Nationals vs. Padres Pick
The Washington Nationals are huge favorite on the road against the San Diego Padres Friday at 10:05PM EST. Can the hosts pull the upset?
Oddsmakers at sports book BetDSI have made the Nationals a big -212 favorite to win, while the Padres are a +189 underdog. Washington also has a -1.5 runline moneyline of -135, while San Diego is +115 on the +1.5 runline. The over-under is set at 7.
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Arguably the best pitcher in baseball takes the hill for the Nationals in Max Scherzer (12-5, 2.25 ERA), while the Padres will go with Luis Perdomo (6-7, 4.95). Scherzer has rebounded from leaving a start August 1 at Miami after one inning with back tightness (not before hitting his first career home run), giving up two earned runs over seven innings in each of his last two starts versus the Marlins and Giants. He has struck out 19 over his last 14 innings while giving up 10 hits and walking three. Perdomo is a groundball pitcher who has pitched through some bad luck this season in terms of BABIP (.336), but he has also been poorer at Petco Park with a 5.14 ERA over 11 starts despite it being an extreme pitcher’s park.
The Nationals enter with a 72-47 record and are 37-22 on the road, while the Padres are 54-67 and 32-28 at home. Washington has won three out of four games in the season series.
Washington won the opener of the four-game series by a 2-1 final as Ryan Zimmerman homered to break a 1-1 tie in the eighth inning. Edwin Jackson threw seven innings of one-run ball to earn the win, striking out four. Manuel Margot, Jose Pirela and Wil Myers all had two hits for the Padres. Pirela drove in the Padres’ run with a single in the third to tie it at 1-1, scoring Margot who doubled earlier in the frame. Pirela also had a double. Kirby Yates took the loss in relief as he served up the homer to Zimmerman.
Bet against Scherzer at your own risk. He should be able to mow down the underwhelming Padres lineup in a pitcher’s park. The Nationals should be able to get to Perdomo early and often.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: WASHINGTON NATIONALS RL -135