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The Nationals will travel to Miami to face the Marlins on Friday! These two teams have started the season playing very similarly. They have big wins but have struggled to maintain them and have been inconsistent. This is a big series for both teams to gain momentum. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Nationals-Marlins prediction and pick.
Nationals-Marlins Projected Starters
Mitchell Parker vs. Cal Quantrill
Mitchell Parker (2-0) with a 0.73 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP
Last Start: Allowed one run on two hits with four walks and two strikeouts through six innings.
Away Splits:
Cal Quantrill (1-1) with a 6.00 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP
Last Start: Allowed zero runs on four hits with zero walks and four strikeouts through five innings.
Home Splits: (0-1) 13.50 ERA
Here are the MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Nationals-Marlins Odds
Washington Nationals: -1.5 (+146)
Moneyline: -122
Miami Marlins: +1.5 (-178)
Moneyline: +104
Over: 8 (-115)
Under: 8 (-105)
How to Watch Nationals vs. Marlins
Time: 7:10 pm ET/4:10 pm PT
Article Continues Below
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida/Mid-Atlantic Sports Network
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why The Nationals Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Nationals struggled toward a 71-91 record last year, and they have won four of their last five games to get to a 5-7 record. Their bats were okay at best last season, and they have been average in the middle of the MLB. The Nationals have struggled on the mound, and not much has changed from last season to the start of this one. CJ Abrams, Nathaniel Lowe, Keibert Ruiz, Luis Garcia Jr., James Wood, and Paul DeJong are solid in the batting rotation. MacKenzie Gore and Mitchell Parker have been the two best pitchers for the Nationals this season. The Nationals have talent and can make significant steps this season, but it depends.
The Nationals are starting Parker on the mound, and he has a 2-0 record, a 0.73 ERA, and a 1.22 WHIP. Parker has allowed one run on nine hits with four walks and two strikeouts through 12.1 innings across two starts. He also has a K/BB ratio of 1.2 through both of his starts. Parker is off to a scorching hot start for the Nationals, and he has a significant advantage over the Marlins in this game. Miami has struggled in their own right behind the plate, and this is a brutal matchup for him.
The offense for the Nationals is in the middle of the pack of the MLB with a .235 after finishing last season with a .243 batting average. Ruiz, Abrams, and Wood have stood out the most for the Nationals on offense this season. Ruiz leads in batting average at .333, in OBP at .395, and in total hits with 13. Then, Abrams leads in home runs with four, and Wood leads in RBI with 10. The offensive improvement is something to watch, and they should have a significant matchup advantage in this game against Quantrill for the Marlins. He has had a rough start to the season.
Why The Marlins Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Marlins were among the worst teams in the MLB last season, with a 62-100 record, but they have been solid this season with a 6-6 record. They are 2-3 in their last five games. The offense has been around average for the Marlins last season and into this season. The pitching has been solid compared to the previous season, especially after how much they struggled on the mound. Otto Lopez, Xavier Edwards, Griffin Conine, Matt Mervis, and Kyle Stowers have stood out despite their offensive struggles. Max Meyer, Connor Gillespie, and Sandy Alcantara have been solid for the Marlins in this pitching staff. The Marlins seem better than last season, but it remains to be seen by how much.
The Marlins are starting Quantrill on the mound. He has a 1-1 record, a 6.00 ERA, and a 1.44 WHIP. In nine innings across two games, Quantrill has allowed six runs on 12 hits with one walk and six strikeouts. He also has a K/BB ratio of six. Quantrill has started the season slowly, and even despite that, he's playing an offense that has not been all that impressive. This will still be a difficult matchup for him.
The Marlins' offense has struggled this season. They were 14th in team batting average at .244 last season and have a .238 average this season. Lopez, Mervis, Lopez, and Stowers have stood out on the offense the most for the Marlins. Lopez leads in batting average at .283 and in total hits with 13. Mervis leads in home runs with three, Lopez in RBI with seven, and Stowers in OBP at .383. The Nationals have a clear advantage over this offense with Parker on the mound. This is a big matchup in this game.
Final Nationals-Marlins Prediction & Pick
These teams are very similar on paper, and each offense has not been able to stand out, but the key is Parker on the mound for the Nationals. The Nationals win and cover, thanks to Parker, even on the road.
Final Nationals-Marlins Prediction & Pick: Washington Nationals -1.5 (+146)
