The first day of the second half of the season is often one where some of the best pitchers in baseball go up against each other. You won't find a better pitching matchup than the one we're about to see in D.C. on Friday, where the Washington Nationals (48-39 SU, +0.10 Units) take on the Los Angeles Dodgers (51-39 SU, -8.47 Units).
PITCHING MATCHUP
We know that Max Scherzer is going to be pitching in this first game of the second half of the year, as it would be a regular turn around the rotation for him.
Scherzer really is unstoppable at times, and there is little way to figure out how to bet against him in live betting.
The righty has had a few bad games, but when he really gets rolling, it's just like zero after zero hits the board. Outside of a bad start against the Reds, Scherzer has thrown at least eight innings five times since June 14, and he has allowed a total of six runs in five starts.
What really gets us with Scherzer is that he just doesn't throw balls. The righty has not walked a batter in his last five starts, making his WHIP since June 14 a mind-boggling 0.48.
The problem for Scherzer in this game and for live bettors is that we aren't all that sure when there are going to be any runs scored by the Nats either. In all likelihood, Clayton Kershaw will take the mound.
We're still not all that sure whether it will be Kershaw or Zack Greinke, but we have to imagine that the lefty will get the first go at it since he last pitched for the Dodgers on July 8, a day before Greinke.
Kershaw tossed a gem that night against the Phillies, allowing just eight hits with 13 strikeouts over a complete game shutout.
However, we have reason for pessimism when it comes to live betting. Kershaw has labored through the late innings of his starts at times this year, and though he has been very good in his last three, he beat up the Phillies, Mets and Marlins, who don't exactly have elite level lineups.
ADVANCED STATS
With a great pitching matchup like this one, we're going to look for any clues we can find as to how runs are going to be scored.
The argument could be made that Kershaw has been really unlucky this year. He has a BABIP of .306, which ranks No. 37 amongst qualified pitchers and is far above the league average. This is a man with a .274 career BABIP, and last season when he won 21 games, he had a .278 BABIP.
Scherzer's numbers are insane. Yes, anyone with a .242 BABIP is getting incredibly lucky, but the rest of the righty's stats are right there in line with the top pitchers in the game as well. Scherzer, in fact, is stranding runners at a modest 78.5 percent rate.
What really proves to us that Scherzer is the better man for live betting purposes to back is FIP. Scherzer is sitting at 2.20, right in par with his 2.10 ERA and the best mark in baseball. Kershaw's FIP is 2.39.
TALKING BULLPENS
Of course, this duel between Kershaw and Scherzer might make this section completely moot, knowing that these men could easily both go the distance. There is a lot of confidence in both closers as well, as Kenley Jansen for LA and Drew Storen for Washington have been virtually perfect all year long.
The rest of the bullpens though, are both very good, too. Washington ranks No. 6 in the league in FIP at 3.36, while the Dodgers are second at 3.03. Both teams could stand to be even better in that category as well, knowing that they are stranding runners are relatively modest rates.
No matter how you slice it, batters have their work cut out for them on Friday night at Nationals Park, and live bettors should know that there are going to be a lot more zeroes thrown up on the scoreboard than anything else with these men on the mound.
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker's live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker's new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here, and start wagering today!
