The 2020 Major League Baseball season is finally here, and fans will be treated to a terrific matchup on Opening Night. The Washington Nationals will host the New York Yankees on Thursday night in the first of two games.
Washington went from the Wild Card game to the World Series a season ago, and they feature one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. The Yankees are one of the favorites to win the title in 2020, as their lineup is one of the best in the league.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Yankees at -140 in the season opener, while the defending champions are listed at +120.
Yankees Feature Powerful Lineup
The New York Yankees hit 306 home runs during the 2019 regular season, which was second-most in all of baseball. There are power hitters up and down the Yankees lineup, and they will use their power to beat teams into submission.
Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are the two biggest sluggers in the lineup, and both players will enter the season healthy. Getting runners on base in front of these two sluggers will be a huge key for the Yankees in this game.
Gerrit Cole will get the opening day start for the New York Yankees after signing a massive contract before the 2020 season. Cole went 20-5 with a 2.50 earned run average with the Astros a season ago, and he will be tough on Washington hitters in this game.
The Yankees will be without closer Aroldis Chapman after it was revealed that he recently tested positive for COVID-19.
Nationals Give Ball to Scherzer
The Nationals have a pair of dominant starting pitchers, but they are going to go with Max Scherzer on opening day. Scherzer was just 11-7 during the 2019 regular season, but went 5-2 during the playoffs.
Washington had a shaky bullpen at times a season ago, but the bullpen might not come into play with Scherzer on the mound. The right hander will challenge the Yankees with a dominant fastball, and he will need to keep the ball in the park.
Anthony Rendon was the best offensive player for the Nationals a season ago, but he is now a member of the Los Angeles Angels. There will be a massive hole in the lineup, but Juan Soto and Trea Turner are still tough outs.
Prediction: Defending Champs Win Season Opener
The New York Yankees are expected to be a bigger threat to win the World Series this season, but the Washington Nationals are still the defending champs. This game will feature two of the top pitchers in baseball, and runs might be hard to come by.
Playing without Chapman could hurt the Yankees in a close game, which this is expected to be. The Nationals continued to find ways to win big games a season ago, and that momentum may carry into the season opener.
Head to FanDuel Sportsbook and bet on the Washington Nationals +120 over the New York Yankees.
