It’s likely that very few people expected the rebuilding Arizona Diamondbacks would have a better record than the Washington Nationals when they met in mid-June. The teams open a weekend series in D.C. on Thursday night with the Diamondbacks favored on the MLB Lines behind their ace.
How to Bet Diamondbacks vs Nationals MLB Lines & Game Info
- When: Thursday, 7:05 PM ET
- Where: Nationals Park
- Probable pitchers (away/home): Zack Greinke/Erick Fedde
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- Radio: 106.7 The Fan
- Opening MLB Lines: Arizona Diamondbacks -125 (Total 9)
Yankees vs White Sox MLB Odds, Preview & Expert Pick
Why Bet on Arizona?
How about the season that second baseman Ketel Marte is having? Marte went deep for the third game in a row Tuesday in Arizona’s loss to the Phillies. Marte led off the seventh inning with his 17th long ball of the season. He also singled twice to notch his second straight three-hit game. Marte now has eight homers off righties and nine off lefties, as he continues to crush southpaws for the second year in a row. His 17 taters are already a career high.
On Monday, Arizona set a club record with 8 home runs, breaking the previous mark of 6 done 6 times (last: June 1, 2018, vs. Marlins). The D-backs also tied team record with 6 different players homering (also: June 20, 2012, vs. Mariners). The 13 combined home runs between the D-backs and Phillies were also a Major League record in a single game.
Ace Zack Greinke improved to 7-2 on the season after striking out seven in six scoreless innings Saturday against Toronto. He gave up four hits and two walks. Greinke only allowed two runners to reach scoring position all game. He was pulled after the second of those players, Lourdes Gurriel, led off the seventh inning with a triple. While he normally relies on his change-up or slider as the primary complement to his fastball, Greinke instead turned his curveball, throwing it a season-high 23 times. It was the fourth shutout by the Diamondbacks this season. It was the third in a game started by Greinke.
The start was a good recovery from the four runs in four innings he allowed last time out against the Mets, and he lowered his ERA to 2.87 in the process. The right-hander had his start pushed back a day because of stiffness in his neck, but if he was still feeling it, he didn’t show any ill effects on the mound.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.23
- Hits: 9.13
- Walks: 3.06
- Strike Outs: 8.71
Defense
- Runs: 4.36
- Hits: 8.67
- Walks: 3.20
- Strike Outs: 8.87
Why Bet on Washington?
The Nats were off Wednesday after having a three-game winning streak snapped in a 7-5 loss at the White Sox on Tuesday. Anthony Rendon went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in the loss. Rendon jacked a two-run homer in the first inning before blasting a solo shot in the ninth. The homers give him 14 on the year, and the 29-year-old has 46 RBI and 48 runs scored through 53 games. Rendon is hitting .320/.422/.655 overall.
The Nats were without first baseman/DH Matt Adams on Tuesday. Nationals manager Davey Martinez said that Adams’ oblique strain is “a lot better than we anticipated.” Adams suffered the injury on Monday and may land on the IL eventually, but the Nationals will hold off on making a decision on that front for now. Gerardo Parra started at first base and Howie Kendrick was the designated hitter Tuesday versus the White Sox. Usual first baseman Ryan Zimmermann has been out weeks with a foot injury.
Over the team’s last seven games, shortstop Trea Turner is slashing .310/.375/.828 with eight extra-base hits, three of them homers, and seven RBI. Turner’s 1.203 OPS leads the team in that stretch. It’s no coincidence the lineup has picked up its performance at the same time as Turner returned from injury.
Erick Fedde (1-0) pitched six innings in Friday’s 5-4 loss to the Padres, allowing three runs on five hits in a no-decision. Fedde struck out five batters and didn’t hand out any free passes. An RBI ground out by Manny Machado in the opening frame and a two-run homer off the bat of Fernando Tatis Jr. in the sixth inning accounted for all of the damage against him.
Fedde was on the hook for the loss before the Nationals rallied in the seventh inning to tie the game. The right-hander has done well in four starts this season, allowing six runs over 20 innings. Overall, he’s appeared in nine games with a 2.93 ERA and 1.21 WHIP through 30.2 innings pitched.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 4.88
- Hits: 8.55
- Walks: 3.34
- Strike Outs: 8.84
- Runs: 4.90
- Hits: 8.46
- Walks: 3.21
- Strike Outs: 9.54
Diamondbacks vs Nationals MLB Betting Trends
- Nationals are 0-5 in Fedde’s last 5 home starts vs. a team with a winning record
- Diamondbacks are 17-8 in Greinke’s last 25 road starts vs. a team with a losing record
- Diamondbacks are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
- Nationals are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington’s last 6 games against an opponent in the National League
Expert Final Score Prediction for Diamondbacks vs Nationals
Arizona Diamondbacks 5 – Washington Nationals 4
