Justin Verlander will make his 2024 debut in Game 1 of this weekend’s Astros vs. Nationals series in Washington, D.C. With Verlander set to oppose Mackenzie Gore in Friday night’s matchup, what’s the best bet tonight at 6:45 p.m. ET?
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
923 Houston Astros (-176) at 924 Washington Nationals (+148); o/u 9
6:45 p.m. ET, Friday, April 19, 2024
Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
Astros vs. Nationals: Public Bettors Taking Houston
As of this writing, our MLB Public Betting Page shows that 62% of bets are on the Astros’ moneyline. That said, this page is updated frequently so make sure that you click on the link provided so that you’re getting the most updated information.
Aberu pulled following mistake
After going 0-for-2 and committing a key error in the top of the eighth, José Abreu was removed for a pinch-hitter Wednesday against the Braves. The error was a truly bad hop and might eventually get changed to a hit, but Abreu just didn’t approach it very well. This might be the last we see of him as a regular for at least a little while. He didn’t play Tuesday, and the Astros preferred Jon Singleton to him in the bottom of the eighth tonight. Singleton probably won’t wind up replacing him at first base, but Joey Loperfido might.
Abrams belts leadoff home run vs. Dodgers
CJ Abrams belted a leadoff homer on Wednesday, propelling the Nationals to a 2-0 victory over the Dodgers. Abrams welcomed Dodgers rookie Logan Knack to the majors with a 392-foot leadoff blast to right-center field. The 23-year-old rapidly emerging five-category fantasy superstar has gone deep in two of his last three games. He’s batting .295 (18-for-60) with 10 runs scored, five homers, 11 RBI and three steals through 15 contests.
Astros vs. Nationals MLB Betting Trends
Nationals are 6-24 SU in their last 30 games played on a Friday when playing at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Washington’s last 12 games.
Astros are 2-9 SU in their last 11 games played on a Friday.
Astros vs. Nationals MLB BETTING PREDICTION
Starter Breakdown: Verlander will make his season debut after completing a bullpen session on Tuesday without issue. The 41-year-old was brought along slowly this spring after dealing with a shoulder issue and it remains to be seen what his workload will look like tonight. As for Gore, the Nationals’ starter struck out 11 over five scoreless innings to pick up a win in the club’s 3-1 victory over the A’s last Saturday. While Oakland’s lineup is terrible, Gore nonetheless was fantastic.
Offense Breakdown: The Nationals own a 110 wRC+ against right-handed pitching this season, which ranks 10th in baseball. The Astros, meanwhile, have owned lefties. Only the Cubs (148) have a higher wRC+ against left-handed pitching than the Astros (140 wRC+).
Bullpen Breakdown: The Nationals’ bullpen ERA of 3.11 ranks 8th in baseball, so the Astros will have to strike early if they want to get the win. The Astros, however, have struggled in relief. Their 5.47 bullpen ERA ranks 25th.
Astros vs. Nationals MLB Playoffs Prediction: OVER 9