Giants vs. Reds Odds
| Giants Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Total | Run Line |
| -158 | 9.5 -118 / -104 | -1.5 -102 |
| Reds Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Total | Run Line |
+134 | 9.5 -118 / -104 | +1.5 -118 |
The first installment of this four-game series gets underway Monday with the NL Central's Cincinnati Reds hosting the NL West's San Francisco Giants.
These two teams enter this contest in opposite form, with San Francisco riding a five-game win streak while Cincinnati is coming off four straight losses to the Milwaukee Brewers. Will these trends continue, or can the Reds defend their home diamond?
Here's a look at the odds, as well as my Giants vs. Reds betting pick and prediction.
San Francisco Giants
Right-hander Logan Webb is slated to take the mound for the Giants and should be a good candidate to back. Through 19 starts this season, Webb is 8-7 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.11 WHIP.
The right-hander is coming off two particularly dominating starts, posting a 1-0 record with a 1.15 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 12.06 K/9 over that stretch. Webb's command is arguably his greatest quality, so you will not be shocked to learn that he ranks in the 63rd percentile or higher in K%, BB% and Chase Rate.
We are going to target his strikeout prop in this contest, which sits as low as 5.5 at Caesars. Webb has recorded six or more strikeouts in six of his past 10 starts, averaging 6.9 punchouts per game over that span.
This trend is likely to continue against the Reds.
Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati has been a wildly fun team to watch this season, mainly due to its ensemble of young up-and-coming stars like Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain and Spencer Steer. This lineup is certainly the team's strength, as well as the reason they sit just two games behind the first-place Brewers in the NL Central.
However, with so many young guys in the lineup, this team is especially prone to cold streaks — something they are going through right now. I mentioned earlier how Milwaukee has beaten Cincinnati in four straight games, but the troubling part for the Reds is that they got shut out in three of those four losses.
Perhaps the Reds' biggest weakness at the dish this year is the strikeout, ranking 22nd in the league in K% when facing right-handed pitching. Looking at Monday's projected starting lineup, four of the eight hitters possess a K% north of 27% this year (the ninth batter is Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who is expected to make his MLB debut).
Finally, right-handers Freddy Peralta, Corbin Burnes (x2) and Colin Rea all recorded six or more strikeouts during the two Milwaukee-Cincinnati series that straddled the All-Star break.
Giants vs. Reds Betting Pick
These strikeout woes are likely to continue against Webb. Through 26 career plate appearances against the right-hander, this current Reds roster possesses a 23.1 K% and 22 Whiff%.
Webb has dominated Cincinnati throughout his career. Across three appearances against the Reds, he is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.
Lastly, he recorded six strikeouts in his most recent start against them.
