The Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees will open up a three-game weekend series in the Bronx on Friday night. It’s time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Nationals-Yankees prediction and pick.
New York had a five-game winning streak snapped by the Astros in the finale of their three-game set yesterday. The Yankees now welcome the 12-15 Washington Nationals to Yankee Stadium as they look to continue to build on their recent success. Washington will look to rebound after getting swept by the Atlanta Braves in their previous series. Which team will have the edge in this inter-league series?
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Nationals-Yankees odds.
MLB Odds: Nationals-Yankees Odds
Washington Nationals +1.5 (-127)
New York Yankees -1.5 (+107)
Over 8.5 Runs (-115)
Under 8.5 Runs (-105)
Why The Nationals Could Cover The Spread
The Washington Nationals have had a roller-coaster season this far and will hope to get their season on the right track with a three-game series against an unfamiliar foe. Washington needs to get something going as they just got swept by the Braves and now sit at the bottom of the NL East. The Nationals will have to come out aggressive and get the bats going as the lineup just hasn't been the same without Juan Soto.
The Nationals have received some great news heading into this series as Juan Soto is now being listed as day-to-day and could return to the lineup as soon as Friday. Washington really needs their anchor back as their averaging just 3.44 runs per game, which is good for 28th in the league. The pitching staff has kept them afloat, but now may take a hit as well as Stephen Strasburg is dealing with a shoulder injury.
The Nationals will send out left-hander Patrick Corbin for the opener in the Bronx. Corbin is currently 1-3 with an 8.10 ERA in five starts this season. Despite the underwhelming numbers, the Nats southpaw has been trending upward lately. Corbin defeated the Miami Marlins in a seven-inning effort his last time out. If Corbin can begin to attack the zone more often and avoid free passes, he may be in line to provide a quality start against an erratic Yankee lineup.
Why The Yankees Could Cover The Spread
The New York Yankees are finally beginning to wake up as the calendar has shifted to May. New York is 10-4 in their last 14 games played and can finally come to Yankee Stadium knowing that they aren't going to get boo'd by their own fans. The resurrection of this highly-touted lineup has been a sight to see over the past couple of weeks.
Yankee sluggers Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge have been absolutely raking of late. Stanton has been especially good for his club, hitting over .300 with nine homers and 23 RBI on the season. He now gets a chance to go up against a struggling southpaw, which is promising for the former MVP. The Yankee lineup is quickly climbing the ranks to go along with their top-three pitching staff in all of baseball.
New York will send out right-hander Jameson Taillon for his sixth start of the season. Taillon is 1-2 with a 5.24 ERA in five starts in 2021. The Yankee right-hander did receive his first win in two years in his last start against the Detroit Tigers last weekend. He struck out eight Tigers and allowed just one run in five innings of work. The tall righty is averaging the most strikeouts per nine innings of his career to open the 2021 season. He gets to go up against a familiar foe as this is his first year pitching in the American League.
Final Nationals-Yankees Prediction & Pick
The New York Yankees should win this series, if not come away with the sweep. The disparity is clear as they're the much more talented team with a few glaring advantages. The Yankee lineup has been far better than the Nats lately, and New York possesses one of the best bullpens in the league. Washington hasn't been able to score at all in their past few games and will have a tough test against an improving Jameson Taillon. The Yankees will get at Corbin early and often and put runs on the board with ease in the opener.
FINAL Nationals-Yankees Prediction & Pick: New York Yankees -1.5 (+107)
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