Jake Irvin will get the start for the Nationals (38-58, 15-32 home) as they host the Giants (54-43, 28-21 away) at Nationals Park. The Giants will give the starting nod to Alex Wood. Check out my prediction for game one of this National League matchup between the San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS VS WASHINGTON NATIONALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: San Francisco Giants -157

This game will be played at Nationals Park at 7:05 ET on Friday, July 21st.

WHY BET THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS:

  • In their last ten games, the Giants have a record of 7-3.
  • As the favorite on the road, the Giants’ win streak currently stands at 10 games.
  • Jake Irvin has struggled of late, coming in with an ERA of 7.80 over his last two starts.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN NL WEST

Looking to snap a two game losing streak, the Giants are in 3rd place in the NL West. San Francisco’s overall record sits at 54-43 while going 28-21 on the road and 26-22 at home, respectively. So far, they have played in 30 series, and have gone 15-14-1.

Alex Wood is currently 4-3 with an ERA of 4.53. On the road, he has a record of 3-1 and an ERA of 5.19, while at home he has gone 1-2 with an ERA of 6.80. His WHIP for the season is 1.53 and batters are hitting .256 against him, with a slugging percentage of .417.

In his latest start, Alex Wood squared off against the Pirates and yielded one run on five hits over 3 2/3 frames. Despite not receiving a decision, the Giants emerged victorious in the 8-4 contest.

In their five most recent games, the Giants have put together a batting average of only .194, placing them 25th compared to the rest of the league. At 4.6 runs per game, San Francisco is 12th in the MLB. This figure has come on a team batting average of .244 and OPS of .723 which has them 15th in baseball.

Wilmer Flores has been a consistent force in the Giants’ lineup this season, boasting a .292 batting average and .526 slugging percentage. During the team’s last ten games, he has been especially impressive, leading San Francisco in hits with a .400 batting average.

WILL THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Heading into today’s game, the Nationals are 5th in the NL East on an overall record of 38-58. So far, they have played in 31 series, and are below .500 at 10-19-2. This season, the Nationals are 15-32 at home and 23-26 on the road.

The Nationals will turn to starter Jake Irvin, who has an overall record of 2-5 through 13 appearances this season. His ERA stands at 4.96, with a K/9 figure of 6.42 and a FIP of 5.25. Opposing hitters have managed an OBP of .345 against him so far in 2023.

In his most recent start, Jake Irvin was unable to secure a win for the Nationals, surrendering four runs in three innings of work. The Cardinals ultimately took the 9-6 victory over Washington.

Having gone deep 7 times in their last five games, the Nationals are 3rd in that span. At 4.2 runs per game, Washington is 22nd in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .261 while hitting a total of 85 home runs (23rd).

Jeimer Candelario has been a major contributor to the Nationals’ offensive success this season, leading the team in home runs with 15 and RBIs with 46. His slugging percentage is currently at .485, a testament to his power at the plate.