Mets vs. Giants: MLB Picks

The San Francisco Giants, fresh off a “lost weekend” of baseball, will now look to get back on track when they host the New York Mets for a four-game series at AT&T Park. Follow our coverage and MLB picks for each game of this series.

The Mets have taken two of the first three games in this series, winning 8-7 Monday, losing 4-1 Tuesday then beating Matt Cain Wednesday 2-1. 

Despite Wednesday's loss San Francisco remains one game up on Los Angeles in the NL West. But both those teams had better look out for Arizona, which is now just 2.5 games back of the Giants. 

The Mets, meanwhile, are back to within three games of .500. 

Thursday's Pitching Matchup 

The Giants will send lefty Barry Zito (8-7, 3.89) to the hill Thursday (3:45 pm Eastern) against Chris Young (2-5, 4.58) for the Mets. 

Zito is 9-for-20 on quality starts this season, and San Francisco is 10-10 in games he's started. Most recently Zito gave up four runs on seven hits in less than six innings of a 10-0 loss to Los Angeles last Saturday, but in his two previous outings he had held the Braves and Phillies to three ER through 14 innings.

On the season Zito has allowed 108 hits in 118 innings, but his K/BB ratio of 70/51 leaves something to be desired. 

In his one start this season against the Mets Zito allowed two runs through five innings in a game San Fran eventually won 4-3 in 10 innings back in April. 

Warming up over on the other side of the field, Young is five-for-10 on quality starts this season, but New York has won just two of his starts, and has lost his last five. His last time out Young got plugged for six runs on seven hits in four innings of a 6-3 Mets loss in Arizona last Saturday, although in his two starts before that, in back-to-back outings against the Nationals, he had allowed four runs through 13 innings.

For the season Young, who didn't join the Mets until June, has given up 61 hits and walked 17 in 57 innings. 

Young hasn't pitched against the Giants since 2009. 

Thursday's Betting Odds 

As of Thursday morning most online sportsbooks were listing San Francisco as a favorite of right around -130 for Thursday afternoon's game, with a total of either 7.5 or eight. 

The Giants could also be played on the run line at +165 at several baseball betting outlets. 

Free MLB Pick 

San Fran is scuffling, losing six of its last seven games, and they've cost us twice already in this series. But we figure the Giants will manage a split for this series, so we'll stick with them for Thursday.

These teams have split the first two games of this four-game series, after New York won 8-7 in extra innings Monday as +175 underdogs, while San Francisco, behind Tim Lincecum, won Tuesday 4-1. 

The Mets now sit 9.5 games out of the second National League Wild-Card spot, while the Giants lead the NL West by a game over Los Angeles and 3.5 games over surging Arizona. 

Wednesday's Pitching Matchup 

San Francisco will go with Matt Cain (10-3, 2.80) for Wednesday (10:15 pm Eastern) against lefty Jon Niese (7-5, 3.86) for New York. 

Cain is 12-for-20 on quality starts this season, but only three for his last seven. Most recently Cain gave up three ER on nine hits through seven innings against the Dodgers last Friday, and in his three starts since the All-Star break he's allowed nine ER on 19 hits over 21 1/3 innings. So he's not exactly been unhittable as of late. 

This will be Cain's first start this year against the Mets. Last year, in his only appearance against New York, Cain got a win, allowing squat on five hits through six innings. 

Niese, meanwhile, is 11-for-20 on quality starts this year, and five for his last seven. His last time out Niese gave up six ER on nine hits through six innings at Arizona last Friday, but in his two starts prior to that he held the Nats and Dodgers to four ER through 14 innings. Despite a couple of quality starts the Mets have lost Niese's last four outings. 

In his one start against the Giants this year, back in April, Niese allowed three ER on seven hits through six innings of a 4-3 New York defeat. 

Wednesday's Betting Odds 

As of Wednesday AM the best price we could find on the Giants was the -166 at Matchbook, while the Mets could be gotten at +163 at 5Dimes.

San Fran can also be played at +150 on the run line at 5Dimes.

Also, every sportsbook we consulted was listing the total on this game at 6.5.

Free MLB Pick

OK, we're 0-2 on this series so far, and now we're gun-shy. That rally by the Mets Monday night still pisses us off. Ultimately, we have to look at who we think is the better team here, who's got more to play for, the fact that the New York bullpen is one of the worst in baseball and that the Giants are 21-10 against left-handed starters this year. So we'll go with San Francisco for Wednesday's free MLB pick.

New York extended San Francisco's losing streak to five games Monday night, coming from behind with a four-run eighth inning, coughing up that lead in the bottom of the ninth, then scoring two in the top of the tenth and holding on for an 8-7 victory. 

The Mets won Monday as +190 underdogs, and the game cruised 'over' its total of 6.5.

So New York is back to within three games of .500 at 50-53, but still 8.5 games back of Atlanta in the battle for that second NL Wild-Card spot.

