No need to adjust your radio folks, this is not a rerun. It's a rematch between the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates. They're sparring at PNC Park in Pittsburgh - an average field that won't give too much of a helping hand to our brawlers.
In this corner we have the Nationals' starting pitcher, DJ Herz. He boasts a 4.28 ERA and 1.32 WHIP, not to mention his punchy 11.8 K/9. Bring the thunder, Herz!
On the other side of the mound, we've got Luis Ortiz wearing Pirates' colors. Ortiz counters with a 3.23 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, but his 7.3 K/9 doesn't quite match Herz's fiery delivery.
The Nationals' batting lineup is led by Jose Tena and Jacob Young, both sporting batting averages north of .290. Keibert Ruiz and Andres Chaparro, despite being a bit down in the order, are throwing enough wood around to keep everybody honest.
Our Pirates fans won't be walking the plank without a fight. Oneil Cruz holds a towering .317 batting average and Yasmani Grandal is no slouch either with his .289. That's to say nothing of Rowdy Tellez, who packs some power and Bryan Reynolds, consistent across his games.
These teams have no secrets, having matched up several times in the past. The Pittsburgh Pirates have shown they can send the Nationals packing, taking the win in a majority of their recent encounters. And looking at the recent form, the Pirates seem to be in better shape than the Nationals. Judging by the season records, we wouldn't blame you for thinking this is a tight race with the Pirates leading by a smidge.
But alas, dear sports aficionados, the spread and payout data tell a tale of their own. Taking everything into account, my prediction is as follows:
Albert’s Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates by 2