TOM STRYKER’S FREE BASEBALL SELECTION FRIDAY, AUGUST 21ST
#979 ARIZONA with Ray (-120) over San Francisco with Webb at 9:45 PM EST
Off back-to-back road losses to the mighty A’s, the Diamondbacks will travel to San Francisco on Friday night and dominate this weak Giants bunch. Arizona is resting at the .500-mark through 26 games and, with a 5.5-game deficit in the NL West standings, the D’Backs need wins against MLB’s weaker teams. San Francisco fits the bill.
Veteran southpaw Robbie Ray will take the bump for the road team. Control has been a bit of an issue for No. 38 this season. With five starts in the bank, Ray has been touched for 21 earned runs and 22 hits in 22.0 innings of work. Robbie has struck out 27 but walked 20 en route to a 1-2 mark and an elevated 8.59 ERA. Fortunately, Ray’s last outing at home against San Diego was his best of the season. Robbie held the Friars to one earned run and no hits in 5.0 frames but failed to earn a decision in ‘Zona’s 5-4 victory. Finally, Oracle Park has been kind to the lefty too. With seven starts completed at Frisco, Ray owns a solid 4-2 record with a strong 3.03 ERA.
Right-hander Logan Webb will counter for the Giants. The young gun will be making his sixth start of the season for SF and has been cracked for eight earned runs and 21 hits in 20.1 innings. Webb has fanned 18 and issued 11 free passes on his way to a 1-2 tally and a 3.54 ERA. Since joining the club in 2019, Logan owns 13 career starts and has been slammed for 31 earned runs and 65 hits in 60.0 frames. After the math, that equates to a 3-5 record with a soft 4.65 ERA.
On a technical note, Arizona has won six of its last seven after allowing five runs or more in its last game, 19 of its last 26 when priced as a favorite and four straight against division foes. Meanwhile, San Francisco has slipped in 10 of its last 11 in the first game of a series, six of its last eight in division play and 10 of its last 13 when priced as a home underdog.
Quietly, the Diamondbacks have won eight of their last 10 as a guest in this series and they’ll have no trouble coming out on top in this contest. Take Arizona with Ray. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
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