In probably the premier series of this interleague weekend the AL East-leading New York Yankees visit the NL East-leading Washington Nationals for three games starting Friday. Who will strike a blow for their league by taking this series?
We nailed our pick of a Yankees' win, as the Bronx Bombers took down the Nats 7-2. Today we are adding a play on the matchup's total, so read on to find out which way we are leaning.
Yankees vs. Nationals
Series Set-Up
Both these teams come into this series on a roll.
New York has won six games in a row, having swept the Mets
three games last weekend, then sweeping three games in Atlanta this week. Yanks
pitching has allowed just 13 runs total over its last six games.
Washington, meanwhile, has also won six straight, just
completing a 6-0 road trip by sweeping three games in Toronto. Nats pitching
has held eight of its last 10 opponents to three runs or less.
So the Yankees, at 37-25, lead the AL East by a half-game
over second-place Baltimore, while the Nationals, at 38-23, lead the NL East by
4.5 games over the second-place Mets.
Saturday's Pitching Matchup
Former retiree Andy Pettitte (3-2, 2.81) will go for the Yanks Saturday (1:05 E) vs. Jordan Zimmerman (3-5, 2.91) for DC.
Pettitte, since joining the team in mid-May, is four-for-six on quality starts, and New York has won four of his six starts. Most recently he held the Mets to two ER on five hits in six innings, and before that he held Tampa scoreless on two hits through seven innings, whiffing 10.
For the season the veteran lefty has given up 34 hits and walked nine in 42 innings.
Zimmerman has eight quality starts this year in 12 tries, and the Nats have won seven of his 12 starts. In his latest outing he held Boston to three runs through seven innings, and before that he limited the Mets to two runs in six innings. But he didn't get the win in either game, even though the Nationals won both games.
On the season Zimmerman has allowed 71 hits, including 10 homers, in 77 innings.
Yankees vs. Nationals Free MLB Pick for Saturday
Saturday's game gives us the classic crafty veteran vs. promising youngster scenario. Pettitte has been solid in his return, while Zimmerman has been very good pitching in a bit of tough luck. We're not sure who's going to win this game, but in anticipating a total of 7.5 or eight, we'll go with the 'over' on Saturday's game for our free MLB pick.
Recap Friday's Action
Friday's Pitching
Matchup
Phil Hughes (6-5, 4.76) will start this series opener Friday
(7:05 pm Eastern) for New York against former American Leaguer Gio Gonzalez
(8-2, 2.35) for Washington.
Hughes is just four-for-12 in quality starts this season,
and the Yankees are 6-6 when he's started. Hughes got off to a bad start this
season; through his first five outings his ERA stood at 7.48. But he has been
better lately. Two starts ago he threw a complete-game four-hitter, beating
Detroit 5-1, and his last time out he held the Mets to two runs through 6 1/3
innings in a 4-2 Yanks victory.
On the season Hughes has allowed 73 hits, including 15
homers, in 68 innings.
Lefty Gio Gonzalez is nine-for-12 on quality starts this year,
and the Nationals have won 10 of his 12 starts. His last time out he held
Boston to two earned runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 4-2 Washington
win, and over his last four starts he's allowed seven ER in 24 innings.
For the season Gonzalez has given up just 43 hits, including
just one homer, in 73 innings, although he has walked 30.
Last year, pitching for Oakland, Gonzalez started twice vs.
the Yankees, and got cuffed around a bit, allowing 10 ER on 12 hits in 11
innings. His A's lost both those games.
Yanks vs. Nats Friday
Betting Odds and Trends
Washington can be found at as low as -125 at some online
sportsbooks for Friday night's game, while New York can be gotten at as much as
+120 at some baseball betting outlets.
The Nationals can also be found at as much as +175 on the
run line at some shops.
Of the top MLB betting shops that we follow, most are listing the 'over/under' for
Friday's game at 7.5.
Early betting action on Friday's game has seen about a 50/50
split on the side, while betting on the total has leaned toward the 'over' by
about a 60/40 margin.
The 'over/unders' are a combined 8-15 in games started this
season by Hughes and Gonzalez.
Yankees vs. Nationals Free MLB Pick for Friday
This should be a fun game and series to watch. For Friday we like what Gonzalez has been up to this year, but we don't like how he performed last year vs. New York. And the Yanks bats seem to be coming up with some timely hitting lately. So we'll add the Bombers to our list of free MLB picks for Friday.
Saturday's Pitching
Matchup
Former retiree Andy Pettitte (3-2, 2.81) will go for the
Yanks Saturday (1:05 E) vs. Jordan Zimmerman (3-5, 2.91) for DC.
Pettitte, since joining the team in mid-May, is four-for-six
on quality starts, and New York has won four of his six starts. Most recently
he held the Mets to two ER on five hits in six innings, and before that he held
Tampa scoreless on two hits through seven innings, whiffing 10.
For the season the veteran lefty has given up 34 hits and
walked nine in 42 innings.
Zimmerman has eight quality starts this year in 12 tries,
and the Nats have won seven of his 12 starts. In his latest outing he held
Boston to three runs through seven innings, and before that he limited the Mets
to two runs in six innings. But he didn't get the win in either game, even
though the Nationals won both games.
On the season Zimmerman has allowed 71 hits, including 10
homers, in 77 innings.
Yankees vs. Nationals
Free MLB Pick for Saturday
Saturday's game gives us the classic crafty veteran vs.
promising youngster scenario. Pettitte has been solid in his return, while Zimmerman
has been very good pitching in a bit of tough luck. We're not sure who's going
to win this game, but in anticipating a total of 7.5 or eight, we'll go with
the 'over' on Saturday's game for our free MLB pick.