1st place is one heck of a thing, don’t ya think? Having been apart from it for an excruciating week or so, getting to crawl back in bed with it and snuggle up nice and close is a huge relief. Now we just have to hold on, which, in a division as wild and unpredictable as the NL West, is no easy feat.

The race for 1st between the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Rockies, and Giants — sorry, Padres — uncomfortably close. That’s what makes this series with the Giants so important. If the Snakes can pull off a series win, it would create some much needed distance in the standings between the D-backs and Giants at the very least, and hopefully the Dodgers and Rockies as well. A series loss, however, just means more chaos. The Giants would prefer the latter, and the return of ace (and premier slugger) Madison Bumgarner gives them ample opportunity to screw a lot of stuff up. Buckle up, folks: this is gonna be a fun one.

Starting Pitching Matchups

Game 1: RHP Zack Godley (5-4, 4.38 ERA) vs. LHP Derek Holland (3-6, 4.94 ERA)

Advantage: D-backs

Game 2: LHP Patrick Corbin (5-2, 2.99 ERA) vs. LHP Madison Bumgarner (2017 – 4-9, 3.32 ERA)

Advantage: Giants

Game 3: RHP Clay Buchholz (1-1, 1.50 ERA) vs. Chris Stratton (7-3, 4.50 ERA)

Advantage: D-backs

Prediction

Bumgarner’s debut will likely be the deciding factor between a 2 out of 3 D-backs series win and a sweep. If Butt Boy pitches anywhere close to the elite precedent he has set for the entirety of his career, the Snakes will have a tough time scraping out a W even with Corbin on the mound. Managing to snag the win against Bum sets up a very, very good opportunity for the Snakes to secure the sweep and remain undefeated in the month of June.