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The Houston Astros host the Washington Nationals for a 2019 World Series rematch! It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Nationals-Astros prediction and pick.
The Nationals are (26-39) on the season and have lost seven of their last 10 games. They remain in dead last in the NL East division, which seems to be completely one-sided at this point in the year. The Braves are the clear team to beat but I will, however, give credit to the Miami Marlins who are (37-31) on the year despite not having Jazz Chizholm Jr. on the field. The Nationals will likely finish last in not only the division but the entire National League as well.
The reigning champs suffered a tough loss Wednesday morning, as Jordan Alvarez is set to miss at least 4-6 weeks with an injury. The team is already dealing with injuries and this is the worst of them all. The lineup will hurt not having Alvarez in there and Jeremy Pena hasn't played since June 10. All in all, the Astros remain in second place in the AL West with a (38-29) record. The Texas Rangers are (41-25) and have been on a roll the last few weeks.
Here are the Nationals-Astros MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Nationals-Astros Odds
Washington Nationals: +1.5 (+102)
Houston Astros: -1.5 (-122)
Over: 7.5 (-118)
Under: 7.5 (-104)
How To Watch Nationals vs. Astros
TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest, MASN
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 8:10 ET/5:10 PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Nationals Could Cover The Spread
On the bump for the Nationals is their top starter, Jonah Gray. The right-hander is (4-5) on the season with a 3.00 ERA in 72.0 innings pitched. It's been a very respectable season as he has 61 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.40. He allowed just one run off two hits to the Atlanta Braves in his last start, which is a really good sign. The Braves are the hottest team in the NL and for Gray to allow just two hits is something he can build off of. He won't be facing Alvarez tonight, so his task gets a little easier. If Gray goes out and gives the Nationals a quality start, then Washington has a chance to cover this spread on the road.
On the offensive side, they have had about eight players remain healthy and play for the majority of the season. Eight players have at least 200 ABs on the campaign, which is the most in the MLB. They have had the same lineup for a majority of the season and up until about a few weeks ago, they had been playing very well. Joey Meneses leads the team with 77 hits, 32 RBI, and .302 average. Lane Thomas leads in homers with nine and OPS at .802. The team bats .294 as a whole against southpaws, who they face tonight.
Why The Astros Could Cover The Spread
Starting for the Astros is Framber Valdez. The lefty is (6-5) with a 2.36 ERA in 84.0 innings pitched. He's been one of the top starters in the American League this season and pitches even better at home with a 2.12 ERA. Valdez has 89 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.06 in 13 starts. He allowed three runs to the Toronto Blue Jays in his last start but allowed just one run in his previous three starts combined. Another solid pouting tonight should put the Astros in a position to cover this spread.
It's unclear if Pena will return to the lineup tonight, but if he doesn't they will be without two of their best hitters. Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker, and Jose Abreu are plenty to take over a game, but it just shows you how talented the lineup is when everyone is healthy. Mauricio Dubon has done a great job of filling in batting .297 on the season. Facing a young pitcher tonight, the Astros still have a chance to win big.
Final Nationals-Astros Prediction & Pick
Gray is coming off a great start and Valdez is one of the top pitchers in the game right now. I like the Astros to cover, but I also like the under at 7.5 as well.
Final Nationals-Astros Prediction & Pick: Astros -1.5 (-122); Under 7.5 (-104)
