Arizona Diamondbacks (15-26) vs. San Francisco Giants (20-21)
They may be out of the race for the NL West, but the San Francisco Giants sill have a chance to earn a place in the playoffs, but they are tied in the wild card race. The Giants are 10.0 games out of the division race, but they are right in the thick of the chase to make the post-season.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are further out of the wild card chase, 5.0 games out, but they are still in the thick of this chase. This, despite losing eight of their last 10 games, including two of the first three games in the series with the Giants.
On Sunday, San Francisco won the second straight contest battling back from an early two-run deficit to win 4-2. Donovan Solano had three hits and drove in two runs for the Giants. He added his third homer of the year.
Diamondbacks Hanging on
It is amazing that Arizona has lost nine of their last 11 but still find themselves battling for a playoff spot. The Giants are one team they are chasing and they have not helped themselves by losing four of the last six to San Francisco.
Righty now, the pitching is a mess and it is the number of baserunners they are allowing that is hurting them. The Diamondbacks have a 1.46 WHIP, 27th in baseball. The Giants are third in hitting but they have only 130 walks in 41 games this season, so it a matter of not allowing large numbers of hits if Arizona is going to win.
The Diamondbacks will go with Zac Gallen, who has pitched incredibly well but has very little to show for it. In his eight starts, Gallen has a 1.80 ERA, but is just 1-0. In his last start, the right-hander was fantastic, allowing one hit in seven shutout innings.
Gallen has not allowed more than one run in any of his last four starts and has allowed two or fewer in all eight. He has walked just 15 base runners this season, and five came in his very first start, so San Francisco is getting no free base runners in this contest.
Mediocrity May Be Enough for Giants
With a little less than 20 games left in the season, this is the time that a team wants to start playing their best baseball. That is true for the Giants as well, but they are caught in mediocrity right now, going 5-5 in their last 10 games.
San Francisco will send Kevin Gausman to the hill hoping he can give the team a final push that helps them to get into the playoffs. Gausman is the epitome of what is wrong with the Giants as, when the team needs him most, he is underperforming.
Overall, the numbers or respectable. Gausman is 2-2 with a 4.43 ERA in eight appearances, seven starts. He was solid in his last outing, allowing two hits and two runs in five innings against the Rockies, but has lasted into the seventh just one time this season.
The biggest concern has to be the longball, as Gausman has allowed eight homers in 40.2 innings pitched, including giving up homers in four straight starts. The Diamondbacks have only hit 34 homers in 41 games but they could have their chance against the right-hander in this contest. Three Diamondbacks players have hit homers off of the Giants starter.
Notable Trends
San Francisco Giants:
- 1-4 in their last five games when total set between 7.0 and 8.5.
- 0-7 in their last seven games on a Monday
Arizona Diamondbacks:
- 5-1 in Gallens last 6 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150.
