It isn't hyperbole to say that this might be one of the season's most important series for the Toronto Blue Jays when they visit the Washington Nationals. The Blue Jays were supposed to be contenders in the American League East, but a string of abysmal offensive play has caused some doubt. They need to turn it around soon, and back-to-back series losses to the Royals and Nationals could have dire consequences for the team and coaching staff. It is time to continue our MLB odds series with a Blue Jays-Nationals prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

The season didn't begin great for Kevin Gausman, as he suffered right shoulder fatigue early in Spring Training. The injury caused him to throw just 70 pitches in his debut, a game where he shoved through four innings with two hits and one earned run. He barely pitched five innings in his next two starts combined, as he gave up 14 hits and 11 earned runs in two bad losses. He has regained his form over the last three starts, elevating his pitch count and allowing just two earned runs.

It's been a true up-and-down season for Jake Irvin. The second-year pitcher has started six games for the Nationals, holding a 2-2 record and a 4.28 ERA. He began with two below-average games, allowing seven earned runs over 11 innings. Then, he dominated the Athletics and Dodgers, allowing just one earned run and five hits over 12 innings. The Dodgers got their payback in the next start, tallying 12 hits and six earned runs over 4 2/3 innings. He cleaned it up last start, allowing four hits and two earned runs in a win over Miami.

Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Blue Jays-Nationals Odds

Toronto Blue Jays: -1.5 (-108)

Moneyline: -180

Washington Nationals: +1.5 (-111)

Moneyline: +152

Over: 8 (-114)

Under: 8 (-106)

How to Watch Blue Jays vs. Nationals

Time: 4:05 PM ET/1:05 PM PT

TV: MASN, Sportsnet

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Blue Jays Will Cover The Spread/Win

The Blue Jays need their opposing team to struggle mightily to win. The good news is that the Nationals scored two runs in three games against the Texas Rangers, with Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, and Jon Gray shutting them down. It's nothing against those pitchers, but Kevin Gausman is better and has allowed just two earned runs in recent starts against the Yankees and Dodgers. There may not be much offense in this game.

Why The Nationals Will Cover The Spread/Win

The Blue Jays are running out of answers, as their offense looks worse than it has in a long time. Toronto was supposed to be one of the league's top teams, with young stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr and Bo Bichette. However, the pair's offensive contributions haven't been there this season. Guerrero Jr is batting .231 with just three home runs, while Bichette has a .205 average and one home run. They still have time to turn it around, but every day, it looks more and more like they aren't the superstars everyone expects them to be. It doesn't help that lead-off hitter George Springer is also batting .212.

Jake Irvin does a great job of limiting opponents' scoring opportunities. His only poor start was a 12-hit outing against the Dodgers, but he hasn't given up more than five hits or two walks in the rest of his starts over the last five. For an offense that is struggling, facing a pitcher who doesn't make many mistakes could be a disaster.

Final Blue Jays-Nationals Prediction & Pick

Saturday afternoon has the potential to be an ugly game unless you are a fan of watching pitchers dominate. Everyone is waiting for the Blue Jays' offense to break out, but who knows when that will happen? This could easily be a 1-0 game, and it's hard to say which team will come out on top. Just root for pitching in this game and take the under.

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Final Blue Jays-Nationals Prediction & Pick: Under 8 (-106)