The Washington Nationals have traveled out West to take on the San Diego Padres this weekend, and things have not gone well for them. San Diego has managed to win the first two games of the series by identical scores of 5-4 and will look to keep it rolling on Saturday night. The Nationals hope that having their ace on the mound on Saturday night will get the job done.
This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the San Diego Padres, but they are starting to look like a contender. The Padres have actually been struggling of late but still bring a 33-31 record into this game. Washington had won six of seven before arriving in San Diego, but they have had a miserable start to 2019. The Nationals are just 28-35 and sit in fourth place in the NL East. Washington is -150 over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.
Scherzer on Mound For Nationals
Max Scherzer is one of the top pitchers in baseball, but he has struggled so far to begin the 2019 season. Scherzer brings a 3-5 record into this game, but does sport a very good 3.06 earned run average. The hard-throwing right-hander went eight innings and gave up just one run in his last start, and appears to be rounding back into form. Washington has the worst bullpen in all of baseball and will need their starter to go deep.
The Nationals might have lost Bryce Harper to free agency, but Anthony Rendon has emerged as a real star. Rendon leads the team with 11 home runs and 40 runs batted in to go along with a .322 batting average. Washington has belted 80 long balls already this season, and they still have a terrific lineup despite losing Harper. A couple of runs should be enough to win this game.
Padres Are Scoring Some Runs
Speaking of scoring runs, the Padres have scored at least five runs in each of their last five games. The Padres have blasted 96 home runs already this season, with centerfielder Franmil Reyes leading the way with 19 of them. Eric Hosmer paces the team with 68 hits and an on-base percentage of .331. Oh, and then there is Manny Machado. San Diego still might be one year away, but their lineup is ready to win now.
Eric Lauer was the Opening Day starter for the San Diego Padres, and he will be on the mound for this game. Lauer struggled right out of the gate but has won his last three starts. The left-hander brings a 5-4 record with an ERA of 4.18 into this game, and he will have his hands full with this Nationals lineup. If Lauer can keep pace with Scherzer, the Padres have a shot.
Nationals Get First Win of Series
The first two games of this series have been incredibly tight, and expect much of the same on Saturday. The biggest difference for the Nationals is that they will have Max Scherzer on the mound for this one. Scherzer is going to turn things around, and it will start with a great effort in this game. Bet the Washington Nationals -150 over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.
