The set-up: The Giants came out of the All Star break with MLB's best record (57-33) but after last night's 9-5 loss in LA to the Dodgers, the Giants find themselves two games back of the Dodgers for the NL West lead. San Francisco is now just three games inside the playoff ‘cut line," which is what happens when a team goes a woeful 11-24 since the break, the worst record of any team in MLB! The Dodgers have caught the Giants, despite the fact that Clayton Kershaw has not taken the mound since June 26. What's more, starting pitchers Brett Anderson (blister) and Scott Kazmir (neck inflammation) joined ace Clayton Kershaw (back) on the DL, yesterday.

The pitching matchup: Johnny Cueto (14-3, 2.90 ERA) takes the mound for San Francisco, opposed by Rich Hill (9-3, 2.25 ERA). Hill has been on the disabled list himself (because of a lingering left middle finger blister), since being acquired from Oakland on August 1. Expectations are high for Hill, who makes his debut for the Dodgers, against the hated-Giants. He was cleared for this start after throwing 78 pitches in a simulated game at the Dodgers' training complex in Arizona last Thursday. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is eager to see Hill face off against the team's most bitter divisional rival. "What attracted us to Rich at the deadline was his high-end potential," Friedman told reporters. "We felt that he was a guy who could pitch very well against the best lineups in baseball." The Giants are 19-6 (plus-$982) in Cueto's starts this season but Cueto has won just once, over his last seven starts.

The pick: However, that win came in his last outing, when he allowed one run over seven innings of an 8-1 victory. In his previous start, Cueto left with a 7-3 lead, only to see the Giants' bullpen allow five runs in the final two innings of an 8-7 loss. I expect both pitchers to be "on their games" in this one and that makes the under a 10* play.