A pivotal series in the NL East comes to a close on Sunday when the 53-46 Washington Nationals take on the 52-49 New York Mets.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Assuming that nothing changes with these rotations between now and Sunday, Jordan Zimmermann and Noah Syndergaard will square off with one another for the second time in a span of just a week and a half.
Last week, the Nats won a 4-3 decision, and these two starters were flat out dealing. Both allowed runs in the fourth inning, but there were nothing but zeroes aside from that between the two starters.
Zimmermann continues to be a solid play for live bettors. He hasn't allowed more than four runs in a game since the middle of June, and he has thrown at least five scoreless innings in five of his last eight starts, making for a good percentage of success for live bettors.
Syndergaard has been even better, but we know that he is very likely to be limited with his pitch count, particularly after throwing 107 pitches against the Padres earlier in the week.
The rookie has allowed a total of just six runs in his last six starts. The Mets are 4-2 in those games, and the under is a spotless 6-0.
Just keep in mind that the New York bullpen is going to be called into play in this game. Though this pen did add a nice piece in Tyler Clippard, the Mets won't have Jenrry Mejia after his 162-game suspension.
ADVANCED STATS
The Mets are starting to get their act together with their lineup. They added Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe during the week via a trade with Atlanta, and they have really helped this lineup out.
Over the course of the last seven days, the Mets are only batting .250 as a team, and they are only averaging 3.0 runs per game, but they also have an ISO of .184 and a slugging percentage of .434. Clearly, they're headed in the right direction as an offense, and we wouldn't be against there being another big bat in this lineup by the time Sunday rolls around with the trading deadline less than 48 hours away.
If that keeps up against Zimmermann, New York could put some runs on the board in this one, especially if it successfully trades for another big bat after making a big run at Carlos Gomez on Wednesday.
TALKING BULLPENS
By the time Sunday rolls around, we'll have a good idea as to what this Nationals bullpen is going to really look like.
Color us concerned, though. Jonathan Papelbon was a nice addition for Washington's bullpen, but we're not sure where he really fits in. The veteran is clearly going to be the closer, but at what cost?
Papelbon did go 17-for-17 in save chances with the Phillies, and his 1.59 ERA was practically spotless. But when he went from the Red Sox to the Phillies in 2012, he had a little bit of trouble. Could he have a bit of trouble with this switch to the Nationals?
And what will Storen feel like when he has to come out of the bullpen in the eighth inning instead of the ninth? Storen has absolutely done his job, going 29-of-31 in save chances with a 1.69 ERA, but if he is truly as disappointed as it seems like he is, there's a legitimate chance that he could blow up.
Particularly if Storen's first outing as a middle reliever comes on Sunday, don't be afraid to bet against the Nationals in live betting.
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! First pitch for the game between the New York Mets and the Washington Nationals is scheduled for Sunday, August 2, 2015 at 8:08 p.m. ET at Citi Field in Flushing, NY. The contest will be televised live on ESPN.
