AL West-Leading Los Angeles Tries For Fourth Straight ‘W’
The Los Angeles Angels look to extend their three-game winning streak when they play host to the Washington Nationals in the second of a three-game Interleague series on Saturday night. Los Angeles won the opener on Friday night and is atop the AL West standings by 1½ games over the second-place Houston Astros. Washington has dropped three in a row and is in last place in the NL East, three games behind the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. If you’re looking to bet online on this game, check out our in-depth preview of the contest.
Let’s check the latest MLB picks, stats, injury reports, and MLB odds for Nationals vs Angels. We’ve plenty of MLB predictions.
Nationals Going Through Rough Road Trip
The Washington Nationals are near the end of a nine-game road trip that has seen them go 3-4. Of course, waiting for them at the end of this is a home series with the NL East-leading New York Mets, so Washington would like to get back on the winning track before it heads home.
Right-hander Josiah Gray will try to get the team headed in that direction when he takes the mound for his sixth start. Gray is 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA, striking out 31 in 26 innings. Gray was excellent in his last start against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, throwing six shutout innings of one-hit ball while striking out three and walking four.
The Washington offense was quiet on Friday night, failing to score a single run. First baseman Josh Bell went hitless for the second time in three games, though he still is tied for seventh in the majors with a .344 batting average. Bell has seven doubles, three home runs, 19 RBIs, and 17 runs scored.
Also going hitless was outfielder Juan Soto, ending his four-game hitting streak. Soto is batting .263 with five doubles, six home runs, seven RBIs, and 21 runs scored, which is tied for third in baseball.
Angels Getting Some Excellent Mound Work
The Los Angeles Angels are starting to get some great pitching, which is leading to wins, as the team recorded their second straight shutout on Friday night, the first back-to-back shutouts for the team since July 2016. Jhonathan Diaz threw five shutout innings and was followed by four relievers who each threw a scoreless frame to keep the Washington Nationals off the board.
“You can’t ask for much more than that (from Díaz),” Angels outfielder Mike Trout said after Friday’s win. “You just can’t. He took advantage of the opportunity and showed us what he had. It’s been great. The whole pitching staff has been great. It’s been fun to play behind in center field, and we’ve had some quick games as well, so that’s always a plus.”
Trout did his part in the victory, hitting a two-run double and going 2-for-4. Trout is batting .325 with eight doubles, a triple, six home runs, 13 RBIs, and 19 runs scored.
Reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani also contributed to the win, driving in a run for the second straight game. Ohtani is batting .234 with four doubles, four home runs, 14 RBIs, and 19 runs scored.
Right-hander Michael Lorenzen will get the call to start Saturday’s contest for the Angels. The 30-year-old is 3-1 with a 3.04 ERA in four starts, winning his last two starts. He picked up the victory in his last outing, facing the Chicago White Sox on Sunday and going 8⅓ innings, allowing three runs on nine hits while striking out two and walking two.
Nationals vs Angels Head-to-Head
These teams don’t get together often, with this series being their first since the 2017 season. Neither got an edge in that series, with both teams splitting two-game series on their home field.
The Los Angeles Angels have the all-time edge over the Washington Nationals, 13-7, including a 6-3 mark at home. The MLB lines are favoring that trend to continue on Saturday night, with the host Angels getting the edge.
Nationals vs Angels Game Information
- Game: Nationals (9-19) vs Angels (18-10)
- Location: Angel Stadium
- Day/Time: Saturday, May 7, 9:07 p.m. ET
- Nationals vs Angels Live Stream: MLB TV
Nationals vs Angels Betting Lines
Washington Nationals +1½ -145 +137 9 -105o 3½ -120o 3½ -110u
J. Gray -R
Los Angeles Angels -1½ +125 -152 9 -115u 4½ -115o 4½ -115u
M. Lorenzen -R
Nationals vs Angels Prediction
The Washington Nationals have not been hitting well of late, while the Los Angeles Angels are getting some outstanding pitching. That’s not a good combination for the visitors, who will suffer another loss in this one.
When making your MLB picks, take Los Angeles to get the win at home.
