MLB Odds – San Francisco Giants vs Washington Nationals

The San Francisco Giants are currently struggling through their worst losing streak of the year and with the Nationals in town, there is no guarantee they’ll break out of it.

It years past, the Washington Nationals were often “Slump Busters” but with an above .500 record this late in the May, the Nationals have become a tough out.

The MLB Odds makers have set the slumping San Francisco Giants as small -120 favorites and a wager on the Washington Nationals will pay you even money on the MLB betting line. The game total is 8 runs.

MLB Betting Odds

• May 25, 2010
• Game Time: 10:15 pm
• TV: MASN2, CSBA

Washington Nationals +1½ -200 Even Livan Hernandez – R

San Francisco Giants -1½ +170 -120 Todd Wellemeyer – R

Game Total 8

The Nationals look like they are finally making a turn around, the team lost more than a 100 games the past two seasons and hasn’t had a sniff at a winning record since leaving Montreal. This year they are one game over .500 with only a week left in May.

Because of their horrible record over the past several years, the odds makers have given them some juicy underdog lines and even if the team wins half the games, there are plenty of opportunities for a sports bettor to profit. The Nationals are currently fourth in the MLB money standings, meaning they have made MLB Bettors more than all but three other teams.

On the mound for the Nationals is Livan Hernandez, Hernandez is pitching unlike many would have expected from the big Cuban. He owns a 4-2 record with a 1.62 ERA and a WHIP of 1.04.

He hasn’t been dominating but he’s pitched in control and let his defense make plays. It’s surprising, as Hernandez hasn’t had a season worth discussing since 2005 when he won 15 games for the Nationals during their first season in Washington.

On the mound for the Giants is Todd Wellemeyer, Wellemeyer has been shaky of late but at AT&T Park he’s been significantly better than on the road with a record of 2-1 with a 3.04 ERA in four outings.

The San Francisco Giants haven’t been hitting the ball; they have scored one or none runs in five of their past seven games. The way Livan Hernandez is pitching, the Giants are unlikely to pull out of this slump tonight.

Getting even money on a solid Nationals team against a shaky pitcher is all I need to hear. I like the under in this one but I don’t know if it’s worth the risk. Ryan Zimmerman has been tearing the cover off the ball and Wellemeyer may toss him one too many beach balls to keep the score under 8.