Washington Nationals vs. San Diego Padres Prediction: Can Juan Soto Get Revenge Against Former Team?
The Washington Nationals and the San Diego Padres kick off their three-game series tonight. Can Juan Soto get revenge against his former team? Baseball expert Krabs answers.
Krabs - May 23, 2023, 3:33 PM EDT
5 minWashington Nationals vs. San Diego Padres Prediction: Can Juan Soto Get Revenge Against Former Team?
Tonight’s game against the San Diego Padres is more than just a typical regular season game for the Washington Nationals. Juan Soto returns to Washington, D.C., for the first time in 2023. This won’t be the first time Soto takes the field at Nationals Park wearing an away jersey, but it will feel like it in D.C. tonight. Soto’s return isn’t the only revenge narrative in this game, though...
Nationals vs. Padres Start Time and Where to Watch
- Date: May 23, 2023
- Game Time: 7:05 pm ET
- Where to Watch: MLB.TV
Washington Nationals vs. San Diego Padres Prediction
MacKenzie Gore takes the mound against the Padres for the first time since being traded in the Soto deal last year. The young lefty has overperformed all expectations, currently owning a 3.69 ERA with 58 strikeouts in only 46 innings pitched. The 24-year-old southpaw is coming off one of his poorest starts of the season, allowing four runs in Miami. Gore will look to bounce back against one of the worst offenses in baseball, which happens to be the same team who drafted/traded him. Do you think tonight’s start could mean a little more for the young starter?
CJ Abrams has performed better than Juan Soto in 2023. No, they don’t play the same position, and yes, Juan Soto is a better baseball player than CJ Abrams, but the young shortstop has shined at the plate over his last 30 games. Abrams is hitting .255 with four home runs and 18 RBIs over that span. Do you know how many RBIs Juan Soto has over his last 30 games? I’ll give you a hint… it’s less than Abrams (14)!
Yu Darvish just got roughed up by the Kansas City Royals in debatably his worst start of the season. He can’t be feeling confident traveling to D.C. to face a sneaky good lineup in the Nationals. He opened up a (-175) favorite before sharps steamed the Nationals, moving the line to (-155). Doesn’t this line look a little short with Darvish on the mound? Maybe the books are starting to give the Padres less respect on their lines, which would be deservingly so. San Diego has scored only four more runs than the measly Athletics this year. Although their roster is stacked, the Padres have struggled to get anything going at the plate this year.
With the total moving down, I expect both pitchers to perform well tonight and bounce back after subpar starts. The Nats should win this game, but back them on the run line in what should be a low-scoring affair. Davey Martinez will throw his “A” bullpen tonight and give the Padres everything he’s got in the first game of Juan Soto’s return to D.C.
Washington Nationals vs. San Diego Padres Pick
Washington Nationals +1.5 -130 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbooks have the best odds
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