Washington (37-28) at Toronto (30-38)
When: Friday, June 15th 2018
Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: MASN, Sportsnet
Opening Odds: Washington -122/9
The Washington Nationals continue their journey through the American League East with the first of three against the struggling Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night at Rogers Centre. The Nationals got the offense back on track Wednesday and are taking on their second straight American League East opponent after splitting two games at the New York Yankees. They will be in the Bronx on Monday for a makeup game before hosting the Baltimore Orioles for three more beginning Tuesday. Toronto has scored one run in their past two games after being shutout 1-0 on Wednesday, leaving the team 30-38 and closer to last place than first as the Yankees and Boston Red Sox run away with the East. The Jays were swept in three games by the Tampa Bay Rays, but could get a boost with the return of 3B Josh Donaldson (calf), who could be activated from the 10-day DL in time for Friday’s opener. The Nationals were shut out in consecutive losses before getting a pair of home runs from 19-year-old phenom Juan Soto in Wednesday’s 5-4 victory over New York. He became the youngest player to record a multi-homer game since Andruw Jones for the Braves in 1996. Right-hander Aaron Sanchez will try and slow down the Nationals, while lefty Gio Gonzalez takes the mound for Washington.
Pitchers: Nationals – Gio Gonzalez (6-2, 2.65 ERA) | Blue Jays – Aaron Sanchez (3-5, 4.33)
Gonzalez was a little wild in his last outing, walking four in just 3.1 innings while allowing four runs and six hits in a no-decision against the San Francisco Giants. Gonzalez didn’t walk any in his previous outing – a strong seven-inning performance against Atlanta. The lefty had gone at least seven innings in each of his previous three outings. Gonzalez, who began his career in the AL with the Oakland Athletics, is 2-2 with a 3.31 ERA in five career starts against Toronto.
Sanchez also struggled to keep the ball around the plate, but managed to complete six innings in each of his last two starts. Sanchez allowed two runs on six hits and four walks in 6.1 innings against the Orioles on Saturday but came away with a no-decision in a game the Blue Jays went on to win 4-3. He will face Washington for the first time in his career and is 4-1 with a 1.07 ERA in eight career interleague games (four starts).
This Toronto team is going nowhere but down. Washington, meanwhile, is starting to trend up after a rough start to the season and should be able to get to Sanchez in this game. Gonzalez should have no problem keeping the Blue Jays bats ice cold.
Pick: Nationals -135
BETTING TRENDS:
- Nationals are 4-0 in their last 4 interleague road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Nationals are 5-0 in their last 5 interleague games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Nationals are 6-0 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
- Nationals are 5-0 in their last 5 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Nationals are 10-1 in their last 11 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Nationals are 8-1 in their last 9 vs. American League East.
- Nationals are 7-1 in their last 8 interleague games.
- Nationals are 5-1 in their last 6 interleague road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Nationals are 5-1 in their last 6 interleague road games.
- Nationals are 9-2 in their last 11 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 games on astroturf.
- Nationals are 21-6 in their last 27 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Nationals are 10-3 in their last 13 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Nationals are 15-5 in their last 20 road games.
- Nationals are 7-3 in their last 10 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Nationals are 37-16 in their last 53 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Nationals are 26-12 in their last 38 overall.
- Nationals are 40-19 in their last 59 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 games following a win.
- Nationals are 4-0 in Gonzalez’s last 4 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Nationals are 4-0 in Gonzalez’s last 4 starts.
- Nationals are 4-1 in Gonzalez’s last 5 starts following an outing of less than 4 innings in his last appearance.
- Nationals are 9-3 in Gonzalez’s last 12 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Nationals are 13-6 in Gonzalez’s last 19 road starts.
- Nationals are 1-4 in Gonzalez’s last 5 starts vs. American League East.
- Blue Jays are 4-0 in their last 4 home games.
- Blue Jays are 5-1 in their last 6 interleague home games.
- Blue Jays are 5-2 in their last 7 interleague home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Blue Jays are 9-19 in their last 28 Friday games.
- Blue Jays are 9-20 in their last 29 overall.
- Blue Jays are 3-7 in their last 10 interleague games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Blue Jays are 5-13 in their last 18 games on astroturf.
- Blue Jays are 2-7 in their last 9 games following a loss.
- Blue Jays are 1-4 in their last 5 during game 1 of a series.
- Blue Jays are 1-4 in their last 5 interleague home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Blue Jays are 1-4 in their last 5 games following an off day.
