A pair of old NL West rivals will meet for the first time in 2019 as the Los Angeles Dodgers play host to the San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers are heavy -200 favorites to beat the Giants in the series opener.
As they aim for their seventh consecutive NL West title, the Dodgers have started the season fast, taking three out of four from the Diamondbacks. It could be Arizona’s pitching, but the Dodgers have been on fire with the bats, scoring 12 runs on opening day and following it up with 18 more on Saturday. In total, they scored 42 runs over their first four games of the season.
Meanwhile, the Giants have had a rather sluggish start to the season, losing three out of four against the Padres over the weekend. San Francisco’s pitching has shown up early in the season, giving up only 11 runs over the first four games. However, the opposite has been true for the Giants offensively, scoring a measly five runs in four games.
New Kid on the Block
Drew Pomeranz will make his season debut for the Giants on Monday. Just two years ago, the lefty won 17 games and posted a 3.32 ERA with the Red Sox. However, he’s coming off a disastrous season in which he posted a 6.08 ERA. As a result, the Giants were able to sign him in free agency at a discounted price. Of course, whether he can bounce back from last year’s nightmare remains to be seen.
For what it’s worth, Pomeranz pitched well during the spring, allowing just five runs on nine hits over 16 innings of work. He also has a good track record against a few of the Los Angeles hitters. Pomeranz has spent time with both the Rockies and Padres, so he should feel comfortable being back in the NL West. Also, as a lefty, he may be able to neutralize some of the big bats in the Dodgers lineup, such as Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, and Corey Seager.
Young Kid on the Block
The Dodgers will send young lefty Julio Urias to the mound for his season debut. A few years ago, Urias was one of the most promising young pitchers in baseball. Unfortunately, shoulder surgery has limited him to just eight big league appearances over the past two seasons. Somehow, he’s still just 22 years old and ready to resume his major league career. Urias tossed just 6.1 official innings during spring training, but he’s earned a spot in the Los Angeles rotation and is ready to start the season.
As mentioned, San Francisco’s hitters haven’t looked ready to start the season. Outside of Evan Longoria, who’s 4 for 11 with a home run, no one on the Giants has started the season on the right foot. There were questions about the San Francisco lineup heading into the season, and those questions haven’t exactly been answered thus far.
Tough to Win
With the money line on the Dodgers at -200, there’s not much upside to betting on them. It’s also worth noting that Pomeranz can pitch like an ace when he’s healthy and he’s on his game. That makes it tempting to pick the Giants for the chance at a big payout. However, the Giants can’t be trusted, and while he still lacks experience, Urias has great stuff. Bet on the Dodgers -200 to beat the Giants on Monday.
