Washington Nationals vs Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction, Pick and Preview, April 18 (4/18): MLB

Credit: photo by Dale Zanines-USA TODAY Sports

Odds

Key stats

Preview

The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to Washington on Monday to play a 4-game series against the Nationals. Both teams lost their last series, the Dbacks lost 2-1 vs Mets and the Nationals 1-3 to the Pirates.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Dbacks won 1 of 3 games and lost the series against the Mets in NY. They've shown poor offense, averaging only .152 at bat and 37 hits, scoring 2.63 runs per game and allowing 4.5 runs. Ketel leads with .212 avg, Seth Beer has 5 RBI and Christian Walker has 2 home runs.

Merrill Kelly has not allowed a run in either of his two starts, striking out 13 in 9.1 innings. 

Probable Pitcher:

Madison Bumgarner (0-0, 2.25 ERA) will be on the mound for the Dbacks in the 1st game of the series. Bumgarner didn't factor into the decision during Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Houston, allowing one run on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts in five innings. He pitched only one game against the Nats last season and recorded the win allowing only one run and struck out 5 in 5 innings pitched.

Washington Nationals

The Nationals lost 3 of 4 games against the Pirates and have won only 1 game at home so far this season. The team is averaging 4.1 runs per game but allowing 5.5 runs. Josh Bell has a batting average of .350, 2 home runs and 10 RBI. Juan Soto leads the team in home runs with 3.

Erick Fedde has allowed only 2 runs in 5 innings while Patrick Corbin leads in strikeouts with 11.

Probable Pitcher: 

Josiah Gray (1-1, 4.00 ERA) will start for the Nats in the 1st game of the series. Gray picked up the win Wednesday, allowing only one hit and three walks over five scoreless innings in a 3-1 victory over Atlanta. He struck out five. The right-hander fired 50 of 82 pitches for strikes, and Atlanta didn't get a runner past second base until Gray was out of the game. 

BETTING TRENDS

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games.

Arizona are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games.

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games against Arizona.

Washington are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games at home.

Prediction

It's hard to trust in any of these teams right now. The Dbacks have the worst runs scoring average and the Nationals have won 1 of their last 7 games at home. The Nationals have the better offense but they'll be facing the Dbacks best Pitcher who hold them to just on run in his last game. Josiah Gray is coming from a great performance against the Braves and with this Dbacks offense I think the best play is the Under.

PICK: Under 8.5  (-110)

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