The Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds open their seasons with the 1st game of a 3-game set Thursday. First pitch from Great American Ball Park is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s'lines around the Nationals vs. Reds odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting; Reds won 4-3 last season
The Nationals finished last season with a 71-91 record, good for last in the NL East. They finished 4 games behind the New York Mets and 33 behind the 1st-place Atlanta Braves. Washington had a 37-44 road record last year.
Cincinnati finished 3rd in the NL Central last season, just 1 game behind the Chicago Cubs. It was 82-80 on the season and 38-43 at home. The Reds were hit hard with injuries during training camp with the most notable being 2B Matt McLain, who tore his labrum and is expected to miss an extended period of time.