Article courtesy OddsShark (@OddsShark)
After losing two of the last three to the Washington Nationals in the National League Division Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers look to get back to the NL Championship Series behind 25-year-old Walker Buehler (14-4, 3.26 ERA) in Game 5. The Dodgers are -160 home favorites (bet $160 to win $100) on the MLB odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com with the Nationals listed as +145 underdogs (bet $100 to win $145).
Nationals at Dodgers | OddsShark Matchup Report
Buehler was fantastic as the Game 1 starter last Thursday, allowing only one hit in six scoreless innings of a 6-0 win with three walks and eight strikeouts. He was also 6-1 in 14 home starts for Los Angeles during the regular season with a 2.86 ERA compared to 8-3 and 3.66 on the road. Buehler went 0-1 with a 3.80 ERA in four games last postseason.
Countering for Washington is 31-year-old Stephen Strasburg (18-6, 3.32 ERA), who earned a victory for his team in Game 2 last Friday. Much like Buehler, Strasburg was nearly unhittable in his first start, giving up three hits and one run in six innings of a 4-2 win with no walks and 10 strikeouts.
Unlike Buehler though, he was not much worse pitching away from home with an 8-4 mark and 3.39 ERA in 19 outings.
While the Nationals will be trying to win their first playoff series ever in this spot, all of the pressure has to be on the Dodgers here at home as the favorite at sports betting sites to win the pennant. Washington overcame an early 1-0 deficit to rout Los Angeles 6-1 as a -120 home favorite in Game 4 on Monday behind ace Max Scherzer and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who clubbed a three-run home run in the fifth inning to force Game 5.
Even though Scherzer might be the top pitcher on the staff with three Cy Young Awards and two no-hitters on his career resume, Strasburg was the best for the Nationals during the regular season and seemingly offers some value opposite Buehler due to his experience. In fact, Washington is 8-4 overall in its last 12 games as an underdog dating back to the regular season.
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