The final weekend of the regular season for Major League Baseball is here and that brings us a battle of NL West rivals in the city by the bay.
It’s the San Diego Padres on the road as they open up a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants Friday night. San Diego closed a three-game series at home against Los Angeles Thursday night looking to avoid a sweep after losing 11-9 on Wednesday night in the middle game of the series.
San Francisco closed a three-game series at home against Arizona Thursday night looking for a sweep. The Giants downed the Diamondbacks 1-0 in the middle game of the set Wednesday night.
This article was published prior to the conclusion of both teams’ contests Thursday night.
Read on to see what the MLB odds have in store for this matchup at the top-rated sportsbooks.
San Diego Padres vs. San Francisco Giants
Friday, October 01, 2021 – 09:45 PM EDT at Oracle Park
San Diego was beaten Wednesday night by the Dodgers for their fifth straight loss and their 10th defeat in 11 games. The Padres are third in the NL West entering Thursday, 26 games behind the Dodgers, and have been eliminated from playoff contention. San Diego erased a 4-0 deficit to lead 8-6 after seven and a half innings before giving up five runs in the eighth to take the loss.
The Padres were led by Victor Caratini’s (three runs, RBI) three hits as the team had 13 hits in the contest. Manny Machado (his 28th) and Caratini (his seventh) each homered in the loss. Ryan Weathers didn’t factor in the decision as he allowed five runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts over three innings. Emilio Pagan (4-3) took the loss as he allowed four runs on four hits, including three homers, with no walks or strikeouts, in one-third of an inning.
Joe Musgrove is on the mound for the Padres as he makes his 32nd appearance and 31st start of the season in this contest. He comes in 11-9 with a 3.22 ERA, a 1.095 WHIP, 54 walks, and 199 strikeouts over 176.1 innings of work this season. Musgrove didn’t factor in the decision in his last start, which came at home against the Braves Sunday. He went five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with three walks and nine strikeouts in a 4-3 Padres defeat.
On the road this season, Musgrove is 5-5 with a 3.54 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, 27 walks, and 82 strikeouts over 84 innings in 15 appearances, 14 starts. Musgrove makes his seventh start against the Giants in this contest. He comes in 2-3 with a 5.51 ERA, a 1.378 WHIP, nine walks, and 36 strikeouts over 32.2 innings of work against them. Musgrove is 2-2 with a 4.09 ERA, a 1.273 WHIP, four walks, and 24 strikeouts over 22 innings in four career starts at Oracle Park.
San Francisco ran their win streak to five games as they earned a low-scoring victory over the Diamondbacks at home Wednesday night. The Giants entered Thursday holding a two-game advantage over the Dodgers, leaving them with a magic number of three to clinch the division title.
On Wednesday, San Francisco finished with seven hits with Buster Posey the lone player with two in the contest. Kris Bryant drove in the game’s lone run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.
Alex Wood didn’t factor in the decision despite throwing six scoreless frames, allowing three hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Dominic Leone (4-5) earned the win with a scoreless seventh, allowing one hit with no walks and one strikeout. Camila Doval fanned two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.
Anthony DeSclafani is on the mound as he makes his 31st start of the season for the Giants in this contest. He comes in 12-7 with a 3.26 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, 42 walks, and 149 strikeouts over 162.2 innings of work this season. DeSclafani didn’t factor in the decision in his last start, which came on the road against the Rockies Sunday. He threw four innings, allowing two runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts in a 7-2 Giants defeat.
At home this season, DeSclafani is 7-3 with a 3.33 ERA, a 1.094 WHIP, 29 walks, and 99 strikeouts over 67.2 innings of work in 13 starts. DeSclafani makes his ninth career start against the Padres in this contest. He comes in 2-1 with a 2.68 ERA, a 0.915 WHIP, 10 walks, and 33 strikeouts over 47 innings of work against them. DeSclafani is 8-3 with a 3.99 ERA, a 1.174 WHIP, 19 walks, and 68 strikeouts over 76.2 innings in 15 career starts at Oracle Park.
San Diego has been in freefall as they are just 17-35 in their last 52 games, turning a team that was 16 games above .500 to one that is two games under entering Thursday.
Musgrove is one of the lone Padres’ pitchers to pitch well in the second half, going 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.282 WHIP over 13 starts since the All-Star break. The problem for San Diego, besides the fact that they are going nowhere, is that they are facing the top team in the National League here.
DeSclafani has pitched strongly all season long and the Giants are excellent at stifling opposing lineups.
For your MLB pick, look for the Giants to knock another one off their magic number as they take the opener of this series.
MLB Pick: Giants (TBD) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
