Giants-Dodgers Betting Preview: Should You Back Madison Bumgarner as a Big Underdog?
Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
- Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants (+180) face Walker Buehler and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday at Dodger Stadium (10:10 PM ET).
- In Bumgarner's career as a starter (280 starts), he has only been listed as an underdog of +170 or higher three times, with two of those games vs. Dodgers.
Betting odds: San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers
- Giants moneyline: +180
- Dodgers moneyline: -200
- Over/Under: 7
- First pitch: 10:10 p.m. ET
>> All odds as of Wednesday evening. Download The Action Network App to get real-time MLB odds and track your bets
Editor's note: This article was published on Wednesday night when the line was listed at -200/+180. This morning, Walker Buehler was replaced by Julio Urias for the Dodgers, shifting the line ~30 cents.
The list of Madison Bumgarner's career accomplishments would rival a CVS receipt at this point. Whether it is his three World Series rings, his World Series MVP award from 2014 or his 0.25 career World Series ERA, Bumgarner's legacy is virtually untouchable.
The one thorn in Bumgarner's side throughout his career as been the Giants rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In Bumgarner's career, the Giants are just 17-16 (51.5%) in 33 of his starts against the Dodgers, including a 4-9 record since 2016.
When looking specifically at the National League West, the Giants are 72-59 (55%) when Bumgarner starts against his own division, with a 17-16 record against the Dodgers and Padres, the worst win percentage of the four teams.
On Thursday night, Bumgarner will be making his fourth start against the Dodgers in 2019.
In his previous three starts, the former MVP has been absolutely lights out, but San Francisco has struggled to give him run support:
- June 9th: 7 IP | 4 hits | ER — Giants lost 1-0
- May 1st: 6 IP | 4 hits | ER — Giants won 2-1
- April 2nd: 6 IP | 5 hits | 0 ER — Giants lost 6-5
In Bumgarner's 11-year career, he has only been listed as an underdog of +170 or higher three times prior to Thursday night. All three of those starts have come against NL West opponents, with two of those three starts coming against none other than the Dodgers.
The positive news for Giants fans and bettors alike?
Bumgarner threw 14 innings in those two starts and allowed just three earned runs and the Giants won both starts on the road in Chavez Ravine. Do you dare fade Bumgarner as a big underdog on Thursday against the Dodgers?
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