- 1 Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals : 193 home runs for the team at the bottom of the pile, 171 for the leaders
- 2 Los Angeles Dodgers : the best arm in the matchup, but a bullpen that has cracked twice
- 3 Washington Nationals : the sharper offence in the matchup, dragged down by a very leaky pitching staff
- 4 MLB Prediction Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals
- 5 First, a word on our free picks
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your responsibility
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals : 193 home runs for the team at the bottom of the pile, 171 for the leaders 
Dodger Stadium hosts the second game of a three-game set that got underway on Friday night. Los Angeles welcome a Washington side with a losing record but eye-catching numbers at the plate.
The Dodgers sit top of the National League West with 84 wins and 57 losses. Their lead over Arizona stands at 10.5 games, so the division is all but wrapped up.
Washington are 67-76 and fourth in the National League East. The standings, though, tell you very little about what this offence has been putting up week after week.
The most striking number in the case is a simple comparison: the Nationals have scored 735 runs this season, compared with 684 for the Dodgers. They also have 22 more home runs.
That gap between offensive output and win-loss record comes down to the mound. Washington carry a team ERA of 4.69, while Los Angeles are at 3.71.
Both teams also come in on less than ideal runs. The Dodgers have dropped two straight, 13-8 and then 8-6 in 10 innings, while the Nationals were beaten 9-0 at home last time out.
Even so, Los Angeles have scored at least six runs in three of their last five games. Washington, for their part, put up nine and then six in their two wins before that shutout loss.
This season series, however, has gone one way only: three wins from three for the Dodgers. The pick is built on that double reality, a clear edge on paper and two shaky pitching staffs.
Los Angeles Dodgers : the best arm in the matchup, but a bullpen that has cracked twice 
Los Angeles lead the National League West with 84 wins and 57 losses. Their 10.5-game cushion over Arizona leaves the back end of the regular season looking pretty comfortable.
Their home record is solid, if not spectacular: 41 wins and 28 losses at Dodger Stadium. That is a clear edge over Washington’s 34-36 on the road.
Recent form, though, raises questions, with two straight defeats heading into this series. The scores, 13-8 and 8-6 after 10 innings, point the finger straight at the pitching staff.
Those two losses were not about the bats. Los Angeles have scored at least six runs in three of their last five games. It is the pitching that has let them down over that stretch.
Across the season, the Dodgers are hitting .258 with 684 runs, 1,209 hits and 171 home runs. Their batting average, hit total and on-base percentage of .336 are all better than Washington’s.
Their slugging mark of .422, though, is below the Nationals’ .429. Los Angeles are more consistent, Washington bring more thump.
The real edge for the hosts is on the mound, where they own a team ERA of 3.71 and a WHIP of 1.16. Opposing hitters are held to .218, by far the best figure between the two clubs.
That goes a long way to explaining the Dodgers’ 3-0 record in the season series. The question is whether the staff can rediscover its level after two outings in which it has given up eight runs or more.
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Washington Nationals : the sharper offence in the matchup, dragged down by a very leaky pitching staff 
Washington travel with 67 wins and 76 losses, a record that hides a much better attack than the standings suggest. The Nationals are also close to even away from home, with 34 wins and 36 losses.
Over their last five games, they are 3-2. Their most recent outing, though, ended in a 9-0 shutout defeat.
Before that flat display, they had won back-to-back games and scored nine, then six runs. Inconsistency has been the story of this spell.
For the full season, Washington are hitting .248 with 735 runs, 1,202 hits and 193 home runs. That run total is 51 higher than the Dodgers’, which is rare for a team with a losing record.
Their slugging mark of .429 is also better than Los Angeles’, as is the home run total, with a 22-homer edge. Raw power is firmly with the visitors.
The on-base percentage of .325, however, still trails the Dodgers by 11 points. Washington do less base-running damage, but they cash in quicker when they do get men on.
The real weak spot is on the mound, with a team ERA of 4.69 and a WHIP of 1.39. Their opponents’ .255 batting average is the worst of the two clubs, by 37 points.
That defensive fragility alone explains the 15-game gap in the overall standings. Against an attack that has scored six runs or more in three of its last five, it is a standing worry.
Probable starting pitcher Los Angeles Dodgers: Not announced at the time of publication.
Probable starting pitcher Washington Nationals: Not announced at the time of publication.
MLB Prediction Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals
Our pick : over 8.5 combined runs
Two line-ups that can score in bunches are up against two pitching staffs in a rough patch. Washington have posted 735 runs and 193 home runs this season, while Los Angeles have scored six runs or more in three of their last five games.
The Nationals’ pitching staff also carries a team ERA of 4.69 and allows a .255 batting average, which leaves little room for error against this line-up. The Los Angeles Dodgers, meanwhile, have given up 13 and then eight runs in their two recent defeats.
Backing a Dodgers win would make sense, but the price would be too short to be worth the trouble. The total offers a far better balance between likely outcome and return.
Take over 8.5 combined runs. Both teams have more than enough firepower to clear that number, and neither arrives with much confidence on the mound.
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