Washington Nationals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Preview
Where: Chase Field, Phoenix
When: Friday, July 21, 2017, 9:40 PM ET
Line: Washington Nationals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks – view all MLB lines
TV Broadcast: FSAZ, MASN2
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Betting on the Washington Nationals (57-37)
The Washington Nationals had their six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with a humbling 7-0 defeat to the Los Angeles Angels. The Nats simply had no answer for Alex Meyer who pitched one-hit ball into the seventh inning. With the loss, Washington dropped down to 57-37 in the NL East standings.
The Nats will look to return to the win column when they face the D-backs in their series opener tonight. Starting for Washington in this critical matchup is Max Scherzer. He’s been in fine form of late, registering double-digit strikeouts in nine of his past 10 starts. Scherzer’s 2.01 ERA and 183 strikeouts are the best in the National League. The 32-year-old pitched six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts during Saturday’s win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Scherzer can’t do it all alone, though, and he needs the Washington hitters to contribute on the offensive end as well. Expected to lead the Nats in that department are Anthony Rendon and Bryce Harper. Rendon’s sizzling at the plate at the moment, batting .526 in his last six starts with four homers and 10 RBIs. The same can be said about the red-hot Harper who’s 11-for-21 in his last five games with four homers and eight RBIs.
The Nationals are 6-1 in their last seven road games.
Betting on the Arizona Diamondbacks (55-40)
The Arizona Diamondbacks returned to winning ways Thursday with a resounding 12-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Jake Lamb drilled a pair of three-run homers to lift the D-backs to their second win in their last three games. The Diamondbacks will look to carry the momentum of that huge victory when they lock horns with the Washington Nationals in their series opener Friday night.
It’s not yet known who will start for Arizona in this matchup. Patrick Corbin was originally scheduled in this spot, but the 28-year-old had to start Thursday against Cincinnati in place of Taijuan Walker, who is currently in Phoenix awaiting the birth of his first child. Zack Godley (3-4, 3.09 ERA) and Matt Koch are the likely candidates to start the series opener against the Nats.
Be it Godley or Koch, they will be buoyed by the fact that the D-backs offense has finally woken up from its slumber. They scored a whopping 26 runs in their series victory against Cincinnati. Arizona’s offense even made some history Thursday against the Reds. The D-Backs scored 12 runs in that ballgame while getting just 13 runners on base (9 hits, 4 walks). Arizona’s the first team to score at least 12 runs with no more than 13 baserunners since August 27, 2014 when Texas did it against the Seattle. The Diamondbacks are the first National League team to accomplish that rare feat since July 13, 1979 (Atlanta did it against Pittsburgh).
Arizona is 5-5 in its last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Washington wins, 4-1.
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