Giants vs. Pirates Saturday Prediction
The San Francisco Giants are currently in freefall mode. Losers of five in a row, will the Giants fix their issues Saturday or will the Pittsburgh Pirates hand them their sixth consecutive defeat?
Game Snapshot & Odds
905 San Francisco Giants (+115) at 906 Pittsburgh Pirates (-136); 8.5 runs
Saturday, May 12, 2018
7:05 p.m. ET, PNC Park
TV: SF (NBCSBA); PIT (ATTP)
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Public Betting Trends
Oddsmakers from online sportsbooks currently list the Pirates as a -136 favorite. As of this writing, 66% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Pirates to beat the Giants on the moneyline. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our MLB Public Betting Page for updated figures on this game.
Giants’ Samardzija allows five runs in loss to Phillies
Jeff Samardzija surrendered five runs in four innings Monday in a loss to the Phillies. Samardzija pitched five scoreless innings in his return from a pectoral strain, but he’s given up 13 runs in 12 2/3 innings over three starts since. Overall, he has an ugly 15/13 K/BB ratio in 17 2/3 innings. The Giants need far better from him with Johnny Cueto joining Madison Bumgarner on the DL. He’ll get the Pirates next.
Pirates’ Kuhl throws seven one-hit innings in victory
Chad Kuhl pitched seven scoreless innings while allowing just one hit in a 9-0 thrashing of the Brewers on Sunday. Kuhl walked two, and he struck out eight in the impressive outing. The only hit he allowed was a single by Domingo Santana, and for the rest of the night the 25-year-old right-hander was basically untouchable. It’s been an up-and-down year so far for Kuhl, but this is a friendly reminder that it’s not a question of talent. He’ll be back on the mound on Sunday against the Giants.
MLB Betting Trends
San Francisco
The Giants have won six of their last seven games in Pittsburgh and are 5-2 in their last seven games versus the Pirates overall.
Pittsburgh
The Pirates are just 1-7 in Kuhl’s last eight starts versus the National League West and are 0-4 in his last four outings coming off five days of rest.
Prediction:
The Pirates have won four straight while the Giants have lost five straight. I’m not going to overthink this one tonight: I see the Bucs rolling again. They’re 6-0 in their last six home games, are 7-2 in their last nine games coming off a win, and are 8-2 in Kuhl’s last 10 home starts.
The Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates -136