San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers Predictions, Betting Odds, Picks

• What did we learn in the first two games?
• Pitching matchup advantage goes to the home team
• X-factors to watch

Odds presented by: DraftKings

It’s arguably the most pivotal game in a five-game series (other than when a team has a chance to clinch) and now it happens between rivals at one of America’s five most iconic stadiums.

The stage will be set for the future first-rounder Hall-of-Famer Max Scherzer, who pitched in the Wild Card game, to pick up a win. The Dodgers have not lost a single one of Scherzer’s 12 starts so it doesn’t make sense to think they will now.

We like the Los Angeles money line and to cover the spread.

Giants vs Dodgers Betting Trends to Watch

• Giants are 21-5 in their last 26 games following an off day
• Giants are 4-1 in their last 5 games as an underdog
• Giants are 7-2 in their last 9 Divisional Playoff road games
• Giants are 43-13 in their last 56 games vs. a right-handed starter
• Giants are 27-9 in their last 36 road games with the total set at 7.0-8.5
• Giants are 44-16 in their last 60 road games
• Giants are 39-15 in their last 54 overall
• Giants are 15-7 in their last 22 playoff road games
• Under is 3-0-1 in Giants last 4 playoff road games
• Over is 4-1 in Giants last 5 vs. a team with a winning record
• Under is 10-4 in Giants last 14 games following an off day
• Giants are 7-3 in the last 10 head-to-head meetings
• Dodgers are 5-1 in their last 6 playoff home games
• Dodgers are 8-2 in their last 10 Divisional Playoff home games
• Dodgers are 43-12 in their last 55 overall
• Over is 6-0-1 in Dodgers last 7 games vs. a left-handed starter
• Under is 14-2 in Dodgers last 16 games following an off day
• Over is 5-1 in Dodgers last 6 games as a home favorite

San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers Predictions

Lessons learned through two games

Through two games in this NLDS, the Giants have been led by their veterans and frankly that’s been it.

Buster Posey, the 34-year-old catcher, is hitting .500 (4-of-8) his series with a home run and two RBIs. Brandon Crawford, the 34-year-old shortstop is hitting .375 (3-of-8) with a home run and two RBIs, while 29-year-old Kris Bryant is hitting .429 (3-of-7) wth a home run and two runs driven in as well.

Outside of that, only Austin Slater and Tommy La Stella have reached base for San Francisco. That has to somehow change if they win this game but if you’re Los Angeles, you have to make someone else beat you.

Meanwhile the main storyline for Los Angeles appears to be that Cody Bellinger is showing signs of coming back. The former MVP runner-up who has lost his swagger this season but hit a huge two-run double in Game 2, a sign of his former self.

Chris Taylor leads the way, hitting .500 with four runs scored while Mookie Betts is also having a great series, hitting .417 (5-of-12) through two games. After a shutout in Game 1, the Dodgers looked much more Dodger-like Saturday.

Experience should be the difference

Alex Wood is a very good pitcher who had a great season. The 30-year-old enjoyed likely the best season of his career, going 10-4 overall, with a 3.83 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 152 strikeouts in 138.2 innings. It only adds to the intrigue that he’s going up against a team for which he spent five years.

Wood has given up two earned runs or fewer in six straight games but unfortunately, things haven’t gone that well against L.A when the two sides have met this year. In three meetings this season, the Dodgers are 0-2 and he has given up nine runs in 17 innings.

However, he has been successful in his career in the month of October. The lefty has a 3.55 ERA in the postseason across 20 appearances — 18 of which came with the Dodgers.

No matter how good Wood has been — or can be — he will never be Scherzer. As mentioned above, Scherzer is unblemished during his time in Dodger Blue. His numbers on the season were truly unbelievable: 15-4 overall with a 2.46 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 236 strikeouts in 179.1 innings.

That said, he’s struggled uncharacteristically in recent weeks. Over his past three starts, Scherzer has given up 11 earned runs in 14.1 innings, never making it out of the fifth in any start.

X-factors to watch

The X-factor in this one is Albert Pujols for Los Angeles. Not only is the veteran getting the start at first base — notable in its own right — but he’s one of the Dodgers’ best hitters against lefties.

This year he hit .303 (33-of-109) with 10 home runs, 28 RBIs, and a .953 OPS against southpaws, and manager Dave Roberts is banking on there being more where that came from.

Meanwhile, someone has to wake up for the Giants with Brandon Belt out. We are looking at Wilmer Flores to do just that, even though he’s 0-for-7 with a walk through two games. He hit .382 in September, so maybe that hot bat is still in there somewhere.

How to Watch San Francisco at Los Angeles