Two old rivals get together Wednesday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers host the San Francisco Giants. The Giants have won the first two games of the series, meaning they’ll go for the sweep on Wednesday. However, the Dodgers are -180 favorites to win on Wednesday and salvage the series.
Los Angeles is in the midst of a five-game losing streak that has seen them go from tied with Arizona atop the NL West to third place in the division. The Dodgers are currently two back of the Diamondbacks and 2.5 games out of a wild-card spot. Before losing back-to-back games to the Giants, the Dodgers lost three in a row to the Rockies, who have now passed them in the standings.
The Giants, meanwhile, have nearly fallen out of the race completely after losing five of seven to begin the month of August. However, San Francisco has won four of five to jump back above .500. The Giants are five back of Arizona in the division and 5.5 games out of a wild-card spot, so they’re not done yet if they can keep winning.
It’s Been A While
Hyun-Jin Ryu will be activated from the DL in time to make Wednesday’s start for the Dodgers. The lefty hasn’t pitched in the majors since suffering a serious groin strain in early May. However, he was quite good before the injury. In six starts, Ryu was 3-0 with a 2.12 ERA. He was also coming off a solid 2017 campaign, so he’s got the stuff if he’s fully healthy, which looked like the case during his two minor league rehab starts.
On Wednesday, he’ll face a Giants lineup that’s struggling to score runs despite the team’s recent winning streak. Important figures like Andrew McCutchen, Evan Longoria, and Brandon Crawford are all mired in a slump right now. However, they may be able to get a boost from Brandon Belt, who recently returned from the DL.
Getting the Lefty
The Giants will look to Derek Holland to keep their hot streak alive. The lefty has been much better than most expected this season, going 6-8 with a 3.97 ERA. He was outstanding throughout much of July, although he’s come back down to earth in his first couple August starts. Holland is also 0-3 in four starts against the Dodgers this season, so he’s had some troubles against the Los Angeles lineup.
That being said, Holland hasn’t faced the Dodgers in two months. Also, everyone aside from Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, and Max Muncy appears to be in a slump right now, even Manny Machado. Holland has also done well to limit the damage guys like Turner and Machado have done against him in his career, so he’s got a chance to put together a solid outing.
Get Your Broom
Despite being heavy favorites to win this game, the Dodgers have struggled to score runs lately. On top of that, their bullpen is a bit of a mess. With Ryu perhaps not ready to go much deeper than five innings, the Dodgers will need their bullpen in this game, which could be a problem. Bet on the Giants +180 to win Wednesday and complete the sweep of the Dodgers.
