If things stay on schedule it should be a great pitching matchup in MLB betting on Saturday as the San Francisco Giants host the Houston Astros in a game that can be seen on Fox television.
Two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum should get the ball for the Giants and he would be a solid favorite in baseball betting against the Astros even with Roy Oswalt on the mound.
MLB betting odds don’t favor the Astros very much but at least when Oswalt is on the mound they have a chance. You might be surprised to learn that Lincecum and Oswalt have faced each other quite a bit in the past. In fact, they have gone against each other four times in the past four seasons. Earlier this year it was the Giants getting the win as Lincecum allowed no earned runs in seven innings while Oswalt gave up three earned runs in six innings. They didn’t face each other last year but in 2008 it was Oswalt getting the better of Lincecum and the Giants. In 2007 it was Lincecum outdueling Oswalt twice.
The Giants are 4-2 in their last six games in which Lincecum started against the Astros. The Astros are just 4-6 in Oswalt’s last ten starts against San Francisco. Overall, before this series began the Giants had won 11 of the last 20 games against Houston. Last season the Giants won two of three at home against Houston in MLB betting. San Francisco has taken six of the last ten home meetings against the Astros. Five of those games went over the baseball betting total with two pushes. With this pitching matchup and the Astros poor offense, an under seems more likely on Saturday.
The Astros have played the bulk of their games this season at home but it hasn’t done them much good. They are still a very bad baseball team in MLB betting. They can’t score runs consistently and their pitching is just average. Houston started so poorly this season that they took themselves out of any playoff contention in the first few weeks of the season.
San Francisco has been solid at home this season vs. the MLB betting odds. They are just about .500 on the road. Pitching is the calling card of the Giants as they are in the Top 5 in the league in ERA.