The Los Angeles Dodgers are hosting the Washington Nationals for a four-game weekend set at Dodger Stadium. The visiting Nationals took the first game of the series on Thursday night, winning by a score of 6-0. Los Angeles saw their brief three-game winning streak snapped with that loss, but will look to get back on track in game two of the series.
The Dodgers have gotten off to a great start in 2019 and lead the National League West Division with a 25-15 record. Los Angeles has been in the World Series the past two years, and they are the favorite to get back again. Washington was supposed to have a bounce-back season in 2019, but they are struggling out of the gate. The Nationals have gone just 15-22 to start the season. Los Angeles is -190 over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.
Bellinger Carrying Dodgers Offense
The Los Angeles Dodgers have a ton of talent in their everyday lineup, but Cody Bellinger has stood out so far this season. Bellinger leads the National League in nearly every batting category and looks like the frontrunner for the MVP Award. The first baseman has belted 14 home runs to go along with a .398 batting average. The Dodgers have hit 63 home runs as a team, and they can do some damage in a hurry.
Los Angeles also has a terrific starting rotation, but they don’t have one of their top dogs on the mound in this game. Kenta Maeda has been a fixture in the Dodgers rotation in recent years, but he has struggled at times in 2019. The righthander has gone 3-2 but has an earned run average of 4.66. Closer Kenley Jansen does have 12 saves, and the Dodgers are usually tough to beat if they get an early lead.
Nationals Need More Pitching
The Washington Nationals think that they have a lineup good enough to be competitive, but their pitching staff has been a mess this season. Washington has a team earned run average of 4.72, and even their best pitchers have let them down. Veteran Anibal Sanchez will be on the mound for this game, and he has been awful so far this season. Sanchez has gone 0-5 with a 5.15 ERA in his seven starts this season.
Washington failed to re-sign Bryce Harper in the offseason, but their offense hasn’t really missed him this season. The Nationals have belted 51 home runs already this season, and they have plenty of depth in their order. Young Juan Soto leads the team with a .368 on-base percentage and has also driven in 22 runs. The Nationals should be able to score some runs in this game, but they are going to have to get outs as well.
Dodgers Bounce Back with Win
The Los Angeles Dodgers got shutout in the series opener, but that isn’t going to become a trend this season. Los Angeles has the ability to pound out some runs, and they will do just that against Anibal Sanchez. Washington just doesn’t feel like a playoff team this season, and they aren’t going to win this game. Bet the Los Angeles Dodgers -190 over the Washington Nationals.
