San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers matchup, with MLB betting predictions, picks and best bets.

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The San Francisco Giants head to Chavez Ravine to tangle with the  Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday at 10:08 p.m. ET in a Dodger Stadium contest that kicks off the 2020 season for both teams. We analyze the Giants-Dodgers MLB betting odds and lines, with betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Giants at Dodgers: Projected starting pitchers

RHP Johnny Cueto vs. LHP Clayton Kershaw

Cueto, who is 126-87 with a 3.35 ERA in his 12-year career, will be making his 297th start.

  • The right-hander pitched just 16 innings – in four starts – late last season after returning from Tommy John surgery.
  • Cueto is backed by what projects as a shaky, bottom-feeder relief corps.

Kershaw went 16-5 with a 3.03 ERA last season, averaging 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

  • The three-time NL Cy Young winner held the Giants to a .581 on-base plus slugging percentage in 2019. Over his career, Kershaw has held current SF batters to a .450 OPS while posting a near-8-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
  • Kershaw is backed by a Dodger bullpen that paced the NL with a 3.85 ERA a year ago. LA relievers logged a fine 2.87 ERA at home last season. That figure was best in MLB by nearly half-a-run.

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Giants at Dodgers: Key injuries

The list of injuries for this one includes …

Giants

  • C Buster Posey (player’s choice) and 3B Evan Longoria (oblique) are two bats missing from an already below-average offense.

Dodgers

  • OF Chris Taylor (arm) is one of just a few LA injuries heading into the 2020 campaign.

Giants at Dodgers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 8 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML)

The Dodgers are the odds-on favorite to win the pennant in the Senior Circuit. They’ll be heavily favored in many a game along the way. But they’re likely getting too much respect in this one. STEER CLEAR of the Dodgers’ -304 price.

New to sports betting? A winning $10 bet on the Dodgers would produce a profit of $3.29.

Run line/Against the spread (ATS)

Cueto has a shaky line against current Dodger bats (.841 OPS allowed), and the Dodgers should win more games by 3-plus runs than anyone in the NL. A year ago, they outscored the Giants 93-45. A DODGERS -1.5 (-150) bet is a good way to ride LA coattails without the hefty asking price.

Over/Under (O/U)

The total is 8 and is priced at -110 both ways. There’s a slight lean toward some value on the OVER, especially if the price starts to shade the Under.

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