- Blue Jays are 4-17 in their last 21 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Blue Jays are 1-8 in their last 9 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Blue Jays are 0-6 in their last 6 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Blue Jays are 0-4 in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Blue Jays are 0-5 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Blue Jays are 0-4 in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Blue Jays are 4-0 in Sanchez’s last 4 interleague starts.
- Blue Jays are 5-2 in Sanchez’s last 7 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Blue Jays are 11-5 in Sanchez’s last 16 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Blue Jays are 3-7 in Sanchez’s last 10 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Blue Jays are 2-5 in Sanchez’s last 7 Friday starts.
- Blue Jays are 2-6 in Sanchez’s last 8 home starts.
- Blue Jays are 2-7 in Sanchez’s last 9 starts on astroturf.
- Blue Jays are 1-5 in Sanchez’s last 6 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Blue Jays are 1-9 in Sanchez’s last 10 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-0 in Nationals last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
- Under is 8-0 in Nationals last 8 interleague road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 5-0 in Nationals last 5 interleague road games.
- Under is 5-0 in Nationals last 5 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 9-1 in Nationals last 10 interleague games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 8-1 in Nationals last 9 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Under is 7-1 in Nationals last 8 vs. American League East.
- Under is 6-1 in Nationals last 7 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 6-1 in Nationals last 7 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 14-3 in Nationals last 17 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 13-3-1 in Nationals last 17 interleague road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 11-3-4 in Nationals last 18 on astroturf.
- Under is 18-5 in Nationals last 23 games following an off day.
- Under is 18-5 in Nationals last 23 interleague games.
- Under is 39-14-6 in Nationals last 59 road games.
- Under is 19-7 in Nationals last 26 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 21-8 in Nationals last 29 overall.
- Under is 26-10-3 in Nationals last 39 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Over is 5-2 in Nationals last 7 Friday games.
- Under is 44-19-5 in Nationals last 68 games following a win.
- Under is 32-14-5 in Nationals last 51 during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 34-15-3 in Nationals last 52 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 35-17-4 in Nationals last 56 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-0 in Gonzalez’s last 5 interleague starts.
- Under is 5-0 in Gonzalez’s last 5 road starts.
- Over is 6-1-1 in Gonzalez’s last 8 starts following an outing of less than 4 innings in his last appearance.
- Under is 9-2-1 in Gonzalez’s last 12 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 9-2-1 in Gonzalez’s last 12 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 4-1 in Gonzalez’s last 5 Friday starts.
- Under is 4-1 in Gonzalez’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Gonzalez’s last 5 starts vs. American League East.
- Under is 8-3 in Gonzalez’s last 11 starts overall.
- Under is 18-7-2 in Gonzalez’s last 27 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Gonzalez’s last 8 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0-1 in Blue Jays last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-0 in Blue Jays last 4 games following a loss.
- Under is 4-0-1 in Blue Jays last 5 interleague home games.
- Over is 11-1 in Blue Jays last 12 vs. National League East.
- Under is 8-1-2 in Blue Jays last 11 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 7-1-1 in Blue Jays last 9 home games.
- Under is 6-1-1 in Blue Jays last 8 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Under is 5-1 in Blue Jays last 6 games following an off day.
- Over is 5-1 in Blue Jays last 6 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 5-1 in Blue Jays last 6 interleague games.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Blue Jays last 6 interleague home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Blue Jays last 6 Friday games.
- Under is 12-3-1 in Blue Jays last 16 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 7-2 in Blue Jays last 9 overall.
- Under is 16-5-5 in Blue Jays last 26 on astroturf.
- Under is 15-6-2 in Blue Jays last 23 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 9-4-2 in Blue Jays last 15 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 4-0 in Sanchez’s last 4 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-0 in Sanchez’s last 4 interleague starts.
- Under is 13-2-1 in Sanchez’s last 16 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Sanchez’s last 6 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Under is 5-1 in Sanchez’s last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-1 in Sanchez’s last 5 Friday starts.
- Under is 7-2-1 in Sanchez’s last 10 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 15-5 in Sanchez’s last 20 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Under is 9-3 in Sanchez’s last 12 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 26-9-1 in Sanchez’s last 36 starts on astroturf.
- Under is 11-4 in Sanchez’s last 15 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 23-9 in Sanchez’s last 32 home starts.
- Under is 41-17-1 in Sanchez’s last 59 starts overall.
- Nationals are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Toronto.
- Nationals are 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.
