New York (28-12) at Washington (24-18)
When: Tuesday, May 15th 2018
Where: Nationals Park, Washington, DC
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: YES, MASN
Opening Odds: New York -122/8.5
Its a potential World Series preview on Tuesday when the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals begin a two-game interleague series in the nation’s capital. New York and Washington are two of the hottest teams in the league right now, but New York will be tested in the coming weeks as 19 of their next 25 games are on the road. Washington is coming off an impressive four-game sweep at the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks, giving them 13 victories in their last 15 games after they began the season 11-16. The Yankees have been just as hot, winning 19 of 22, including a 6-2 victory over Oakland on Sunday behind a 4-for-4 outing from Giancarlo Stanton, including a home run and three RBIs. The Nationals strong pitching staff is finally clicking, but they got an offensive boost in Sunday’s 6-4 win from Mark Reynolds, who homered twice in his season debut. Washington’s Bryce Harper was 5-for-18 with a home run and two doubles in the sweep of Arizona after going 0-for-16 with five strikeouts over his previous four games. Gio Gonzalez has been solid all season, but carries a 1-5 record and a 6.65 ERA in eight career starts against the Yankees into the series opener against New York’s Masahiro Tanaka. The Yankees have a 15-13 lead in the all-time series but the Nationals won three of four when they last played in 2015.
Pitchers: Yankees – Masahiro Tanaka (4-2, 4.66 ERA) | Nationals – Gio Gonzalez (4-2, 2.22)
Tanaka is having a hard time getting through seven innings this season (zero times) after recording 13 such outings in 2017. He was roughed-up in his last outing, giving up a season-high eight hits in 5.1 innings against Boston and tying a season low with three strikeouts. He is 3-0 on the road with a 4.30 ERA and New York has won all four of those starts. Tanaka won his only prior start against Washington with seven innings of one-run ball at Yankee Stadium in 2015.
Gonzalez is coming off his third-straight outing of allowing one run or fewer and has five such outings in his eight starts this season. Gonzalez struck out a season high-tying eight batters in six innings in his last start at San Diego and has served-up just one home run in 44.2 innings on the season. He is 10-13 with a 4.50 ERA in his interleague career.
The Nationals may have the better pitcher going, but Gonzalez has been terrible against the Yankees and not much better in interleague play. I expect his home run total to double in this outing as the Yankees will get to him early and cruise to a victory. Washington is just 10-10 at Nationals Park, while the Yankees are 10-5 on the road.
Pick: Yankees -115
BETTING TRENDS:
- Yankees are 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Yankees are 5-0 in their last 5 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Yankees are 7-1 in their last 8 road games.
- Yankees are 7-1 in their last 8 interleague games.
- Yankees are 6-1 in their last 7 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Yankees are 6-1 in their last 7 interleague road games.
- Yankees are 6-1 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Yankees are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. National League East.
- Yankees are 5-1 in their last 6 games following an off day.
- Yankees are 5-1 in their last 6 interleague games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Yankees are 4-1 in their last 5 interleague road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Yankees are 8-2 in their last 10 Tuesday games.
- Yankees are 7-2 in their last 9 during game 1 of a series.
- Yankees are 19-7 in their last 26 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Yankees are 19-7 in their last 26 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Yankees are 20-8 in their last 28 games following a win.
- Yankees are 20-8 in their last 28 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Yankees are 27-11 in their last 38 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Yankees are 48-20 in their last 68 games on grass.
- Yankees are 51-24 in their last 75 overall.
- Yankees are 4-0 in Tanaka’s last 4 road starts.
- Yankees are 5-0 in Tanaka’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Yankees are 4-0 in Tanaka’s last 4 starts.
- Yankees are 21-8 in Tanaka’s last 29 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Yankees are 7-3 in Tanaka’s last 10 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Yankees are 40-18 in Tanaka’s last 58 starts on grass.
- Yankees are 1-4 in Tanaka’s last 5 starts vs. National League East.
