MLB Picks: Giants vs. Cardinals Prediction
MLB Picks: Giants vs. Cardinals Prediction
Date: Sunday, July 18
Time: 2:15pm ET
Where: Busch Stadium
Giants vs. Cardinals Probable Pitchers:
- Giants: Johnny Cueto (6-5, 4.15 ERA)
- Cardinals: Wade LeBlanc (0-2, 4.78 ERA)
San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals Predictions
The Giants are doing whatever they can to stay atop of the NL West. It’s going to be extremely hard with the Dodgers and Padres right below them, but so far, they’ve held their own going 58-33.
To have a record like that at this point in the season is really good. It means that while the pitching has been fantastic, the offense is scoring runs at a solid rate as well.
They’ll get an opportunity against a left-handed pitcher in Wade LeBlanc. LeBlanc is 0-2 with a 4.78 ERA on the year. He’s got a WHIP of 1.52 and has allowed seven runs in his last four outings while going over five innings just once in those four games.
In his last 30 days, LeBlanc has a 6.80 XFIP along with a 10.7 percent strikeout rate and 9.3 walk percentage. He’s also allowing 45.6 percent hard contact and getting roped by lefties and righties.
There’s no better way to put it than LeBlanc has been lucky to have a 4.78 ERA on the season. His FIP is currently 5.41, his XFIP on the season is 5.73 and he has a SIERA of 5.25.
LeBlanc is also allowing 1.37 home runs per nine innings and only striking out 13.2 percent of batters on the year.
On the other hand, the Giants offense hasn’t hit lefties all that well as of late. Right now, this lineup is depleted. They’re without Buster Posey, Evan Longoria, Brandon Belt and most likely Brandon Crawford who has a hamstring injury but is still on the roster.
Instead, the lineup will include just a couple guys that have had continued success against lefties this season but that still doesn’t bother me.
The Giants lineup consists of six right-handed batters going up against LeBlanc and he’s allowed a wOBA of .392 in his last 47 plate appearances against righties. LeBlanc is only striking out 8.5 percent of right-handed batters and walking 12.8 percent of righties.
Even against lefties, LeBlanc has been poor. In his last 28 plate appearances to lefties, he’s allowing a .337 wOBA and a .280 ISO.
Something’s gotta give with Wade LeBlanc. The way he’s pitching, he should be allowing five or more runs in starts. That hasn’t happened yet but with a lineup filled with righties, there’s serious potential.
The Giants just need one or two clutch hits in the first five innings.
I’m looking at a plus money number with this Giants offense to score three runs in the first inning. The Giants have struggled by striking out 28.8 percent of the time against lefties. But LeBlanc doesn’t have a put-away pitch that can get multiple strikeouts in an inning.
Instead, the Giants should be able to put the ball in play and once they get on base, the merry-go-round should start. If the ball is put in play, it’s going to be with hard contact. If the Giants stay patient, there’s a good chance those batters walk.
The Giants to score over 2.5 runs in the first five innings is at +115 against Wade LeBlanc on DraftKings.
There’s so much value here.
San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals Predictions: Giants Over 2.5 TT F5 (+115) at DraftKings
Article Author
Jason grew up an avid sports fan. His passion for sports writing grew in high school and he developed a blog that was strictly for New York Sports. From his work, you will quickly realize that he loves looking at games from an analytical and numbers perspective and hopes to provide you with that same perspective in his articles.