Orioles vs Nationals Odds, Lines and Spread – Aug 9
- After missing two turns in the rotation, Stephen Strasburg makes his season debut for the Nationals against the Orioles on Sunday (Aug. 9, 12:35 pm EST)
- After the Orioles’ 11-0 rout on Friday, they won again on Saturday, 5-3, and will go for a sweep
- Check out the odds, analysis, and a pick for the game in the article below
The last time we saw Stephen Strasburg in an MLB game, he was shutting down the Houston Astros en route to winning the 2019 World Series MVP. Since then, a nerve issue in his hand has kept him off the mound for the Nationals.
But he’ll be back at it on Sunday, as he and the Nats face the Baltimore Orioles at 12:35pm EST.
Orioles vs Nationals Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Orioles | +216 | N/A | Over 8.5 (-115) |
| Washington Nationals | -240 | N/A | Under 8.5 (-105) |
Odds taken Aug. 8.
Washington is currently a -240 favorite in the Orioles vs Nationals odds, in a game that features a low total of just 8.5.
About Last Night
Down by three in the eighth inning, a trio of homers buoyed the Orioles to a 5-3 win on Saturday, on the heels of an 11-0 romp on Friday. That brings Baltimore (7-7) up to .500 on the season and means they can sweep this Beltway Series with a win Sunday.
"THROW IT BACK" -Nats fans to the Soto family pic.twitter.com/P4rZp5dgWy
— Baltimore Orioles 😷 (@Orioles) August 9, 2020
After winning three in a row, the Nationals have now lost three in a row. The Orioles have been equally up-and-down, winning consecutive games after four straight losses.
Dating back to 2018, though, the Nationals have the head-to-head edge overall, 7-5.
Strasburg Returns
Strasburg started the year on the injured list because of a nerve issue in his right hand, which caused an impingement in his wrist. As a righty, it’s understandable why that’d be a problem.
But the $245-million man is ready now, after throwing a bullpen session and a simulated game this past week.
There will be a bit of a leash on Strasburg, as The Athletic’s Brittany Ghiroli reported he will be capped around 75-80 pitches.
Can we take a moment to acknowledge the fact that Stephen Strasburg had the greatest postseason that any of us will ever see in our entire lives? pic.twitter.com/ayzaYG4oyX
— did JJ Watt choose a new team today? (@SotoShuffle) November 12, 2019
At an average pace, that pitch count would get him through roughly five innings. And for a guy who has garnered a double-digit strikeouts-per-nine rate in each of the past six seasons, that’s plenty of time to impact the game.
Orioles Career Stats vs Strasburg
| Player | AB | HR | RBI | AVG. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanser Alberto | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Jose Iglesias | 5 | 0 | 1 | .200 |
| Chris Davis | 3 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| Austin Hays | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Renato Nunez | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Pedro Severino | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Chance Sisco | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Dwight Smith Jr. | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Rio Ruiz | 4 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Wojciechowski Searching For A Win
Asher Wojciechowski has started the 2020 with a subpar 0-2 record and 5.40 ERA, taking losses against the Yankees and the Marlins.
He only allowed eight hits in 10 innings through those games, but three of those hits left the ballpark. The right-hander has a 5.74 career ERA, which is not exactly awe-inspiring.
Nationals Career Stats vs Wojciechowski
| Player | AB | HR | RBI | AVG. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asdrubal Cabrera | 2 | 0 | 1 | .500 |
| Starlin Castro | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Juan Soto | 5 | 1 | 3 | .400 |
| Victor Robles | 4 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Kurt Suzuki | 3 | 2 | 4 | .667 |
| Trea Turner | 5 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
| Howie Kendrick | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Adam Eaton | 3 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| Eric Thames | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
In the Nationals, Wojciechowski will face a team that is 23rd in the majors in OPS (.662) and 28th in homers (9). But he hasn’t been able to beat them either, going 0-2 in his career with a 7.71 ERA.
Against a formidable foe like Strasburg, it’d be difficult to take the underdog Orioles. Role with the World Series MVP — and also the under.
Pick: Washington Nationals moneyline (-240), Under 8.5 (-105)
Jordan Horrobin is a sports journalist whose MLB, NHL, NFL and NCAA work has appeared in outlets such as The Athletic, MLB.com, the Detroit Free Press and more. He is currently based in Toronto, also working as a contributor for Forbes.com and a freelance editor for Sportsnet.
