Greinke, Astros Are -120 Favorites vs Sanchez, Nationals in World Series Game 3 – Picks & Odds
By Robert Duff in MLB Baseball
Updated: April 1, 2020 at 3:27 pm EDTPublished:
- Trailing 2-0 to the Washington Nationals, the Houston Astros will send 18-game winner and former Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke to the mound for Game 3
- The Astros, winners of an MLB-best 107 games this season, are -120 favorites on the road
- The Nationals will counter with Anibal Sanchez, the 2013 American League ERA leader
No one need explain to Anibal Sanchez how dumbfounded Zack Greinke and the Houston Astros must be feeling at this moment in time.
In 2012, he was part of a dominant Detroit Tigers starting rotation that faced the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. In fact, when Sanchez takes the mound for the Washington Nationals in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday at 8:07 pm EST, he’ll be the third member of that Detroit staff to start a game in this series.
The Tigers rotation that season included three pitchers who’d win Cy Young Awards (Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello) and Sanchez, who’d lead the American League in ERA in 2013. And it didn’t do them a lick of good.
The Giants swept the series.
Astros vs Nationals Game 3 World Series Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | -120 | -1.5 (+135) | Over 7.5 (-115) |
| Washington Nationals | +110 | +1.5 (-155) | Under 7.5 (-105) |
*Odds taken October 24, 2019
Houston’s ace starting rotation is 50-percent of the way along that path. Greinke, an 18-game winner this season and the 2009 AL Cy Young Award recipient, is up next to try and stop the bleeding.
Oddsmakers have set Greinke and the Astros as -120 road favorites in the Nationals vs Astros Game 3 odds.
The last 11 teams to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series have carried on to win the series.
Greinke a Different Guy in Postseason
Acquired at the MLB trade deadine from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Greinke was 18-5 with a 2.93 ERA overall and 8-1, 3.02 for Houston.
In the playoffs, though. Greinke goes south, a trend that’s continued during this postseason.
https://twitter.com/StelliniTweets/status/1187210981266612224?s=20
Greinke is 0-4 in his last four decisions. He hasn’t won since Game 2 of the 2015 NLDS when he was a Los Angeles Dodger. He’s 3-6 with a 4.44 ERA in the playoffs.
In three starts this October, he’s served up five home runs and got out of the fifth inning once. Greinke’s made five road starts in the postseason. He’s 0-3 and his team is 1-4 in those games.
It’s cool, Astros fans. You’ve got *checks notes* Zack Greinke starting next game to stop the bleeding. pic.twitter.com/erb9ZSgLdX
— DodgersDeferralMemeTeam (@DodgersMemeTeam) October 24, 2019
Perhaps Greinke can help himself in Game 3. With no DH, he’ll be required to bat. Greinke led all MLB pitchers with three home runs and eight extra-base hits this year.
Sanchez Bounces Back
After going 3-7 with a 6,81 ERA for the 2017 Tigers, Sanchez looked to be done. But he rebounded and pitched for playoff teams the past two seasons – the Atlanta Braves in 2018 and the Nationals this season.
Sanchez started Game 3 of the 2012 World Series, allowing two runs over seven innings of work. Even though his resume shows 14 postseason appearances, Greinke will be making his World Series debut.
Sanchez has posted a 0.71 ERA over 12.2 innings in two starts during this postseason.
Astros Crashing From Orbit
In two games, Houston has seen MLB strikeout leader Gerrit Cole lose for the first time since May 22 and 21-game winner Verlander get lit up for seven runs in six innings.
Poor JV couldn't get out of his own way. pic.twitter.com/weOm0aEHY1
— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 24, 2019
A microcosm of the series so far from a Houston standpoint came during Game 2. Verlander dove to make a tough fielding play, then threw the ball off his leg.
The Astros can’t get out of their own way.
Only three of 25 teams to open the World Series with consecutive losses at home under the 2-3-2 format have bounced back to win the series.
The @Nationals' 10 runs in the 7th inning or later tonight are tied for the most ever in a #WorldSeries game.
The Athletics also scored 10 in the 7th or later in Game 4 of the 1929 World Series against the Cubs.#STAYINTHEFIGHT
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 24, 2019
The series feels like that 2012 set, when the heavily-favored Tigers simply failed to launch.
Pick: Washington Nationals (+110)
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
