The defending World Series champion Dodgers chased the amazing Giants all season long and now get one last chance to catch and pass when the teams meet to decide Game 5 of this National League divisional-round playoff series Thursday night in San Francisco.
Logan Webb, who won Game 1 of this series, gets the call for the Giants here against 20-game winner Julio Urias, who won Game 2 for Los Angeles.
How are we playing this Game 5 with today’s free pick?
MLB Playoffs Betting Odds
The baseball playoffs betting lines opened the Giants as -110 favorites for Thursday night’s game, with an over/under of seven runs. Early betting action then dipped this game into a pick ‘em situation.
Dodgers-Giants Game 5 Betting Preview
This series is tied at two games apiece following LA’s 7-2 win in Game 4 Tuesday night. The Dodgers won Tuesday as -190 favorites with Buehler, and the game played over a total of 7.5 runs.
San Francisco took the opener of this series last Friday 4-0, but Los Angeles took Game 2 Saturday 9-2. The Giants then took Game 3 in LA Monday 1-0 before the Dodgers bounced back to take Game 4.
So on the season as a whole, San Francisco is 12-11 against Los Angeles even though the Dodgers have actually out-scored the Giants head-to-head 96-87.
Game 5 Pitching Match-Up
This pitching match-up is the fourth match between these two starters this season; San Francisco won all three of the previous meetings by scores of 11-6, 4-2, and 2-1.
By our strict standards, Webb hit 13/26 on quality starts this season, and he’s 1/1 this postseason. Last Friday in Game 1 of this series, he tossed 7 2/3 innings of five-hit, scoreless ball, with zero walks and ten strikeouts, in a 4-0 San Francisco victory. So over his last three starts, he’s allowed five runs – four earned – and 15 hits through 19 2/3 innings, with two walks against 24 whiffs.
The Giants played 21-5 with Webb this season, and with last Friday’s win, they’re 15-2 over his last 17 starts!
Over four starts this season against the Dodgers, Webb has allowed four ER and 12 hits through 23 2/3 innings, with four walks against 27 K’s. San Francisco won three of those four games.
Lefty Urias only hit 10/29 on quality starts this season, but much of that was due to a short leash. Eleven times he pitched to within three outs or less of a QS, only to get pulled. And that’s just what happened last Saturday in Game 2 of this NLDS when he held these Giants to one run and three hits through five frames of a 9-2 Los Angeles win. So over his last three starts, he’s allowed just two runs and nine hits through 16 1/3 innings, with four walks against 15 strikeouts.
The Dodgers played 25-6 with Urias this season, and with last Saturday’s victory, they’re 12-0 his last 12 times out!
Over six starts now this season against San Francisco, five good and one bad, Urias allowed 12 ER and 33 hits through 34 1/3 innings, with four walks against 38 K’s. Los Angeles split those six games.
Splits With the Sticks
Los Angeles batted .245 against right-handed pitching this season, with a .334 team OBP and a .425 team slugging percentage. The Dodgers have also been shut-out twice in this series but scored seven and nine runs in the other two games.
San Francisco slashed .247/.331/.421 against left-handed pitching this season. The Giants have also scored a total of nine runs in this series.
Also, both these teams are without a key stick, with SF’s Brandon Belt and LA’s Max Muncy out with injuries.
More Picks: Tampa Bay at Philadlphia Pick ATS
The Bullpens
The Los Angeles bullpen posted a 3.16 ERA this season, which ranked No. 2 in Baseball, along with a 1.19 WHIP, which ranked No. 3, and a 2.42 K/BB ratio.
The San Francisco pen posted a 2.99 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP, both of which ranked No. 1, and a 3.07 K/BB ratio, which ranked No. 2.
So obviously, these are two of the very best bullpens in Baseball.
- Get more details: LAD/SF 10/14/21 Match-up Stats
MLB Betting Trends
- The Dodgers played 48-33 on the road this season.
- The Giants played 54-27 at home.
- The Dodgers played 73-42 against right-handed starters this season.
- The Giants played 28-20 against left-handed starters.
Totals Report
The Under is 81-71 in Dodgers games this season.
The Under is played 83-74 in Giants games.
Totals split 9-9 in Dodgers-Giants this season.
Totals split 40-40 in games played at Oracle Park this season.
