Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals Moneyline Pick & Preview

The Washington Nationals (7-11) and Pittsburgh Pirates (7-12) face off in the finale of their four-game series on Thursday, April 17 at 12:35 PM ET at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. MyBookie has the Pirates favored at home with a moneyline at -120.

Washington Nationals Betting Preview

The Nationals have lost two out three games in this series so far and are 1-4 overall in their last five matchups. They are coming off a 6-1 loss in Game 3 to the Pirates and need to bounce back to make this series respectable.

The only point the Nationals scored was at the top of the ninth when Alex Call hit a sacrifice fly towards the center, allowing Dylan Crews to score. They will need to find a way to do better on the offensive end, otherwise they will have this turn into a blowout.

Washington is putting up a .234 batting average but allowing their opponents to get .280 at the same time. This arguably puts them at a disadvantage against better offensive teams, let alone showing their issues on defense from the mound.

The Nationals have a .313 on base percentage, a .387 slugging percentage, both of which are more appealing compared to the Pirates. However, their ERA is at 5.17 and is not the right momentum to have coming into this battle. Trevor Williams (1-1) (7.36 ERA, 1.77 WHIP) get the start at pitcher, but will need to have a great game to start for them to get on the right path.

Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview

The Pirates are 2-3 over their last five games, but they will need more positive momentum to keep going. While they have won their last battle, they have not been as consistent for the ride.

O’Neil Cruz connected on his first-career grand slam, which was in the bottom of the seventh inning. If their offense can continue to have great sparks, they will be tough to beat.

Pittsburgh has a .195 batting average and is giving up .234 to opponents. This does not show a strong performance at the plate, but at least they have kept their opponents at a decent range.

The Pirates have a .280 on base percentage and a .293 slugging percentage, which are both well below what they need to be getting. They have a 4.19 ERA, which is not great but is slightly better than what the Nationals offer. They will have Andrew Heaney (0-1) to start on the mound, who has an ERA at 3.00 and a WHIP at 0.80, and arguably gives them a good shot to win.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie has the best Washington Nationals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates betting odds. These odds reflect the Pirates as slight favorites. The Pirates have a 54.4 percent chance of winning according to market predictions. The Pirates look appealing once again due to their starting pitcher.

Final Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates -120