The Colorado Rockies take on the Washington Nationals. Check out our MLB odds series for our Rockies Nationals prediction and pick.
German Marquez takes the mound for the Rockies, while Patrick Corbin gets the start for the Nationals.
German Marquez has a 6.14 ERA. In six of his eight starts this season, he has allowed at least four runs. He has allowed five or more runs in three of those eight starts. Marquez gave up seven runs on 10 hits in five innings in a loss to the Nationals on May 3. Will he adjust to that rough afternoon, or will the Nationals get him again? It's true that Coors Field is a very tough park to pitch in, but Marquez has struggled in road starts as well as home starts. On the other hand, six of his eight starts have been at Coors, so maybe he can still prove that Coors is what is holding him back more than anything else. That is definitely something to consider when making a Rockies Nationals prediction.
Patrick Corbin has a 6.60 ERA. He has allowed at least five runs in five of his nine starts this season. He has given up exactly five runs in three of his last four starts, including five runs to the Rockies on May 4 at Coors Field. Corbin allows way too many baserunners, giving up 54 hits in 43 2/3 innings. He had been doing a good job of avoiding home runs, but he has allowed a total of five in his last two starts. It's true that those two starts were against the Brewers and Astros, two very good teams, but at some point, a series of rough outings becomes less about the opponent and more about the struggling pitcher himself. This is something to keep in mind when formulating a Rockies Nationals pick.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Rockies-Nationals MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Rockies-Nationals Odds
Colorado Rockies: -1.5 (+155)
Washington Nationals: +1.5 (-188)
Over: 8.5 (-120)
Under: 8.5 (-102)
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Why The Rockies Could Cover the Spread
The Rockies just lost a series to the Pirates, which might seem like a reason to pick against them in this game, but the larger reality of baseball tells us that the flow of a season invites course corrections at various points along the way. This seems like a good spot for the Rockies to bounce back and move back toward the .500 mark (they're currently 20-23 after a prolonged period of losing).
The other reason to take Colorado when making a Rockies Nationals pick is that Patrick Corbin simply hasn't been a very good pitcher for Washington this season. The Rockies do struggle to hit on the road, but this is a game in which they can feast.
Why The Nationals Could Cover the Spread
After handing the Los Angeles Dodgers their first shutout loss of the season, the Nats will come to the ballpark with fresh hope that they can turn their season around. This team has struggled, but there are no signs that players aren't battling every day they take the field. This team is competing; it just lacks the depth in its batting order needed to thrive.
In this game, though, going against German Marquez — who has failed to find a rhythm this season — gives Washington a chance to bust loose on offense. This is a matchup the Nats can take advantage of.
Final Rockies-Nationals Prediction & Pick
Why try to pick between two struggling baseball teams when you can instead bet on a total? Two pitchers with ERAs over six runs? This is a natural spot to take the over.
Final Rockies-Nationals Prediction & Pick: Over 8.5