Wednesday, September 23, 2020, Oracle Park, San Francisco, California, 9:45 p.m. ET
Rockies at Giants Betting Preview: Rockies (+155), Giants (-175)
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies (24-30) took themselves to the brink of elimination from the National League playoff race with a 5-2 loss to the Giants on Tuesday night. Colorado fell to sixth in the wild-card race, and while the Rockies are only three losses out of a wild-card spot with still six to play, they are going to need a lot of help.
Of course, beating one of the teams ahead of them twice would help, and that’s where the Rockies find themselves with two games remaining in San Francisco. They could use another good game or two from ex-Giant Kevin Pillar, who had a single and a double Tuesday after contributing a homer and a single Monday during Colorado’s 7-2 win in the series opener. Pillar has 12 career homers in San Francisco, where he played his home games for most of 2019.
The Rockies are hoping for better things from right-hander Ryan Castellani (1-3, 5.59 ERA) on Wednesday. The 24-year-old rookie has allowed two or more home runs in four of his past six starts, but he did throw two shutout innings of relief in his only appearance against the Giants on Sept. 2.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants (27-27) regained control-their-own-destiny mode with the Tuesday win. They are tied with Cincinnati (28-28) and Milwaukee (27-27) for the two wild-card spots, knowing they are assured of passing either the Reds or Brewers with a win on Wednesday because the NL Central teams are playing each other.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler pushed all the right buttons in the latest victory, getting a home run from Alex Dickerson and two-run double from Brandon Belt in pinch-hitting roles in a three-run, tiebreaking seventh inning. Dickerson and Belt didn’t start against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland, but they are likely to return to the lineup against Castellani.
Kapler wouldn’t disclose his starting pitcher for Wednesday in advance, but it appears right-hander Logan Webb (2-4, 5.73 ERA) is in line to get the ball. He is 0-2 in his past five starts, but he did win at Colorado on Aug. 5 (two runs, one earned, in five innings. Webb pitched in Coors Field again on Sept. 2, and he got a no-decision after yielding four runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Rockies at Giants Betting Pick for September 23, 2020
With Castellani’s propensity to serve up homers, the Giants could tee off on Wednesday. San Francisco managed to win Tuesday when Colorado had a far sturdier pitcher, Freeland, on the mound.
It could be 6-0 before the visitors know what hit them, but give the Rockies credit. Even without Nolan Arenado, they are not going down without a fight.
Rockies at Giants Betting Pick:
Giants 8, Rockies 7
Rockies at Giants Best Bet for September 23, 2020
With Webb coming off a six-run, 3 1/3-inning outing and Castellani having surrendered eight runs (seven earned) in 4 1/3 innings his last time out, the over seems the obvious play.
Rockies at Giants Best Bet: OVER 9 total runs (-109)
–Field Level Media
