoring position standard. Their key to improvement comes from buckling down at the plate. For a while, they seemed to be able to manufacture clutch plays at will in 2021, but they have often struggled to do the same this season.
Luckily for the Giants, Carlos Rodon (7-4, 2.62 ERA), one of the hottest players in baseball as of late, will get the start. He is coming off of a one-earned-run, six-inning start against the Detroit Tigers last week.
Diamonds in the Rough
The Arizona Diamondbacks have already managed over 60 percent of their wins from last season in what was a historically bad campaign. They have remained competitive against many of the top teams, leading to them being the sixth-best team in baseball against the spread. They have mostly accomplished this feat through their pitching excellence.
Starting with the negatives: Arizona has the second-lowest combined team batting average in the league, narrowly beating out the Oakland Athletics to avoid one of the sport’s most undesirable titles. The Diamondbacks also lost their last two games, the most recent of which was a 6-5 defeat to the Colorado Rockies.
Despite all of this, they have remained one of the most popular MLB picks because of their consistency on the spread, thriving as the underdog.
Madison Bumgarner (3-8, 3.63 ERA) will get the start after he let in one earned run in five innings against the San Diego Padres last time out.
Giants vs Diamondbacks Head-to-Head
Monday’s bout will mark the first time San Francisco and Arizona meet in 2022.
The Giants dominated the 2021 series, winning 17 of 19 games
Giants vs Diamondbacks Game Information
- Game: Giants (40-37) vs Diamondbacks (35-44)
- Location: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
- Day/Time: Monday, 6:10 p.m. ET
- Giants vs Diamondbacks Live Stream: MLB.tv
Giants vs Diamondbacks Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
| San Francisco Giants
C. Rodon -L |
-1½ -110 | -180 | 8-110o | 4½-130o / 4½Evu |
| Arizona Diamondbacks
M. Bumgarner -L |
+1½ -110 | +160 | 8-110u | 3½+110o / 3½-140u |
Giants vs Diamondbacks Prediction
MLB odds favor the Giants, although the Diamondbacks are getting them at a time where they are vulnerable and could cause some havoc.
San Fran does have the on-paper advantage, given that they can win through its offense or defense, while Arizona largely depends on its arm talent. The pitching matchup favors Rodon, who has outperformed Bumgarner.
Despite the Giants’ billing, their poor form combined with the fact that Arizona is at home and is so strong on the spread leads to the best bet being in favor of the underdogs.
Anyone looking to bet online can find MLB lines and more on the BetUS sportsbook.
“The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.”
