Dodgers vs Nationals: Betting Odds and Preview

There is one axiom in Major League Baseball betting that all players should be following: Fading the Washington Nationals whenever struggling lefty Patrick Corbin is on the mound. He is on Tuesday as the Nats open a home series vs. the Dodgers, who are huge favorites on the MLB odds

2024 MLB Expert Analysis LA Dodgers at Washington | MyBookie Sportsbook MLB Week 4

Why Bet on Los Angeles Dodgers?

Even the best of teams are going to go through rough patches in the very long MLB season and the Dodgers are in a funk right in losing seven of 10.

Ohtani admired and emulated Matsui while growing up in Japan during the prime of Matsui’s MLB career. Yet Ohtani said the record was “not something I was cognizant of when I first started my career here, but as I got to know about it,” he began to pay attention to his place behind Matsui. Ohtani has gotten at least a hit in all but three games so far this season. He’s slashing .368/.431/.663 with five homers and 13 RBI while leading the majors with a .368 average and 63 total bases.

Freddie Freeman was 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and a run Sunday. He’s now reached base six times in the last two games and has five RBI over that span. The 34-year-old is hitting .287/.406/.391 on the year with a homer and 13 RBI. Not up to his usual standards. That homer was way back in the home opener on March 28.

“I will work hard, and I will try and to right the ship like I do every single day,” Freeman said. “And I will continue to do that until it rights.”

Rookie Andy Pages crushed a home run to straightaway center off Grant Hartwig in the fifth and also added a double in the win. Sunday was the first multi-hit game of his career and his first game driving in any runs. Since being called up, Pages has started in all five games and seems to have a clear path to an everyday role as long as Jason Heyward (back) remains out.

The Dodgers have now lost three consecutive series for the first time since June 2-11 last year, when the club lost two of three to the Yankees, Reds and Phillies in succession. It’s also the club’s first time losing three straight series at Dodger Stadium since Aug. 3-22, 2018 to the Astros, Giants and Cardinals (spread over two homestands).

One issue for LA has been its hitters striking out too much. Through Sunday, the Dodgers led the National League in strikeouts (226) and were just three behind the Boston Red Sox for the major-league lead. Teoscar Hernandez (34) and Max Muncy (32) rank second and sixth individually with the most strikeouts in the majors. In fewer plate appearances, James Outman has a strikeout rate (30.7%) nearly as high as those two (34 and 34.4, respectively).

It’s lefty James Paxton (2-0, 2.81 ERA) on the hill Tuesday, his first time pitching since April 14 vs. San Diego when he issued eight free passes in his five-plus innings of work. The 35-year-old ultimately allowed three runs on three hits while striking out just one batter. Through the first five innings, he pitched himself into and out of trouble, but allowed just a solo homer to Manny Machado in the fourth. He returned for the sixth though, where he walked the first two hitters before turning the ball over to the bullpen — and both came around to score. Paxton generated seven whiffs on 95 pitches, posting a CSW of 25 percent. He has walked 14 batters this season in just 16 innings. That’s worrisome.

Paxton originally was lined up to start Sunday night against the Mets but the Dodgers opted to go with Tyler Glasnow instead so he wouldn’t face Washington for a second straight outing. Paxton is now on eight days of rest and 0-1 with a 6.43 ERA in two career starts against the Nationals.

Los Angeles Betting Odds to Win
MLB Money Line

Week 4 MLB Vegas Lines Odds Subject to Change	SPREAD	MONEYLINE	TOTAL
LA Dodgers	-0.5	-193	O 5.5
Washington	+0.5	+138	U 5.5
MLB First 5 Inning Lines \| AL Divisional Odds \| NL Divisional Odds

Why Bet on Washington Nationals?

Washington won two of three at home against Houston over the weekend capped by a 6-0 win Sunday. The Nationals have won three of their past four series after starting the season 2-6.

Nick Senzel went 1-for-4 with a solo home run during Sunday’s win. His first homer as a National came in the sixth inning off Astros’ reliever Tayler Scott.

Garcia’s first inning single off Houston starter Hunter Brown provided the second and third runs for the Nationals. He later added his fifth steal while the three hits raised his average to .317. Garcia already has seven doubles through 63 at-bats this season after posting 18 over 447 at-bats last year.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Ruiz will go on a rehab assignment this week to play a couple of games before returning to the club.

Veteran lefty Patrick Corbin (0-3, 8.06) takes the hill Tuesday. Corbin (0-3) took the loss last Tuesday against the Dodgers, allowing five runs on nine hits and four walks while striking out five over 6.1 innings. He’s now allowed at least four runs in each of his last six starts dating back to last season. The Dodgers got to him for three runs in the first two innings before Enrique Hernandez took him deep in the fifth. Corbin managed to get into the seventh but was pulled with one out and runners on the corners and the Dodgers would tack on another run before the inning concluded. The 34-year-old owns a 1.97 WHIP and 15:8 K:BB in 22.1 innings. He’s allowed 36 hits over four starts.

The Washington bullpen will definitely be needed behind Corbin and that unit has been very good. Kyle Finnegan is tied for the National League lead (T2nd in MLB) with seven saves. He has not allowed a baserunner over his last four outings, a win and three converted saves. Hunter Harvey is tied for the Major League lead with seven holds, while his 18 strikeouts are the second-most among relievers.

Washington Betting Odds to Win
MLB Money Line