New York Yankees vs. Washington Nationals Free MLB Pick, 7–23–2020
Free MLB Pick by Cameron Owens of SportsInvestorCentral.com
New York Yankees (0–0) vs. Washington Nationals (0–0)
When: Thursday, July 23, 2020
First Pitch: 7:08 PM EST
Where: Nationals Park, Washington, DC
Odds: Yankees -145, Nationals +125, O/U 7.5
The defending World Series Champion Washington Nationals will open up the 2020 MLB season by hosting the New York Yankees at Nationals Park on Thursday (7:08 p.m. ET). The odds list the visiting Yankees (-145) as favorites with their newest ace, Gerrit Cole on the bump to face Max Scherzer of the Nationals (+125).
New York will get an opportunity to see their newest acquisition in Gerrit Cole take the hill on Thursday to face the defending champs. Cole (2019: 20–5, 2.50 ERA) is off another dominant year in 2019, picking up a 20 win season for the Astros. Cole looked good in his final intrasquad tuneup start, throwing 87 pitches and fanning seven through 5 2/3 innings but he did surrender two home runs.
Washington will keep their same rotation from 2019 which spurred so much success as they usher out Max Scherzer (2019: 11–7, 2.92 ERA) and not World Series MVP, Stephen Strasburg. Scherzer got knocked around in his last exhibition start allowing seven runs through two innings to the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. He won’t have much time to iron out the wrinkles for Thursday as he faces one of the most feared lineups in baseball.
This season will be unlike any we have seen in the past as the players adjust to new surroundings and no fans in the stands. The Yankees won 103 games last season without Gerrit Cole, the strikeout leader in 2019 (326 Ks). New York has a potent lineup that hit 306 home runs in 2019 and has the talent to compete for a World Series. It’s tough to discount the defending World Series Champions but the Nats started off the 2019 season slow before finding their stride towards the end of the season. Washington has one of the best starting rotations in the game but I didn’t like what I saw with Scherzer in his last preseason start. I give the edge to the Yankees in Game 1 with Gerrit Cole on the mound aiming to impress his new teammates.
Yankees vs. Nationals Free MLB Pick: New York Yankees -145
