San Francisco Giants (47-42) vs. Athletics (37-53)
The 2025 MLB season goes on Sunday, July 6, with the closing contest of a three-game interleague series at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California, so we bring you the best Giants vs. Athletics prediction and the latest odds update.
The Athletics trounced the Giants 11-2 last Friday, while Saturday’s clash between these two teams has been excluded from the analysis. The Giants are slight -115 moneyline favorites for Sunday’s closer, and the total sits at 10.0 runs.
Let’s look closer at this Giants vs. A’s prediction, one of our MLB picks for Sunday’s card. The first pitch at Sutter Health Park is set for 10:05 PM ET.
The Giants desperately need more from their offense
The San Francisco Giants amassed just six hits in that heavy 11-2 loss against the Athletics this past Friday. Justin Verlander gave up six earned runs across three innings of work, and the Giants fell one game behind the final wild card in the National League.
San Francisco has gone 3-8 over its last 11 games overall. The Giants have only scored 36 runs during that stretch while slashing an ugly .219/.293/.349 with a 93 wRC+ against the righties and a 38 wRC+ against the southpaws. Their bullpen has struggled as well, posting a 5.54 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and a .299 batting average against 37.1 innings of work.
Hayden Birdsong will toe the rubber at Sutter Health Park on Sunday night. The 23-year-old right-hander is 3-3 with a 4.30 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in eight starts and 11 relief appearances (60.2 innings pitched) this season. Last Tuesday, Birdsong pitched four innings in an 8-2 loss at the Diamondbacks, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits and four walks.
Birdsong met the Athletics once in 2024 and was charged with a loss in a 2-0 defeat at Oakland Coliseum. He allowed one earned run on three hits and three walks through 4.2 innings of work.
The Athletics hope for another strong display at the plate
The Athletics outhit the Giants 12-6 last Friday and had an 11-0 lead after seven innings. Denzel Clarke and Nick Kurtz hit a two-run homer each, while JP Sears fanned six across six scoreless innings, scattering just three hits and a couple of free passes.
It was the Athletics’ fifth victory in 10 games. During that stretch, the Athletics have accounted for 45 runs on a .225/.299/.404 triple-slash, while their bullpen has recorded a 4.37 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a .250 batting average against through 35 innings of work.
Jacob Lopez will toe the slab on Sunday night, and the 27-year-old left-hander is 2-4 with a 3.88 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in eight starts and four relief appearances (46.1 IP) this season. Last Monday, Lopez tossed 3.1 frames in a no-decision against the Rays, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk. He exited after just 50 pitches.
Lopez met the Giants once in 2023 and threw three innings of a one-run ball in relief. Just three guys from this San Francisco team have seen him before.
Best Bets for San Francisco Giants vs. Athletics
Full-Game Side Bet
Insiders Status:
Jacob Lopez struggled last time out, but keep in mind that Tampa Bay’s offense has been terrific over the last few weeks. This time, Lopez will take on the slumping Giants, who have registered a .459 OPS and 38 wRC+ against the left-handed pitchers in the last 10 days (67 plate appearances).
I expect Lopez to give his team a chance, and the Athletics’ lineup should be able to get to Hayden Birdsong, who has been bad of late. Over his previous four starts, Birdsong has yielded 19 runs (17 earned) on 20 hits and 11 walks across 18.1 innings of work. He’s served five home runs during that stretch.
Full-Game Total Pick
Insiders Status:
I’m going with the over despite the Giants’ recent slump at the dish. Jacob Lopez won’t be able to shut them down completely. On the other side, this is a tough spot for Hayden Birdsong. He’ll try to bounce back, but Sutter Health Park is not a pitcher-friendly ballpark, and the Athletics have a .741 OPS and 103 wRC+ against the righties in the last 10 days (293 plate appearances).
Moreover, the Giants bullpen has struggled a lot lately, which is surprising given its form during the first two and a half months of the season. The A’s bullpen has been solid over the last couple of weeks, but throughout the season, it has had a lot of ups and downs.
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