The Washington Nationals (5-7) travel to face off against the Oakland Athletics (5-8) on Friday, April 12th. This game will be played at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland and televised on NSPCA. The Athletics are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Nationals are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Rangers. First pitch is set for 9:40 ET.

Nationals vs Athletics

Washington closed out their series vs. the Giants with a 7-1 loss. Heading into the game, the Nationals were the +170 underdog on the money line. Things started off well for the Nationals, as they got on the board with a run in the 2nd inning but gave up the lead right away as the Giants scored three times in the bottom of the second.

Patrick Corbin got the start for the Nationals and took the loss. He only lasted 5 2/3 innings, giving up seven earned runs on 11 hits. Offensively, the Nationals only had one fewer hit than the Giants but scored just one run. Joey Gallo’s homer was the lone bright spot for the Nationals.

Washington has been struggling in series so far this season, as they have lost all three series they have played. Overall, they have a record of 5-7, and they are currently in 4th place in the NL East, 2.5 games behind the Braves for the division lead. They have been better on the road than at home this season, as they are 3-3 on the road compared to 2-4 at home.

Washington is coming off a series win against the Giants, where they took two out of three games. They will be looking to keep the momentum going in this series against the Athletics.

The Nationals are 6-6 against the run line this season and have a run differential of -1.2 runs per game. They have been a better bet on the run line on the road, where they are 4-2, compared to at home, where they are 2-4. They have been the underdog in 11 of their 12 games and are 6-5 against the run line in those contests.

The Washington Nationals have an over/under record of 6-6 this season, with an average over/under line of 9 runs per game. However, today’s over/under line is set at 8 runs, which is lower than their average line. In their last two games, the Nationals have gone under the over/under line, and their games have averaged 8.8 runs per game this season.

Jake Irvin Gets The Start For The Nationals

Jake Irvin and the Nationals are on the road to take on the Athletics. Irvin has started two games so far this season, and he took the loss in his last outing against the Phillies. In that game, he went 6 innings, giving up 4 earned runs and striking out 5. He gave up 1 home run in that start.

Nationals Offense Breakdown

Our home run projections for the Nationals are led by Lane Thomas, who has the 10th highest home run projection in the league today. Joey Gallo is 12th in the league in terms of home run projections and 2nd on the team. CJ Abrams is 13th in the league in terms of home run projections and 3rd on the team. In terms of total hits, CJ Abrams is our leader for the Nationals and his total hits projection is 18th in the league today. Joey Meneses is 21st in the league in terms of total hits projections.

The Athletics’s offense was carried by Seth Brown in their most recent game vs. the Rangers. Brown went 2/4 with a homer and scored the team’s only run. The Athletics really needed a big performance from Brown, as they were the +172 underdog going into this matchup.

JP Sears started for the Athletics, going 6 1/3 innings, and didn’t give up a run. He also issued just three walks and struck out five Rangers batters. Oakland’s bullpen closed things out, and Mason Miller picked up the save.

Despite a losing record, the Athletics are just two games behind the Angels for 2nd place in the AL West. They have gone 2-1 against divisional opponents so far this season. Oakland has struggled at home, going just 1-6, but they have been much better on the road, posting a 4-2 record.

Currently, the Athletics are in the middle of a series with the Rangers, who are in 1st place in the AL West. Oakland has gone 1-2 in series so far this season and have dropped their last two series at home.

Despite being underdogs in most games, the Athletics have been a solid run line bet this season, going 8-5 overall. They have been especially good on the road, where they are 5-1 against the run line. Their average run margin in their wins is +2.6 runs per game, while their average run margin in losses is -4.4 runs per game.

The Oakland Athletics have an over/under record of 6-6 this season, with an average over/under line of 8 runs per game. Their games have averaged 7.4 runs per game, and they have had seven games with over/under lines set higher than 8 runs, which accounts for 53.8% of their games. Their under streak is at three games, with their most recent game against the Rangers going under the 9.5-run line.

Paul Blackburn Gets The Start For The Athletics

Paul Blackburn is getting the start for the Athletics at home against the Nationals. He is coming off a win in his last start, where he went 6 innings and struck out 4. In his first start of the season, he went 7 innings and struck out 3, but didn’t factor into the decision.

Athletics Offense Breakdown

Our model is projecting Zack Gelof to have a big game at the plate for the Athletics. He has the highest hits projection on the team and is also our top pick to hit a home run for the Athletics, with the 10th best odds in the league today. J.D. Davis is also expected to have a solid game, as he has the 2nd highest hits projection on the team and the 13th best odds to hit a home run in the league today. If you’re looking for a longshot, Shea Langeliers has the 11th best odds to hit a home run today.

Nationals vs Athletics Prediction

Our prediction for this Nationals vs. Athletics matchup is to take the Athletics on the money line, with the payout being -134. We have the Athletics winning this one by a final score of 5-4.

Looking at the starting pitchers, Jake Irvin is projected to finish with six strikeouts, and we have Paul Blackburn ending the game with five. If you’re looking for some potential player props, you could take Blackburn’s under, as we have him finishing with the fifth-fewest strikeouts among starters today.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.