The Yankees vs Nationals MLB betting matchup will be the higlight of 2020’s opening day. Let’s run over the footnotes of this matchup before diving into BetUS’s free pick.
Yankees vs Nationals for Exciting Season Opener
Last year’s World Series champions return to Nationals Park for an exciting season opener against one of this year’s most exciting teams — the New York Yankees. Led by Max Scherzer on the mound, the National’s will be looking to prove that their success last year was no fluke and that they will be contenders for another World Series this year.
This year’s extended off-season was a blessing for the Yankees who had to bench multiple star players due to injuries last season. With their whole roster intact, we are in for a great game between two of the MLB’s most exciting teams.
Nationals Look to Repeat Last Year’s Riveting Success
The 2019 MLB season will be remembered for many years to come in Washington. Criticized for having one of the worst bullpens in professional baseball, nobody would have predicted the Nationals to win the NL Pennant, let alone the World Series. Despite a 19-31 record through May of last year, they were able to turn their season around in one of the greatest come-from-behind stories in modern baseball history. Even now, many pundits are predicting that this year will most likely go to the Dodgers, Yankees or Astros with the Nationals trailing behind as a favorite in the odds to win the World Series.
For a team that claims that their fandom is a huge factor in their motivation to play, will empty stadiums and a high-pressure season consisting of only 60 regular season games be too much for them? Or will they continue last year’s amazing run into the 2020 season? With strong pitching led by last years’ series MVP Stephen Strasburg, it would be foolish to rule them out of the running again this year.
One thing is certain — with so few games this season and stakes higher than ever, their matchup on Thursday against the New York Yankees will be a telling game with ramifications that will be felt for the rest of the season. The anticipation is almost like a playoff game as opposed to a regular season one. Fans rejoice!
With Full Roster Yankees Could be the Team to Beat
The Yankees will be putting star pitcher Gerrit Cole on the mound to face off against Max Scherzer. Led by team manager Aaron Boone, the Yankees are hoping to break the curse of the last decade. They are surely still feeling the sting of their American League Championship Series loss to the Houston Astros last year.
Let us not forget that this year the Yankees will be led by DH Giancarlo Stanton. Although he has yet to convince many Yankees fans, Stanton is looking at nearly a third of the amount of games this year as compared to a normal year and will hopefully remain healthy this season. This should strike fear into the heart of Yankees haters — we know you’re out there.
Boasting arguably the best roster in baseball, the New York Yankees are stacking up to be a tough team to beat. With opening day just around the corner, we will just have to wait for Dr. Anthony Fauci’s opening pitch to end the punditry and let the players do the talking.
Let’s take a look at the MLB odds in our sportsbook, and see how these teams match up in our prediction. If you are new to MLB betting, be sure to check out our MLB betting guide.
Yankees vs Nationals Pre-Season Matchups
With two games already under their belt this pre-season, the numbers speak for themselves. In February the Yankees trounced the nationals 8-2. Then again in March the Yankees once again beat the Nationals 6-3.
Perhaps not quite the walloping from their first game but still a decisive victory and more importantly, a highly interesting statistic for placing smart bets. Typically the pre-season games are considered unimportant, but with so few games on the calendar this year one would have to assume that teams were taking these games very seriously.
It’s true that the Nationals beat the Yankees last year in their only regular season matchup 5-3. But remember that the Yankees lost several top players last year during their regular season.
The Nationals were also on a tear last year and few are predicting a return to form like the end of last season. That game the Nationals were the home team, an advantage that will be minimized this year due to the lack of crowds. Without tens of thousands of fans to get under their skin, the Nationals should be preparing for what is looking to be a very tough match.
BetUS Free MLB Pick: New York Yankees -1.5 (+125)
Consider betting on the Yankees on the Run Line. The Yankees are looking strong going into this matchup and if the pre-season is any indicator, the Nationals could be in for another big loss.
