Dodgers vs. Nationals Sunday Prediction
After blowing a late lead in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Washington Nationals are now on the verge of being swept by a Los Angeles Dodgers team that came to D.C. this weekend in a massive funk. Can Stephen Strasburg help the Nats avoid being swept at home?
Game Snapshot & Odds
909 Los Angeles Dodgers (+120) at 910 Washington Nationals (-141); 7.5 runs
Sunday, May 20, 2018
1:35 p.m. ET, Nationals Park
TV: LAD (SNLA); WSH (MASN)
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Public Betting Trends
Oddsmakers from online sportsbooks currently list the Nationals as a -141 favorite. As of this writing, 70% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Nationals to beat the Dodgers on the moneyline. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our MLB Public Betting Page for updated figures on this game.
Dodgers’ Wood unlucky, falls to 0-4 with latest loss
Alex Wood took a tough loss after allowing two runs — one earned — in six innings Tuesday against the Marlins. Wood went undefeated in the first half of last year, opening up 11-0 before finally taking his first loss July 21. This year, he’s 0-4 in nine starts, even though he has a 3.35 ERA and has allowed more than three runs just twice.
Nationals’ Strasburg allows one run, strikes out nine in win
Stephen Strasburg allowed just one run in 6 2/3 innings to earn a 2-1 win over the Diamondbacks on Saturday. He punched out nine batters against one walk in the gem outing. He surrendered just five hits, including an RBI-double by A.J. Pollock in the third inning. Strasburg improves to 5-3 with a fine 3.28 ERA and 1.03 WHIP after nine starts. He has 68 strikeouts and 13 walks in 60 1/3 innings. He will face the Dodgers next weekend.
MLB Betting Trends
Los Angeles
The Dodgers are now 4-0 in their last four games against the Nationals and have won five of their last six games in Washington.
Washington
The Nationals have lost six of their last eight games against the Dodgers when Strasburg starts.
Prediction:
My first inclination is to back the Nationals because it’s unlikely that they would be swept in a series that Max Scherzer and Strasburg made starts. That said, the Dodgers appear to be feeling themselves for the first time in a month and a half and Wood isn’t someone I want to fade just to get a share of Strasburg. Since 2017, Wood owns a 2.88 ERA, a fantastic ground ball rate of 52.4%, and excellent strikeout (24.1%) and walk (5.6%) rates to boot. Strasburg has been equally impressive (actually he’s been better), so instead of attempting to pick a winner why don’t we just take the under and watch these two pitchers do their thing?
The Pick: Dodgers/Nationals under 7.5