Before heading to the All-Star break, we get to witness another intense matchup between the Washington Nationals and the San Diego Padres. The competition that both teams bring to the table never disappoints, and we’ve seen 23 runs scored, and two games decided by three or fewer runs. As the Nationals vs. Padres series carries on, baseball fans and bettors are in for a treat.

The teams meet for the third of a four-set game in San Diego, and this is a battle between two offensive threats in the league. San Diego produced the better numbers of the two, currently at 51-37 and third in the NL West. Meanwhile, Washington sports a 41-43 win-loss record that puts the team fourth in the NL East.

As the action carries on, Nitrobetting puts together a preview of the upcoming Nationals vs. Padres this Thursday. Get a glance at the event’s details, latest MLB odds, betting trends, and expert betting predictions. We make sure that your predictions are on point as the four-game series comes to an end. Be sure to check out for our Baseball betting odds and daily sports betting odds and lines at our crypto sportsbook!

Nationals vs. Padres Game Information

Got 1⃣2⃣ out west. #SquadUp pic.twitter.com/akugvqmIMc

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 7, 2021

• When: Thursday, July 8, 2021, 10:10 PM ET
• Where: Petco Park, San Diego, California
• TV: MASN 2
• Radio: 106.7 FM The Fan (Nationals) / 97.3 FM The Fan (Padres)
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• MLB Odds: San Diego Padres -154

READ MORE: Yankees vs. Mariners MLB Odds, Analysis and Pick – July 7th, 2021

Why bet on the Washington Nationals?

The Nationals were on fire until they played the Dodgers. The defending champions swept all four games against the Nationals, putting an end to their streak with ease. The offense crumbled against stronger pitchers, and this put the team in a difficult position as they try to improve their NL East standings.

However, the Nationals picked up some pace and the offense erupted for five runs off Joe Musgrove through the first five innings. As of this writing, the Nationals scored 11 runs in the last two games and took seventh place in run-scoring over the past week.

They were able to extinguish a four-game losing streak in their 7-5 victory over the Padres, scoring five runs through the first two frames, with Josh Bell’s homerun breaking a 5-5- tie in the seventh. But this time around, we look forward to the Scherzer vs. Darvish matchup, that could potentially bring more thrill to the game.

Max Scherzer was a potential All-Star candidate but did not make it to the lineup. Nevertheless, his stats will remain a threat in this game, featuring a 16 GS, 94.1 UP, and a 2.10 ERA. There are rumors of a potential Scherzer trade before the deadline, so it’s worth keeping a close eye on his performance in the leadup to that.

Why bet on the San Diego Padres?

The Padres will give the ball to Yu Darvish for the series finale against the Nats. In his last start, the Japanese hurler got tagged for four earned runs (including two homers) on six hits during a six-inning start in a 4-2 road loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on July 4.

Despite that loss, Darvish keeps solid numbers of a 7-3 win-loss record to go with a 2.65 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP so far this season. Darvish doesn’t have glowing career numbers against some of Washington’s active hitters, but he is 5-2 with a 2.12 ERA in 11 starts at Petco Park this year.

As for their offense, San Diego can rely on Eric Hosmer, who’s 11 of 43 with a homer and four RBIs in his career against Scherzer. Another former Kansas City Royal could trouble Mad Max, as Wil Myers is a career .263 hitter against Scherzer.

Nationals vs. Padres MLB Betting Trends

• The Nationals are 3-2 against the Padres in their last 5 games.
• The Nationals are 7-3 in their last 10 games.
• The totals have gone over 2 times in the Nationals’ last 5 games against the Padres.
• The Padres are 2-3 in their last 5 home games.
• The Padres are 4-6 in their last 10 games.
• The totals have gone over in 5 of the Padres’ last 5 games.

Nationals vs. Padres Series Betting Prediction

This is going to be an interesting end to the series as neither team has had a starter go longer than 5 ⅓ innings in the series. This tells us that both bullpens experience fatigue. On top of that, both sides have hot bats. It’s going to be tough to call, but the Nationals look like they are keen on closing the series. While the Nationals took the momentum back, we are well aware of what the Padres are capable of, and we might just see that in the fourth and final game of the series.

READ MORE: 2021 World Series Futures Odds (July)

Feel free to browse sports betting guides. While you are at it, go ahead and check out all the latest MLB betting odds and more in our online sportsbook.