MLB picks: Giants vs. Rockies, Rangers vs. Angels

Labor Day may signal the unofficial end of summer, but the baseball season is still in full swing! We have two strong plays for this holiday Monday.

Let’s start with a look at the series opener between the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies. Then we’ll highlight the series finale between the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels.

San Francisco Giants (87-50) at Colorado Rockies (63-74), 4:10 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Giants’ and Rockies’ respective pitching staffs should keep Monday’s game from turning into another Coors Field slugfest.

Kevin Gausman will toe the rubber for San Francisco, and he’s done of his best work this season on the road, where his ERA is 1.79 through 85 1/3 innings. He’ll be backed by a Giants bullpen that’s authored the MLB’s fourth-best ERA over the last two weeks (2.66).

Kyle Freeland gets the call for Colorado, and he had recorded seven quality starts in 10 chances prior to last Wednesday’s abbreviated outing against the Rangers. He left that game after facing just five batters due to a hip impingement, but he’s evidently healthy enough to take the mound on regular rest in this spot.

Freeland will face a Giants offense that’s a modest 19th in slugging % against lefties in 2021 (.410). Once Freeland exits, the Rockies’ respectable bullpen (4.08 ERA last two weeks, 15th in the majors) will take over.

MLB pick: Under

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Texas Rangers (48-88) at Los Angeles Angels (68-69), 9:07 p.m. ET

Bettors should expect a high-scoring series finale between the Rangers and Angels on Monday night.

A.J. Alexy gets the nod for Texas, fresh off five shutout innings in his MLB debut. However, that effort came at home against the dreadful Rockies road offense. Alexy will have to brace for a much tougher challenge on the road against Shohei Ohtani and company. L.A. is ninth in home offense this season, plating 4.87 runs per game.

Jaime Barria counters for the Angels, looking to turn a corner after putting up a lackluster 6.75 ERA in August (five starts). He’ll have to watch out for DJ Peters – who homered twice in the Rangers’ 7-3 Sunday victory – and Nathaniel Lowe, who’s batting .367 over the last two weeks.

Once these starters depart, two leaky bullpens will take over. Texas’ relief corps is 16th by ERA over the last two weeks (4.23), while the Angels relievers are 24th (5.13).

MLB pick: Over