Nationals vs Dodgers Preview: Miller Making Second Start for LA
Dodgers Prohibitive Favorite in Series Opener
The Nationals vs Dodgers Preview shows Los Angeles solid -235 favorites over Trevor Williams and the Nationals. The total on the game is 9-over (-120). The price on the Nationals is +195 and the Dodgers are -115 on the run line.
Both MLB teams are entering this one off one-run losses. The Dodgers lost to Tampa Bay 11-10, while Washington saw the Royals rally for a 3-2 victory on Sunday. The Dodgers are 15-6 after a loss this MLB season. The Nationals are 15-14. Washington has been a better team on the road this season. The Nats are 12-13 away from home and 11-17 when in front of the home fans. The Dodgers are 17-7 at home and 15-15 on the road.
Los Angeles is just 3-3 as a favorite of -200 or higher this season. After winning their first three games as a huge favorite, LA has dropped the last three. Clayton Kershaw was on the mound for two of those games. Washington has gone 6-7 as an underdog of +180 or more. A $100 flat-bet on those games has returned a profit of $475 and an ROI of 36.5%.
The MLB weather should be perfect for the highly anticipated Nationals vs Dodgers showdown baseball in Los Angeles. The temperature is expected to be in the mid-60s with a slight breeze blowing out towards right field. There is little chance of rain.
Washington Nationals
Trevor Williams is making his 11th start for Washington and he hasn’t been bad. He has a 2-2 record and a 4.32 ERA on the season. The Nationals have won six of his 10 starts, and he usually gives his team a chance to win. He’s pitched a little better at home, but the Nats are 3-2 in road starts this year.
The Nationals vs Dodgers Preview shows Washington as No. 3 in team batting average in MLB. While hitting hasn’t been the problem for the Nationals, clutch hitting has been. The Nationals are No. 22 in runs scored, so they’re not making the most of their base hits. Joey Meneses leads the team with a .295 batting average and 28 RBI. The Nationals have five players who have driven in more than 20 runs.
Washington needs more from its bullpen, which is 9-10 with 16 saves and 11 blown saves. Kyle Finnegan is the team’s closer and he has 11 saves in 13 attempts.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Bobby Miller was solid in his MLB debut, allowing one run in five innings against Atlanta. But one game isn’t much of a sample size, so the jury is still out on Miller. The Dodgers bullpen hasn’t been the greatest, but they do perform better at home. Los Angeles will probably keep Miller’s pitch count down a bit, as it did against Atlanta.
While the Nationals don’t have offensive stars, the same can’t be said for the Dodgers. Max Muncy, one of the MLB home run leaders, leads the team with 17 round-trippers and 38 RBI. The problem is he’s hitting just .208. Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and Freddie Freeman have each driven in more than 30 runs this season. The Dodgers are No. 20 in team batting average but No. 3 in runs scored.
Handicapping the Game
The Nationals vs Dodgers Preview shows Los Angeles returning home after a lengthy road trip. The Dodgers played in St. Louis, Atlanta and Tampa and are now back home. That hasn’t been a profitable situation over the years. But the Dodgers are definitely the better team here and deserve to be large favorites.
The Nationals have shown they can play well when large underdogs and have one of their better pitchers on the mound. Williams is certainly more proven than Miller, although Miller could turn out to be better. Miller is making his first start at Dodger Stadium, so a little bit of nerves could come into play here.
From a value standpoint, the Nationals are probably the right side. They have about a 40% chance of winning the game and at +195, the odds are too high to pass up.
Follow us on Twitter
