The Washington Nationals go for a series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, April 8. First pitch from Nationals Park is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET; the game will be broadcast on MASN and SportsNet LA.
The Nationals enter Tuesday on a three-game winning streak following an upset over the Dodgers on Monday. Can 25-year-old Brad Lord lead the Nats to another shocker on Tuesday night?
Find our two Dodgers vs Nationals predictions and picks below, plus a correlated same-game parlay.
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- Dodgers -1.5
- Brad Lord Under 2.5 Strikeouts
Parlay Odds: +175 (BetMGM)
This is a correlated two-leg parlay from our expert picks.
Brad Lord is making his first MLB start against the vaunted Dodgers. The 25-year-old went from working at Home Depot over the offseason to impressing in Spring Training and making the Nationals’ big-league roster. He’s reportedly only good to go for 50 pitches max and has surrendered two runs in his three relief outings this season.
As for the spread pick, the Nationals’ bullpen is a bit worn down entering Tuesday, potentially creating a dismal situation considering Lord’s longest outing in spring was 2 1/3 innings.
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Dodgers vs Nationals Odds, Lines
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- Dodgers vs Nationals Moneyline: Dodgers -205, Nats +170
- Dodgers vs Nationals Run Line: Dodgers -1.5 (-115), Nats +1.5 (-105)
- Dodgers vs Nationals Total: 9 (-105o / -115u)
Dodgers vs Nationals Predictions, Props
Dodgers vs Nationals Spread Pick
By Nick Galaida
Washington’s bullpen is in awful shape heading into this matchup on Tuesday, having used Kyle Finnegan each of the last three days, in addition to Eduardo Salazar and Lucas Sims in three of the last four days.
Further complicating matters, the Nationals are starting Brad Lord, who is only stretched out to about 50 pitches. That means Washington is likely looking at nine innings that need to be covered by underwhelming arms.
The overnight forecast looks gross again, which is the only significant factor that could lead to some unwanted variance.
Still, the Dodgers have the better offense, and they should have a significant pitching advantage.
Pick: Dodgers -1.5
Dodgers vs Nationals Player Props: Fade the Lord
By Charlie Wright
Nick already laid out the desperation Washington’s pitching staff is facing today.
An injury to Michael Soroka, plus a string of tight games, has taxed the bullpen and starting rotation. Lord will make his first career start, but he’s hardly been stretched out this season.
Nationals reporter Mark Zuckerman said Lord “should be good for 45-50 pitches,” though that might be wishful thinking.
Lord made nine appearances in Spring Training, maxing out at 2 1/3 innings and 48 pitches. The 48-pitch outing was an eight-run disaster against Tampa Bay in which he only recorded two outs. It was also the only time he threw more than 34 pitches.
Lord worked in shorter stints from there, going an inning apiece over his final three appearances.
He made his MLB debut in the final game of the Philadelphia series, but failed to record an out. He’s made two appearances since then, totaling two frames. His last outing was a 20-pitch relief appearance on Wednesday.
Lord posted an uninspiring 18.5% K% in his first taste of professional ball in 2023. Across three levels in 2024, he improved to a 25.3% mark.
Lord is still searching for his first major league strikeout. Jackson Rutledge has been recalled and should be able to cover several innings. He handled a similar workload to Lord in Spring Training and hadn’t made a Triple-A appearance since April 1 before being called up.
The Dodgers had a 22% K% against right-handed pitching last season. They’re right at that mark again this season.
L.A. ranked second in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ vs. RHP in 2024. They’re once again first or second in each metric in 2025. It’s a dangerous lineup and Lord might only get to go through it once.
Pick: Brad Lord Under 2.5 Strikeouts
Dodgers vs Nationals Betting Trends
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