Arizona Diamondbacks vs Washington Nationals Prediction, 4/16/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Arizona Diamondbacks vs Washington Nationals

Date: Friday, April 16, 2021

Location: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

TV: MASN/MASN2

Odds/Point Spread: Arizona (+175) Washington (-185)

Taylor Widener and the Arizona Diamondbacks (4-8, 4th in NL West) head to Nationals Park on Friday where they'll take on the Washington Nationals (3-6, 4th in NL East). The odds on this matchup have the Diamondbacks coming in at +175 and the Nationals are at -185. The over/under opens at 8. The expected starting pitchers are Taylor Widener and Max Scherzer.

The Diamondbacks have recorded 18 two-baggers as a team and have hit 14 balls out of the park. Arizona has a slugging % of .384 and have been called out on strikes 111 times, while drawing a walk on 48 occasions. As a team, the Arizona Diamondbacks are scoring 4.6 runs per game, which puts them at 11th in the league. They have compiled 52 RBI's and 97 hits for the year, and their average at the plate sits at .229. They have a total of 55 runs while holding a team OBP of .307.

The Diamondbacks hold a team earned run average of 5.00 for the season (26th in MLB), and their staff has rung up 102 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 43 opposing hitters and their FIP sits at 4.69 as a unit over the course of the season. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.37 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.44. Diamondbacks pitchers have allowed 17 home runs in addition to 68 total runs (2nd in the league).

Diamondbacks bullpen pitchers have come into the game with players on base 11 times in addition to having 13 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have 7 holds for the year (9th in the league). The Diamondbacks bullpen have a save rate of 20.0% and has entered the game in 12 save situations. They have 1 save this year and have blown 4 out of their 5 save chances. The relievers have inherited 12 base runners on the campaign and 25.0% of them crossed home plate. The Diamondbacks have sent 40 relief pitchers to the mound on the season.

Widener has taken the mound for 31 frames and has accounted for 30 punch outs during his MLB career. Widener (1-1 win-loss record in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 5.59 while he has gone up against 135 hitters during his time in the majors. His ERA is 3.77 (13 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.258. He has surrendered 24 base hits (7.0 hits per nine innings) and has had 15 free passes.

The Nationals hold a slugging percentage of .378 and they have an average of 3.44 runs per outing (28th in the league). They have recorded 13 two-baggers, while getting a free base 26 times as well as putting up 31 runs. Washington has tallied 6 HRs for the year as well as 30 RBIs. They have been rung up on 77 instances (29th in baseball) and are sitting with 78 base knocks. The Washington Nationals have an on-base percentage of .331 in addition to a batting average of .265 for the season.

The Nationals have a WHIP of 1.288 and have a FIP of 4.52 as a squad for the season. They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.41 (77 strikeouts vs 32 walks). They are currently ranked 28th in baseball as a staff in total hits conceded with 62. They have given up 12 homers and they surrender 5.30 runs per 9 innings (23rd in baseball). The Washington pitching staff have conceded 43 runs over the course of the season while having an ERA of 4.56 (37 earned runs given up).

Washington relievers have an inherited score rate of 42.9% out of 14 inherited runners. Their relievers have come in 6 times in high leverage situations and on 7 occasions with runners on base. With 3 save situations, the Nationals have compiled 2 holds and 0 blown saves. They have sent 31 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year. 

So far in his career, Scherzer has given up 1,961 hits while earning 2,798 K's in 2,369 innings pitched. He has allowed 846 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.099 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.2. He has a K/BB ratio of 4.36 and he has gone up against 9,617 opposing hitters during his career. Scherzer (175-94 career mark) holds a 3.21 earned run average while conceding 7.4 hits per 9 innings.

Who will win tonight's baseball game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Arizona (+175)

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