Cleveland Guardians vs Washington Nationals Preview
The Guardians are the heavy favorite heading into Friday’s interleague matchup vs. the Nationals, with Cleveland’s money line odds sitting at -219 compared to the Nationals at +184. The over/under line is currently 8 runs, and the game will be televised on MASN.
First pitch from Progressive Field is set for 7:10 PM ET, and the forecast calls for clear skies and temperatures in the mid-60s. Washington will be looking to pull off the road upset and extend their two-game winning streak. They are 3rd in the NL East, while the Guardians are 1st in the AL Central.
Check out BetCoco for Cleveland Guardians – Washington Nationals odds
Cleveland Guardians Trends and Key Stats
- The Nationals are 3-2 across their last five road games. They have gone 3-2 vs. the runline.
- On the other side, the Guardians have gone 3-2 (SU) and 1-4 in their previous five home contests.
- Over their last ten games as the favorite, the Guardians have a straight-up record of 8-2, while going 4-6 against the runline.
- When playing as the underdog, the Nationals have won 6-4 of their previous ten games straight-up, while going 7-3 against the runline.
Cleveland Guardians vs Washington Nationals Prediction
Heading into their last game vs. the Braves, the Nationals closed out the series with a 3-1 win. Leading up to the game, they were the heavy favorite at +160. Offensively, the Nationals scored their three runs on eight hits and didn’t hit a home run.
Trevor Williams put together a good start for the Nationals, going 5 2/3 innings and giving up just one earned run, and picking up the win. Washington’s bullpen closed things out, and Kyle Finnegan picked up the save.
Washington is 26-29 overall and 3rd in the NL East, trailing the Phillies by 12 games. The Nationals are on a two-game winning streak, and they closed out their series vs. the Braves with three straight wins. So far, they have gone 8-6 in divisional matchups.
As for how they have fared on the road, the Nationals are an even 16-16 this season. They have been slightly below .500 at home, going 10-13. Washington has won two straight on the road, and they are 14-15 as the road underdog this year. The Nationals’ overall series record is 7-10-1, and they have won two straight series.
The Nationals have been a solid bet against the run line this season, going 34-21 overall. They have been especially good on the road, where they are 21-11 against the run line. They have covered the run line in two straight games overall and as an underdog. They are 3-2 against the run line as a favorite and 31-19 as an underdog. Their average run margin in winning games is +3.5, while it is -3.4 in losing games.
The Washington Nationals are on the road today against the Cleveland Guardians. The O/U line for the game is set at 8 runs, which is right in line with their average combined run average of 8.2 runs per game. The Nationals have played in 34 games this season with O/U lines set higher than 8 runs, with a record of 24-29 in O/U games overall.
Left-hander Patrick Corbin gets the start for the Nationals today as he faces the Guardians on the road. He has made 11 starts this year and has a record of 1-5 with a 6.12 ERA. Corbin’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.69. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, giving up three earned runs in six innings of work. Before that, he had lost three straight starts. Corbin’s ERA on the road is 6.75, compared to 5.4 at home. His strikeout per nine innings figure is currently 5.37.
The Nationals offense is averaging just 4 runs per game this season, which is 22nd in the league. They have also been a below-average home run hitting team and are batting just .233 as a team. Washington’s team on-base percentage of .306 is also below the league average.
Washington’s top three hitters in terms of RBIs are all batting under .250 for the season, with CJ Abrams leading the team with a batting average of .254. Abrams has also gone deep 9 times this season. However, he has struggled of late, hitting just .206 over his last eight games. Eddie Rosario has 7 homers this season but is batting just .177.
Cleveland closed out their series vs. the Rockies with a 7-4 loss. The Guardians were actually the heavy favorite on the money line going into the game but fell behind big early, as the Rockies scored six times in the second.
Logan Allen got the start for the Guardians and took the loss. He only lasted 1 2/3 innings, giving up seven earned runs. Offensively, the Guardians scored their four runs on eight hits and didnjson’t hit a home run.
Cleveland will open their series vs. the Nationals at home, where they are 18-6 this season. The Guardians are 37-19 overall, putting them three games ahead of the Royals in the AL Central. Cleveland lost two of three in their most recent series vs. the Rockies.
So far, the Guardians have been really good in day games, going 16-5, and they have won seven straight at home. As the favorite, Cleveland is 25-11 this year and 12-8 as the underdog. This season, the Guardians’ overall series record is 13-5.
When it comes to betting the run line on the Cleveland Guardians, it’s been a profitable venture overall. They are 32-24 against the run line overall, and they have been particularly good at covering the run line on the road, going 18-14. They are 14-10 against the run line at home, where their average run margin is 1.1 runs per game. They are 15-5 against the run line as an underdog.
The Cleveland Guardians have an over/under record of 28-24 this season, with an average combined run average of 8.9 runs per game. The over/under line for today’s game against the Washington Nationals is set at 8 runs, which is right around their season average. When the over/under line has been set at 8 runs this season, the Guardians have gone 5-4-1. Overall, 50.0% of their games have had higher over/under lines than 8 runs.
Cleveland is sending right-hander Tanner Bibee to the mound today vs. the Nationals. He has made 11 starts this season and has a record of 3-1 with a 3.99 ERA. Bibee’s WHIP for the season is 1.23, and opponents are batting .238 this season. In his 11 starts, Bibee has turned in three quality starts and is averaging 9.51 strikeouts per nine innings. The last time he pitched, Bibee picked up the win, going six innings and giving up three earned runs, six hits, and one homer. Before that outing, he had gone three straight starts without giving up a homer.
Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor have been one of the best 1-2 punches in the league this season in terms of home runs, as Ramirez’s 16 homers are the 2nd most in the league, and Naylor’s 15 is 3rd. As a team, the Guardians are 2nd in the league in runs scored at 5.1 runs per game. Over their last seven games, Ramirez is batting .370 with four homers, while Naylor has three homers but has gone just 5/26 in this stretch.
Overall, the Guardians have been a good home run hitting team and have been very good at avoiding strikeouts. As a team, they are batting .239, which is 14th in the league, and they have the 7th best on-base percentage in the league. Cleveland’s offense has also been good at avoiding strikeouts.
Our prediction for this Nationals vs. Guardians matchup is to take the Guardians on the money line. However, with the payout being just -219, we recommend taking the over, as we have the Guardians winning this one 5-4, and the over/under line is sitting at 8 runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Tanner Bibee is projected to finish with six strikeouts, which is the third-best among starters today. As for Patrick Corbin, his projected strikeout total is just four, which is the fifth worst among starters.
Offensively, we have the Guardians finishing with nine hits, and the Nationals with nine. If you’re looking for a player prop, you could look at some of the Guardians players to go deep, as we have them finishing with the 13th most home runs in the league today.
Cleveland Guardians vs Washington Nationals Betting Tips
- Take the Guardians on the moneyline
- On the run line we like the Nationals (+1.5)
- Projecting a combined 9 runs, we like the over
Cleveland Guardians Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Carlos Carrasco | Out | Neck |
| Shane Bieber | Out | Elbow |
| Trevor Stephan | Out | Elbow |
| James Karinchak | Out | Shoulder |
| Steven Kwan | Out | Hamstring |
| Gavin Williams | Out | Elbow |
Washington Nationals Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Mason Thompson | Out | Elbow |
| Josiah Gray | Out | Elbow/Forearm |
| Cade Cavalli | Out | Elbow |
| Jose A. Ferrer | Out | Teres Major |
