Subscribe
Follow Us
The Washington Nationals hit the road to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday night. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Nationals-Pirates prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
Nationals-Pirates Projected Starters
Mitchell Parker vs. Bailey Falter
Mitchell Parker (2-0) with a 1.96 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 18.1 innings pitched, 8 walks, 10 strikeouts, .209 oBA
Last Start: at Miami Marlins: No Decision, 6 innings pitched, 5 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), 2 walks, 3 strikeouts
Away Splits: 1 start. See above.
Bailey Falter (0-2) with a 7.20 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 15.0 innings pitched, 6 walks, 13 strikeouts, .298 oBA
Last Start: at Cincinnati Reds: Loss, 5 innings pitched, 3 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), 5 walks, 4 strikeouts
Home Splits: 1 start, 4 innings pitched, 7 hits, 7 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Here are the MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Nationals-Pirates Odds
Washington Nationals: -1.5 (+164)
Moneyline: -106
Pittsburgh Pirates: +1.5 (-200)
Moneyline: -110
Over: 8 (-115)
Under: 8 (-105)
How to Watch Nationals-Pirates
Time: 6:40 PM ET/3:40 PM PT
TV: MASN, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why The Nationals Will Cover The Spread/Win
Mitchell Parker has been very good on the mound for the Nationals. His ERA is under 2.00, his WHIP is very good, and he is doing a great job not allowing hits. Along with that, Parker is staying off the barrel, and he is keeping the ball on the ground. The Nationals were able to shutout the Pirates Tuesday night, and there is a great chance for that to happen again on Wednesday.
The Pirates are handing the ball to Bailey Falter, and he is struggling. He allows plenty of hits, and his hard-hit percentage is over 50 percent. The left-hander is not great at missing the barrel of the bat, and opponents have been taking advantage of it. In fact, he has allowed three home runs over his last two games. If the Nationals can hit the ball off a pitcher that will allow loud contact, Washington will be able to win this game.
Why The Pirates Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Pirates should be able to hit the ball a little bit in this game. Mitchell Parker is very good, but the rest of the Nationals' pitching staff has struggled. They have the highest ERA in the MLB, and opponents hit .280 off them. The Pirates will need to knock Parker out of this game fairly early, but if they can do that, the Nationals bullpen has a tendency to give up runs. As long as Pittsburgh has tough at-bats early, it will pay off late in the game.
Falters has had one very bad start. He allowed seven runs in four innings against the New York Yankees. However, he has allowed just three and two earned runs in his other two starts this season. Point being, Falter's statistics do not reflect on how he has pitched this season. He is capable of good outings, and the Pirates need on Wednesday night. If Falter pitches well, Pittsburgh will be in a good position to win this game at home.
Final Nationals-Pirates Prediction & Pick
The pitching matchup is actually better than it might be given credit for. However, Mitchel Parker is the better pitcher and the Pirates have one of the worst offenses in the MLB as their batting average is abysmal, and they lack the power. Because of those facts, I am expecting the Nationals to win this game on the road Wednesday night.
Final Nationals-Pirates Prediction & Pick: Nationals ML (-106)
