Ricky Dimon
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We have 13 games on the Major League Baseball schedule on Thursday, with only a handful of teams enjoying an off day in between series. Today’s slate is capped off by an ESPN showdown between the NFC West rival San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks. Let’s take a look at the best same game parlay option for Giants-Diamondbacks, and be sure to check out our full game preview for picks on the side and total.
Giants ML (-148)
Johnny Cueto Over 4.5 strikeouts (-106)
Christian Walker to record 2+ hits (+200)
Part of the value in same game parlays, of course, is that all of its components can be correlated if you so choose. That is some of the plan here, as Johnny Cueto mowing down a fair share of batters would obviously go well with a San Francisco win. At the same time, plays that aren’t correlated drive up the overall payout of the parlay. That is the case with betting on Christian Walker of the Diamondbacks to get multiple hits. But even if Walker accomplishes that feat, the Giants can still take care of business. Let’s break down each of the three legs one by one.
Giants ML (-148)
The Giants started the week with a couple of home losses to the Dodgers. That really tightens things up at the top of the NL West, but following an off day they should have a much easier time with the last-place Diamondbacks the rest of the week. San Francisco is 6-0 against Arizona this season. The D-Backs have lost four in a row and that is nothing new for them; they are the worst team in Major League Baseball and it isn’t even close (22-60; no other team is worse than 27-54). Now they have to face Cueto, who is 6-3 with a 3.63 ERA. Opposing Cueto is Merrill Kelly, who is 4-7 with a 4.73 ERA.
Johnny Cueto Over 4.5 strikeouts (-106)
I was expecting to see a 5.5 number, so I will happily take Over 4.5 at -106 odds. Cueto has struck out at least five batters in four of his last six starts, including six last Friday against Oakland. He faced Arizona on May 26 and whiffed five guys despite working only 5.0 innings. The Diamondbacks’ lineup is awful, so you have to think Cueto will turn in a solid performance and last five innings at minimum in this one—maybe even six or seven. Arizona has three hitters who have fanned at least 60 times in 2021, including Josh Rojas with 77.
Christian Walker to record 2+ hits (+200)
If there is one player on the home team who can do some damage against Cueto, it’s Walker. The first baseman is on a seven-game hitting streak and he is coming off a three-hit performance on Wednesday. Three of those seven have been of the multi-hit variety. It’s no matter that this is a right-vs.-righty matchup against Cueto. Walker is hitting just as well against righties in 2021 and he was even better against them than lefties in 2020 (.284 compared to .232).
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