National League Division Series Game 1
The Los Angeles Dodgers were able to take out the St. Louis Cardinals and fight their way into the final eight. Timely hitting, as well as superb pitching, got them here, as they look to carry that over into this best of five.
The San Francisco Giants, who finished the regular season at the top of the National League West standings, completed their first 100+ win regular season since 2003. These two teams were in a race that came down to the wire, with the final standing not being determined until the last series of the regular season.
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Betting Odds & Lines
BetUs currently has the Dodgers a slight moneyline favorite at -112. The Giants moneyline is sitting at +102.
Over at BetOnline, they too have the Dodgers a slight favorite at -113, with the Giants at +103. Both sportsbooks have the run total set at 7½.
Back to Work for the Dodgers
While winning their Wild Card game was great, the team has to get right back to work. With a day in between, there is not a whole lot of time to celebrate. The Dodgers were able to take down the Cardinals by a score of 3-1 with a Chris Taylor walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th. Winning is always great, but the Dodgers have to hope they can produce more offense in this series.
Cody Bellinger, the Dodger’s center fielder, struggled this regular season. Two years removed from being the National League MVP, Bellinger has dealt with all sorts of injuries that have hampered him physically. In the regular season, Bellinger batted just .165 and only hit ten home runs.
The lights were on for Bellinger, and he stepped up big time, going one for two on Wednesday night, with two stolen bases and two walks, giving the Dodgers hope that the slugger can get hot for the playoffs.
Can the Giants Offense Keep Pace?
The Giants’ offense was great during the regular season. They had a team batting average of .249, which was good enough for sixth in the league. They also scored a ton of runs, averaging almost five runs per game, which is a pitcher’s dream to have that kind of run support. The only question is, can they keep up this pace going through the playoffs?
The Giants are led by veteran catcher Buster Posey. After sitting out the 2020 season, for personal reasons around the pandemic, Posey seems to have been revitalized with the break. He finished the regular season hitting .304, his best since 2017, with 18 home runs, his best since 2015. A three-time World Series Champion, Posey looks poised to help lead his team on a deep postseason run.
The Pitching Matchup
The Dodgers will send the hard-throwing rightie, Walker Buehler, to the mound tonight. Buehler started 33 games this season and finished with a 16-4 record, with a 2.47 ERA. A top contender for the National League Cy Young award, Buehler struck out 212 batters in 207 innings.
Logan Webb will get the nod for the Giants in game one tonight. Webb started 26 games for the Giants, accumulating a record of 11-3 with a 2.97 ERA. In Webb’s last start against the Dodgers, back in July, he threw six innings, giving up just three hits and one earned run.
Best Matchup of the Division Series
These two teams battled all year for the top spot in the division. While the Dodgers struggled early, the Giants have been consistent all season. The National League West was the only division to have two teams finish with over 100 wins, and we get to see them matched up in the divisional series.
While Webb’s last start against the Dodgers was great, Buehler’s last start against the Giants was even better, going seven innings and not giving up a run. The Giants were great at home this season, but the Dodgers were not bad on the road. This game is a toss-up.
When making your MLB picks, take the home dogs, the San Francisco Giants +103.
