Giants vs. Diamondbacks (July 4): Struggling teams duel in the desert

Madison Bumgarner faces his former team for the first time this season as the Arizona Diamondbacks host the San Francisco Giants today to begin a three-game series.

This will be Bumgarner’s fourth meeting against the Giants and the second at Chase Field. In the previous matchup, he pitched a gem and picked up the win on August 3 last year, and a similar gem would further San Francisco’s current slide.

On June 18, the Giants were ten games over .500, but they have won just three of 13 games since then and were swept at home by the Chicago White Sox over the weekend.

The Diamondbacks have won only one series over the last month, but a win in this matchup will set them off on the right foot in this series.

San Francisco Giants vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Betting Odds and Matchup Information

Matchup Information

• Matchup: San Francisco Giants (40-37, 19-17 away, 3rd in the NL West) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (35-44, 19-22 home, tied for 4th in the NL West)
• Venue & Location: Chase Field (Phoenix, Arizona)
• Date: Monday, July 4, 2022
• Game Time: 6:10 p.m. Eastern Time (3:10 p.m. local time)
• TV Broadcast/Streaming Info: NBC Sports Bay Area (Giants), Bally Sports Arizona (Diamondbacks), MLB Extra Innings/MLB.TV (subscription packages)

Giants vs. Diamondbacks Pitching Matchup

• San Francisco Giants: Carlos Rodon (2022: 15 starts, 7-4, 2.62 ERA)
• Arizona Diamondbacks: Madison Bumgarner (2022: 16 starts, 3-8, 3.63 ERA)

Giants vs. Diamondbacks Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline. This article may also include odds from other top sportsbooks that we have reviewed and recommend.

Moneyline

• San Francisco Giants -186
• Arizona Diamondbacks +156

Over/Under

• OVER 8 (-110)
• UNDER 8 (-110)

Run Line

• San Francisco Giants -1.5 (-110)
• Arizona Diamondbacks +1.5 (-110)

Can the Diamondbacks Generate Enough Offense to Back Bumgarner?

The Diamondbacks lost two of three on the road against the Colorado Rockies over the weekend, winning the opener then falling Saturday and yesterday.

They have won just 12 of their last 34 games, including just three of their last eleven since taking two of three against the Minnesota Twins, their only series win in June.

But they have at least be productive at the plate in recent games, other than being shut out by Mike Clevinger and the San Diego Padres on Wednesday. Of their last six games, that is the only one in which they failed to score at least five runs, and in this stretch, they have scored 39 runs total.

Can they keep it going against Rodon? He hasn’t been in a generous mood as of late, as he is 3-0 with a 0.67 ERA in his last four starts. In that period, he has allowed just two runs, 14 hits, and six walks in 27 innings.

While he has been especially stingy recently, he hasn’t been overly giving all season long overall. In 15 starts, he has given up more than two runs only twice.

But if Arizona’s bats can do a little damage against Rodon, it will be a lot more support than they have been giving Bumgarner for the most part. In four of his six June starts, the Diamondbacks were on the wrong end of a shutout.

Run Support Rollercoaster for Bumgarner

• April (five starts): 14 runs
• May (five starts): 32 runs
• June (six starts): 11 runs

If he can get some support, he might well pick up just his second win in ten starts. He has been good at home recently, allowing just five runs in 17 innings in his last three home starts, and his ERA is better at home (2.98) than on the road (4.38) and in day games (3.08) than night games (4.14).

Facing his former team will no doubt be a little extra incentive to bring his best. But he’ll need some help from his offense to make his best efforts mean something in the win column.

San Francisco Giants vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction and Best Bets

Giants vs. Diamondbacks Prediction: Giants to win

Giants vs. Diamondbacks Best Bets: San Francisco Giants to win by 1-3 runs (+160 at BetOnline) & Giants/Diamondbacks under 8 (-103 at BetUS)

The Giants haven’t scored more than four runs in any of their last six games, and I expect Bumgarner to limit them in this matchup.

But San Francisco should generate just enough offense to get the job done in what should be a tight, low-scoring game at Chase Field.

Of Rodon’s wins this season, the margin of victory has been three or fewer runs in all but one. With the ML out of the range of reason, taking the Giants to win by one to three runs is an excellent move here.

Other MLB Content Today on Betting News (Monday, July 4)

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• Cubs vs. Brewers Prediction & Best Bets (7/4)