Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Prediction: Dodgers won’t disappoint this time

The Washington Nationals (6-9) are set to visit the Los Angeles Dodgers (11-7) on Tuesday for the opening game of a three-game series. The heavily favored Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to secure a victory in this matchup. However, could the Washington Nationals reverse expectations and surprise the Dodgers with a road win?

The Los Angeles Dodgers enter this game aiming to bounce back from a 6-3 defeat against the San Diego Padres in Sunday’s series finale. Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts lead the team with 25 hits each, with Betts boasting a team-high 6 home runs and 16 RBIs. Meanwhile, Teoscar Hernandez has contributed 5 home runs and holds the team's highest RBI count at 17. Ohtani also leads in doubles with 10, adding 4 home runs and 10 RBIs to his stats. Hernandez holds the team record for strikeouts this season with 26. Tyler Glasnow will take the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers, boasting a 3-0 record, a 2.25 ERA, and 29 strikeouts this season. Notably, the Dodgers have won their last six night games following previous-day matches. However, they have struggled to cover the run line in their last six home games against teams with losing records.

The Washington Nationals enter this matchup seeking to bounce back from a narrow 7-6 defeat to the Oakland Athletics in Sunday’s series closer. Jesse Winker leads the Nationals with 15 hits, while Joey Gallo and CJ Abrams have each contributed 3 home runs. Gallo, with a team-high 25 strikeouts and 3 doubles, partners with Abrams, who has 2 doubles and 2 triples. Lane Thomas holds the team's highest RBI count at 10, along with 7 stolen bases, while Trey Lipscomb adds 4 stolen bases, and Luis Garcia Jr. leads in doubles with 7. Mitchell Parker will make his major league debut on the mound for the Nationals in this game. Notably, the Nationals have won their last four games as road underdogs against National League opponents following a loss, and they've covered the run line in seven of their last eight road games.

I'm leaning towards the Los Angeles Dodgers again, despite the recent disappointments in my previous bets on them. The odds seem too favorable, especially with the Washington Nationals starting a rookie making his debut against one of the most formidable lineups in baseball, backed by arguably the best pitcher of the season so far in Glasnow, given his impressive performance in his first three starts. Although the loss on Monday was tough for the Dodgers, I believe they'll bounce back at home with another stellar performance from Glasnow. My prediction is for the Los Angeles Dodgers to secure a significant victory in this matchup.