The Washington Nationals (37-39) and Colorado Rockies (27-50) will decide the series winner in Game 3 on Sunday, June 23 at 3:10 PM ET at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. The Nationals are slightly favored on the road with a moneyline at -125.
The Nationals have gone 2-3 over their previous five MLB battles, with a recent 8-7 defeat to the Rockies in Game 2. This battle ended on a sour note for them, as they allowed the winning run to score after they had the bases loaded and had a pitching clock violation that made the runners move one base forward
They will start Jake Irvin (5-6) on the mound. His ERA is 3.24, and his WHIP is 1.12. Their team ERA is not far off from his average, at 3.89, which shows they are in a good spot.
They have a few standout players to fuel their offense, with one key player to watch. CJ Abrams leads with 12 homers, 39 RBIs, and a batting average of .273. At this rate, he could be the biggest influence on their success.
The Nationals produce .237 at the plate but give up .255 to teams in return. This is slightly negative, of course, but it is much better than what the Rockies put up. If they are consistent at the plate, their pitching could come around in time to save them.
The Rockies recently ended their two-game losing streak with a win. This put them back on track after an 11-5 defeat in Game 1. They are now 2-3 over their latest five-game showing.
They are putting Kyle Freeland (0-3) to start on the mound. He will likely have issues with his 13.21 ERA and 2.55 WHIP. Their overall ERA is 5.68, which could be better for their chances of winning.
They have a few players that are notable on the offensive end. One in particular who can kickstart the offense is Ryan McMahon, who leads them with 14 homers and 42 RBIs.
The Rockies have a .251 batting average and give up .290 to opponents on defense. This ratio could be more appealing, especially if their defense has this many issues.
MyBookie gives their latest MLB odds for the Washington Nationals vs. Colorado Rockies, with the Nationals having a slight edge. Market insights predict they have a 62.4 percent chance of winning.
Having Irvin on the mound to start makes a big difference compared to Freeland. While the Rockies arguably have a better offense, they are much worse defensively. Look for the Nationals to close out this series strong.