The Giants, meanwhile, are still tied with Los Angeles for first place in the NL West, but Arizona has crept to within 3.5 games of those two.

Tuesday's Pitching Matchup

San Francisco will try to end its slide by sending Tim Lincecum (4-11, 5.88) to the mound Tuesday night (10:15 pm Eastern) against Mets rookie Matt Harvey (1-0, 0.00).

Lincecum might not be the best guy to send out there to try and end a losing streak. So far this season he's just five-for-21 on quality starts, although he is two for his last three in that department. His last time out Lincecum got tagged for five ER on seven hits, including a couple of homers, in less than five innings against the Padres last Wednesday. But in his two starts before that he allowed just two ER on 10 hits over 15 innings. Was that the start of something better for Lincecum? We just don't know.

Lincecum has started once previous this season against the Mets, and got a win, holding them to one run through five innings back in April.

Meanwhile, Harvey will be making his second career ML start, after shining in his ML debut. Last Thursday against Arizona the big right-hander threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings, walking three and striking out 11 in a 3-1 New York victory.

Harvey's call-up to the Majors, while much needed, as the Mets rotation is racked with injuries, was also well-deserved. At triple-A Buffalo this year Harvey went 7-5 with a 3.68 ERA, allowed 97 hits in 110 innings and struck out 112.

Tuesday's Betting Odds and Trends

As of Tuesday morning Matchbook is listing the Giants at -140 for Tuesday night's game, while the Mets could be gotten at +137 at several baseball betting outlets.

And most online sportsbooks are listing the total on Tuesday's game at 6.5. 

Free MLB Pick 

The Mets bit us on the ass Monday night with their late rally, or was it that the Giants bullpen let us down again? Either way, it hurt. San Francisco is suddenly struggling; is New York warming up? We're not sure of the answer to that one, but in believing that it's possible we'll go with Harvey and the Mets (and the underdog price) for Tuesday's game.

Both Teams Come in Cold 

San Francisco just got swept three games at home by the Los Angeles Dodgers by scores of 5-3, 10-0 and 4-0. In the process the Giants coughed up a three-game lead in the NL West, and now begin this week tied with the Dodgers for first place. 

In losing its last four games, San Fran has scored a total of six runs. 

The Mets, meanwhile, after playing over their heads for much of the season and staying at least close to the NL playoff picture, have finally fallen back to Earth and nearly out of contention. New York just split four games in Arizona over the weekend, winning Sunday behind RA Dickey 5-1, but the Mets have still lost 14 of their last 17 games. So, New York is now 8.5 games behind Atlanta in the battle for that second NL Wild-Card spot. 

The Mets have also had some trouble scoring lately, being held to three runs or fewer in six of their last eight games. 

Monday's Pitching Matchup 

San Francisco will go with lefty Madison Bumgarner (11-6, 3.10) Monday night against rookie Jeremy Hefner (1-4, 5.40) for New York.  

Bumgarner is 13-for-20 on quality starts this season, and is working on a string of three in a row. Last Tuesday he held the Padres to two ER through seven innings, and over his last three starts he's allowed five ER on just 11 hits over 21 innings, walking four and whiffing 22. 

On the season, Bumgarner has given up 115 hits in 137 innings, walked 27 and struck out 121. 

In his one start this year vs. the Mets, back in April, Bumgarner got a win, allowing one ER on three hits over seven innings. 

Hefner, who spent most of his time pitching out of the bullpen for the Mets this season, is making some starts now because New York has three SPs on the DL. So far this year, Hefner is one-for-four on quality starts, that coming in his most recent outing, when he held the Nationals to two ER on six hits through six innings, walking two and striking out seven. 

On the season, Hefner has allowed 46 hits in 38 innings, but his K/BB ratio is pretty good, at 25/6. 

Hefner made his ML debut April 22 vs. the Giants, and held them scoreless on three hits through three innings. 

The Mets are 1-3 in Hefner's starts this year, while San Francisco is 13-7 in Bumgarner's starts. 

Monday's Betting Odds and Trends 

As of Monday morning, San Fran could be gotten at -170 at Matchbook for Monday's game, while New York was getting +169 at 5Dimes. 

Also, most online sportsbooks are listing the total on Monday's game at 6.5, although some have it lined as low as six. 

The Giants can also be played at upwards of +130 on the run line at several baseball betting outlets. 

Finally, Bovada is chalking San Francisco at -260 to win this series, with New York getting +200 as the dog. 

Early betting on Monday's game has seen about 65 percent of play on the side come in on the Giants, while about 65 percent of action on the total  has come in on the 'over.' 

Giants-Mets Season Series 

In the only previous meeting this year between these two teams, San Fran took three of four games from New York at Citi Field back in April. 

Free MLB Pick for Monday 

The Giants have lost four games in a row, but we're guessing Bumgarner will keep that from going any further. So, we're taking San Francisco Monday night.