How to watch Giants vs. Dodgers in 2021 NLDS originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
For the first time in MLB postseason history, it’s the San Francisco Giants against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It’s an all-California matchup between the two best teams in baseball, with the Giants having gone 107-55 and the Dodgers going 106-56. After the two teams competed in one of the more memorable division races, they now square off in the best-of-five National League Division Series.
It’s a tough draw for the Giants, who after setting a single-season franchise record for wins and producing the best record in baseball, are rewarded with a matchup against the defending champion Dodgers.
Los Angeles advanced after Chris Taylor hit a walk-off home run in the NL Wild Card Game on Wednesday, giving L.A. a 3-1 win over a St. Louis Cardinals team that had won 19 of its last 22 games. The Dodgers are taking part in their ninth straight postseason, having won their first championship since 1988 last season.
The Giants return to the postseason for the first time since 2016 after a stunning one-year turnaround in which they went just 29-31 last season.
That sets up what should be a memorable showdown between intrastate longtime rivals.
Here’s everything you need to know for the Giants-Dodgers series.
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What is the Giants-Dodgers NLDS schedule?
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 8, Dodgers vs. Giants, 9:37 p.m. ET
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 9, Dodgers vs. Giants, 9:07 p.m. ET
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 11, Giants vs. Dodgers, 9:37 p.m. ET
Game 4 (if necessary): Tuesday, Oct. 12, Giants vs. Dodgers, 9:07 p.m. ET
Game 5 (if necessary): Thursday, Oct. 14, Giants vs. Dodgers, 9:07 p.m. ET
The NLDS is played in a 2-2-1 format where the team with the better regular season record gets home field for Games 1, 2 and 5. The Giants finished atop the National League at 107-55, winning the NL West by one game over the Dodgers at 106-56, so the series will begin at Oracle Park in San Francisco.
What TV channel is the Giants-Dodgers playoff series on?
All games for the series will be broadcast on TBS.
Tune in for Giants Pregame Live on NBC Sports Bay Area a half hour before the start of each game. You can watch the show here or in the MyTeams app.
Fans can also turn to NBC Sports Bay Area for Giants Postgame Live, which begins immediately following each game. You can watch it here or in the MyTeams app.
How to stream Giants-Dodgers free online
All games can be streamed on MLB.TV, TBS.com and the TBS app. Viewers can also check out the series on FuboTV (free trial).
How to listen to Giants-Dodgers on the radio
ESPN Radio will broadcast all MLB postseason games for listeners.
Giants and Dodgers starting pitchers for NLDS
It’s a matchup between the top two pitching staffs in baseball.
The Dodgers’ team ERA of 3.01 was the best in baseball this season. Right behind them were the Giants with a 3.24 ERA.
The Dodgers allowed the fewest hits with 1,107 and had the second-most strikeouts with 1,599, while the Giants’ staff issued the fewest walks with 416 and allowed the fewest home runs with 151.
Game 1: Gabe Kapler elected to give the ball to 24-year-old Logan Webb to open the series. Set to make his postseason debut, Webb went 11-3 with a 3.03 ERA this season. Webb, who hasn't lost a decision since May 5, went 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers this season. He’ll go up against Walker Buehler, who went 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA this season. The 27-year-old went 3-1 with a 2.19 ERA against the Giants this season.
Game 2: Kapler decided to give the extra day of rest to veteran Kevin Gausman, who led the Giants with a 14-6 record and a 2.81 ERA. The 30-year-old set career highs in innings pitched (192), wins (14) and strikeouts (227). Gausman went 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers this season. Taking the ball for the Dodgers will be 20-game winner Julio Urias. The 25-year-old NL Cy Young Award candidate went 20-3 with a 2.96 ERA this season. Urias went 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA this season against the Giants.
What are the Giants-Dodgers 2021 NLDS betting odds?
While the Giants captured the NL West, beat the Dodgers in the season series and had the best record in baseball, it’s the Dodgers who are favored to win the series and the championship.
The Giants open the postseason with the fourth-best odds to win the World Series at +650, per PointsBet. They trail the Dodgers at +250, the Houston Astros at +450 and the Tampa Bay Rays at +500.
The Dodgers (-162) are favored to win their series against the Giants (+130). The Giants edged the Dodgers in the regular-season series, going 10-9 against the defending champs.
For more, check out the full odds for the series here.
Editor's note: All odds are provided by our partner, PointsBet. PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.
