Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants Prediction: Can Nationals Spoil Blake Snell's Giants Debut?
Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants Prediction: Can Nationals Spoil Blake Snell's Giants Debut?
Blake Snell will be making his first start of the 2024 season after signing a two-year, $62 million dollar contract with the Giants right before the season. He will face the Nationals in their first road game of their upcoming west-coast road trip. Will Snell dominate the struggling Nationals, or will their young core show some life on Monday night?
Nationals vs. Giants DATE, TIME, AND WHERE TO WATCH
- Date: April 8, 2024
- Start Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
- Where to Watch: MLB Extra Innings
Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants Prediction
This may surprise you, but the Nationals actually had a better record on the road last season than at home. This isn’t just because of the tough division they play frequently play against at Nationals Park, either. This team just seemed more comfortable on the road last year, especially offensively. Unlike most, I wouldn’t be surprised if the scrappy Nats start this road-stand off with a bang…
Blake Snell is one of the best pitchers in the game right now, but are the Nationals the best matchup for him in his return to the diamond? Washington prefers facing left-handed pitching, and they showed some serious discipline against Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez and Jose Alvarado over the weekend. If they bring the same patience they had in DC with them on their road trip, the Nationals might find some success early in this contest.
The one “kryptonite” of Snell’s game would be his command, which he tends to actually use to his advantage with his effectively-wild arsenal. Considering he just signed only a few weeks ago, is it fair to assume he may be a little more wild with his command than a mid-season start? I could see the Nationals stringing together some gritty at-bats on Monday night, working the count and forcing some walks against the big lefty.
Instead of trying to back the Nationals to win this game and dealing with their struggling bullpen, let’s isolate the first half of this game. Back the Nationals through the first five innings of play against Snell. Who knows, with his 70-pitch limit on Monday, the Nationals might not have to even face Snell for the entirely of the first five innings. Fade the Giants new ace in his first start since signing with his new squad. Nobody is expecting the Nationals to stay competitive in this ballgame, and that is exactly the team we want our money on.
Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants Pick
Pick: WSH F5 +0.5 (+115) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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Krabs is a contrarian bettor who isn’t afraid to fade the public or go against the grain. His betting style not only produces winners but has changed the way many think about the sports betting process. You’ll find Krabs betting on anything from the NFL (at a 60% clip in 2022) to the KBO (8-1-1 in 2022). You won’t find many handicappers with more college basketball knowledge or insight than Krabs. A native of the “DMV,” you can find his work @Krabs_Bets on Twitter, or on Behind the Lines, his daily sports betting show on twitch.