MLB picks: Dodgers vs. Astros, Giants vs. Diamondbacks

Bettors have plenty of MLB games to choose from this Wednesday, so we crunched the numbers and came up with two solid sides for the evening.

Leading off is a marquee matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros. Then we highlight a late-evening clash between the San Francisco Giants and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Los Angeles Dodgers (30-18) at Houston Astros (26-22), 7:40 p.m. ET, ESPN

Dodger fans should feel confident going into Wednesday night’s game with the Astros as Trevor Bauer takes the hill.

Bauer has produced a microscopic 1.14 ERA and .930 WHIP through four starts in May. He’s also needed just 23 2/3 innings to strike out 37 batters.

Bauer has plenty of prior experience against Houston, and their stars’ results at the plate are not impressive. Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa and Yuli Gurriel are a combined 16-for-66 (.242) all-time against the L.A. ace with only two home runs and five RBI.

Backing Bauer is a Dodger bullpen that’s fourth by ERA (2.15) over the last two weeks.

Luis Garcia – who averages fewer than 4.5 innings per start – counters for the Astros. His 29 hits allowed in 40 innings of work is a positive figure, but the eight home runs he’s served up is not. The Dodgers have power in spades, with Max Muncy (hitting .364 in May with seven home runs) being just one of many bats who can jump the yard at any given time.

It’s fine if L.A. fails to solve Garcia, because they’ll have numerous chances to figure out a Houston bullpen that’s 22nd by ERA (4.97) over the last two weeks.

MLB pick: Dodgers -148

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San Francisco Giants (29-19) at Arizona Diamondbacks (18-31), 9:40 p.m. ET

Under bettors have plenty of leeway in this Wednesday night affair between the Giants and D-backs.

Johnny Cueto has excelled at keeping the ball in the park and minimizing damage through six starts this season. He’s given up 34 hits through 32 1/3 innings, but only two of those hits have been homers, and his ERA is a respectable 3.34. The D-backs’ hitters – 28th in batting average this month at .219 – should play into Cueto’s hands.

Merrill Kelly counters for Arizona, and he’s somewhat unfairly been hooked with the loss in three straight starts despite pitching to a 3.79 ERA in that span. In four career starts against San Francisco, Kelly holds a solid a 2.45 ERA.

Neither bullpen has been spectacular this season, but these starters should offer Under bettors enough cushion to make the wager a winning one.

MLB pick: Under