- Nationals are 6-0 in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Nationals are 6-0 in their last 6 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Nationals are 4-0 in their last 4 during game 1 of a series.
- Nationals are 7-1 in their last 8 home games.
- Nationals are 6-1 in their last 7 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Nationals are 6-1 in their last 7 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Nationals are 10-2 in their last 12 games following a win.
- Nationals are 13-3 in their last 16 overall.
- Nationals are 13-3 in their last 16 games on grass.
- Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 interleague home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 Tuesday games.
- Nationals are 17-5 in their last 22 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Nationals are 5-2 in their last 7 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nationals are 5-2 in their last 7 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Nationals are 2-5 in their last 7 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Nationals are 3-8 in their last 11 vs. American League East.
- Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 interleague home games.
- Nationals are 4-1 in Gonzalez’s last 5 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Nationals are 6-2 in Gonzalez’s last 8 Tuesday starts.
- Nationals are 19-7 in Gonzalez’s last 26 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nationals are 8-3 in Gonzalez’s last 11 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Nationals are 12-5 in Gonzalez’s last 17 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nationals are 1-4 in Gonzalez’s last 5 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Nationals are 1-4 in Gonzalez’s last 5 interleague starts.
- Nationals are 0-4 in Gonzalez’s last 4 starts vs. American League East.
- Under is 7-0 in Yankees last 7 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 5-1 in Yankees last 6 interleague road games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 5-1 in Yankees last 6 interleague games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 4-1 in Yankees last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-1 in Yankees last 5 road games.
- Over is 4-1 in Yankees last 5 interleague games.
- Under is 4-1 in Yankees last 5 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Yankees last 5 vs. National League East.
- Over is 6-2 in Yankees last 8 Tuesday games.
- Under is 6-2 in Yankees last 8 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 6-2 in Yankees last 8 interleague road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-2 in Yankees last 7 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Over is 9-4 in Yankees last 13 interleague road games.
- Over is 8-0 in Tanaka’s last 8 Tuesday starts.
- Over is 4-0 in Tanaka’s last 4 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Over is 6-0 in Tanaka’s last 6 starts on grass.
- Over is 4-0 in Tanaka’s last 4 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Over is 6-0 in Tanaka’s last 6 starts overall.
- Over is 4-0 in Tanaka’s last 4 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 8-2 in Tanaka’s last 10 road starts.
- Over is 4-1 in Tanaka’s last 5 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 6-2 in Tanaka’s last 8 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-2-1 in Tanaka’s last 8 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 7-3 in Tanaka’s last 10 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 8-0 in Nationals last 8 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 8-0 in Nationals last 8 interleague home games.
- Under is 5-0 in Nationals last 5 interleague home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 10-1 in Nationals last 11 interleague games.
- Under is 6-1 in Nationals last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Under is 15-3 in Nationals last 18 games following an off day.
- Under is 5-1 in Nationals last 6 on grass.
- Under is 5-1 in Nationals last 6 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-1 in Nationals last 6 overall.
- Under is 8-2 in Nationals last 10 Tuesday games.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Nationals last 6 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.
- Under is 4-1 in Nationals last 5 games following a win.
- Under is 4-1 in Nationals last 5 interleague home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 4-1 in Nationals last 5 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 14-5-5 in Nationals last 24 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 32-14-5 in Nationals last 51 during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 4-0 in Gonzalez’s last 4 Tuesday starts.
- Under is 4-0 in Gonzalez’s last 4 interleague starts.
- Under is 4-0 in Gonzalez’s last 4 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Under is 8-1-1 in Gonzalez’s last 10 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 6-1 in Gonzalez’s last 7 starts on grass.
- Under is 6-1 in Gonzalez’s last 7 starts overall.
- Under is 10-3-1 in Gonzalez’s last 14 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Under is 18-7-2 in Gonzalez’s last 27 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Under is 7-3 in Gonzalez’s last 10 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 25-12-2 in Gonzalez’s last 39 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
