Free Picks: San Francisco Giants vs. Washington Nationals

The Giants have entered June atop the NL West and continue to be a playoff hopeful. Meanwhile, it’s been a dreary season for the Nationals. Still, there is always one bright spot with Washington: Max Scherzer. The Giants find themselves with better numbers all around, but Scherzer’s presence on the rubber is enough to sway the bookmakers. Can Washington top San Francisco at home?

Entering this 4-game weekend set, the San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals have two very different outlooks for their season so far. The Giants are currently the top dog in the NL West, while the Nationals are in the basement of the NL East.  

Starting off with this BetPicks Prediction, Anthony DeSclafani gets the nod for the Giants, while Max Scherzer gets the start for the Nats. 

Looking at DeSclafani, he is 5-2 on the year with a 3.51 ERA and is also pitching on extra rest. In his career, DeSclafani is 2-1 against Washington with a 3.55 ERA in eight appearances.  

Everyone knows how dominant Scherzer can be and his numbers continue to impress.  The former Cy Young winner has 104 Ks on the year with a 2.22 ERA.  

Honestly, both pitchers impress me entering this game. Scherzer of course is one of the best pitchers in the game and DeSclafani has been dominant this season. 

What has really impacted the Nationals this season is their lack of scoring. Washington is one of the lowest-scoring teams in the MLB. On the opposite end, the Giants are one of the highest-scoring teams in professional baseball.

San Francisco is also tied for first in the MLB for shutouts, so they have been stellar on the mound as well as the diamond. Overall, San Francisco is polished which makes them incredibly difficult to compete with. 

The numbers point to a Giants victory, but Scherzer’s arm is the ultimate equalizer. Even though Scherzer is 5-4 on the season, the Nationals are 7-5 this season when he gets the start. 

Scherzer has pitched more than 6 innings in only 5 starts, so the Nationals’ bullpen has had to carry their weight to help pick up victories as well. 

I think taking the Nationals’ Moneyline will be the play. As mentioned, the Nationals are 7-5 in games that Scherzer starts and the Nationals are 3-2 in games that he pitches 7 or more innings.  

The Giants may be the better team, but Scherzer is that good. I think taking Washington straught up will be your best MLB bet for this game.

• The Nationals are 2-1 in last 3 games against Giants with Scherzer starting. 
• The Giants are 1-2 against the Nationals in last 3 with DeSclafani starting.
• San Francisco are 2-2 as underdogs in last 10. 
• The Giants are 9-19 in last 28 in Washington.