A phenomenal pitching matchup is on tap when the San Francisco Giants face off with the New York Mets for the second game of this series.
Both teams look like contenders and have gotten out to excellent starts. This matchup is the second half of today's doubleheader after last night's matchup was postponed due to rain. Before today, the Giants entered this series with a 7-2 record and the Mets are at 7-3, including a pair of wins over divisional foe Philadelphia.
Who wins today's nightcap? Find out in our free MLB picks and predictions for Mets vs. Giants on Tuesday, April 19.
Giants vs Mets odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
Opening odds for tonight's matchup were released this morning. The Giants opened as a slight underdog at +110, with the Mets coming back at -130 on the moneyline. Since then, the Giants have taken a bit of money with some books, dropping to +100 but mostly staying put by this writing.
The total opened at an eye-popping flat 6.0. However, it has since moved to 6.5 at most books, indicating that it could get to a flat 7.0.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until kickoff and be sure to check out the full MLB odds before placing your bets.
Giants vs Mets predictions
- Prediction: Giants ML (+110)
- Prediction: Under 6.5 (-105)
- Best bet: No runs in 1st + Giants +1.5 F5 (+103)
Picks made on 4/19/2022 at 11:00 a.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
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Giants vs Mets game info
• Location: Citi Field, New York, NY
• Date: Tuesday, April 19, 2022
• First pitch: 6:10 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC Sports Bay Area, SNY
Giants vs Mets betting preview
Starting pitchers
Logan Webb (2022: 1-0, 1.29 ERA): Webb quietly put up Cy Young numbers last season. He posted his third straight season with over 60% strike rate, with his best one yet at 65%. He produced career highs in innings, wins, ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts even while battling a shoulder injury. The key to his success was a silly 62% groundball rate. Webb's given up one run in each of his starts to begin the season and looks like he's picking right back up from where he left off.
Max Scherzer (2022: 2-0, 3.27 ERA): While he may be 2-0 to start the season, Scherzer hasn't even been the best pitcher on the Mets. Scherzer was good but hardly elite against an average Nationals lineup, giving up three earned runs through six innings. He bounced back against the Phillies from an earned runs perspective but still gave up a fair share of hard contact. Is this a regression year or simply a slow start for the ace?
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Giants: Evan Longoria 3B (Out), LaMonte Wade Jr. LF (Out), Tommy La Stella 2B (Out).
Mets: Mark Canha RF (Out), Brandon Nimmo LF (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Giants are 4-0 in their last four games against teams with winning records. Find more MLB betting trends for Giants vs. Mets.
Giants vs Mets picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Moneyline analysis
The handicap for this one is relatively simple. Who wins out? Webb's skill of inducing ground balls or Scherzer producing swings and misses.
Have the Mets fixed their issues against righties? They had a below-average BA last season, with only Pete Alonso showing any pop when they were on the mound. This year, they'll be better because players like Franciso Lindor aren't having another career-low type season, but how much better?
The most troubling item in this matchup may not be the Mets' issues with righties. Instead, it is that they have been susceptible to ground ball pitchers. Last season, they ranked 10th in the MLB in ground ball rate at 44%. That's not where you want to be.
Normally, you can brush it off as one bad season. But that's not the case for the Mets. When you go back to four calendar years, the Mets are hitting the eighth most ground balls in baseball. Webb, an elite ground ball pitcher, unsurprisingly won his only previous start against the Mets.
On the flip side, the Giants lineup projects about as well as you can expect against Scherzer. FanGraphs sees them coming out with about a .335 wOBA. San Francisco's lefty-heavy lineup led by the likes of Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, Mike Yastrzemski, and Steven Duggar wreaked havoc against right-handers in 2021 with a .776 team OPS (fifth in MLB versus righties) and 110 wRC+ (fourth).
They've also added slugging lefty outfielder Joc Pederson to the equation, so even against an ace like Scherzer, we're taking the plus money on San Francisco to emerge with the win.
Prediction: Giants ML (+110 at WynnBet)
Over/Under analysis
The doubleheader aspect puts uncertainty into the lineups and honestly makes this a more difficult handicap than a side. But let's not overcomplicate it.
I've spoken at length about what I think Webb can do to this lineup. He has real potential to go seven innings deep with only giving up one run (he's the only pitcher in the majors to complete seven innings in each of his first two outings this season). On the back end of that, the Giants bullpen is well-rested and deep enough to keep them at that number potentially.
If we project Webb and the Giants to hold the Mets to one or two runs, we only need the Mets and, even though he may be regressing a hair, one of the best pitchers in baseball in Scherzer to keep the Giants at bay with four or five runs to cash on the Under.
While I wouldn't be surprised if a Giants hitter lays into one and maybe leaves the yard, I still have faith in the Mets to limit the damage on the whole. The half run that this total has moved up to looms large as well, giving us even more reason to hit the Under.
Prediction: Under 6.5 (-105 at DraftKings)
Best bet
Let's get a little creative, shall we?
The best bet in this game is no runs scored in the first inning. The bats of these two teams traditionally get off to slow starts, and both pitchers are dynamite in the opening frame. Scherzer was 30-5 in NRSIF last season.
Webb's record is a little less impressive, but he's looked virtually unhittable early this season. Beyond that, we've spoken about his advantages against the Mets lineup. The problem here is that this prop is heavily juiced on FanDuel.
Why not take part of our current handicap and apply it to this one? Webb has a more significant advantage over the Mets lineup than Scherzer does over the Giants. Because of that, I will place a same-game parlay of no runs scored in the first inning and pair it with the alternate first five innings line of Giants +1.5.
Pick: SGP, No runs scored in first paired with Giants +1.5 F5 (+103 at FanDuel)
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