The Washington Nationals go to Atlanta to open a road series against an Atlanta Braves team that began the week seven games back of the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the National League East.
Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves (-198, 8.5)
The Braves led the league in both runs and home runs per game last season and despite bringing back largely the same core as they had last season, entered the week 19th in the league in home runs on a per at-bat basis at home and 11th in runs per game at home with just under 4.5 runs per game.
Nationals rookie starter Mitchell Parker will look to keep the Braves bats down as he enters with a 3.32 ERA and 3.44 fielding independent with 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings while allowing 1.9 walks and 0.9 home runs per nine innings,
While Parker has not allowed more than three runs in any of his seven career starts, he’s allowed exactly three runs in three of his past four starts and will look to his teammates to get to Braves veteran starting pitcher Charlie Morton.
Morton has a 3.35 ERA but a 3.89 fielding independent with 3.7 walks per nine innings with a bullpen behind him that entered Sunday fifth in the league in ERA, but just 16th in fielding independent.
While the Nationals are just 22nd in the league in scoring with four runs per game, but lead the league with nearly 1.8 stolen basis per game on the road.
With the Braves offense looking ready to break out after scoring eight runs on Sunday and the Nationals ability to generate runs on the base paths, Monday’s series opener will produce lots of offense.
The Play: Nationals vs. Braves Over 8.5 Runs
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