Nationals vs Dodgers: Game 1 prediction, odds, injuries, and picks

The Washington Nationals take on the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday for the first of three games set to take place at Dodger Stadium. At the moment, the Nationals are fourth in the NL East with a 31-44 record, while the Dodgers are first in the NL West with a 46-30 record.

Let's take a look at the odds for the fixture and how the action might play out on the field.

Nationals vs Dodgers prediction

Taking the mound for the Nationals is ace MacKenzie Gore, who has been the team's finest pitcher this season. Gore is pitching with a 3-6 record, along with a 2.89 ERA and 119 strikeouts.

Washington Nationals v New York Mets - Source: Getty

With the bat, James Wood, C.J. Abrams, Luis Garcia and Nathaniel Lowe are in good touch for the visitors.

For the hosts, veteran Clayton Kershaw makes another start. Having struggled in his first few outings after returning from injury, Kershaw has returned to his best in recent appearances. The 37-year-old boasts a 2-0 record, along with a 3.25 ERA and 20 total strikeouts this season.

At the plate, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Will Smith lead the way for Los Angeles.

The hosts come into this game after a commanding series win against their arch-rivals, the San Diego Padres, and should have enough quality to secure another win here.

Prediction: Washington Nationals 3, Los Angeles Dodgers 6

Odds

Money Line: Washington Nationals +165, Los Angeles Dodgers -196

Run Line: Nationals +1.5 (-137), Los Angeles -1.5 (+104)

Total Runs: Over 7.5 (-135), Under 7.5 (+101)

Injury report

Nationals injuries:

Dylan Crews: 10-day IL (Back)
Paul DeJong: 10-day IL (Face)
Orlando Ribalta: 15-day IL (Bicep)
Andrew Chafin: 15-day IL (Hamstring)
Derek Law: 15-day IL (Forearm)
Josiah Gray: 60-day IL (Elbow)
DJ Herz: 60-day IL (Elbow)
Mason Thompson: 60-day IL (Elbow)

Dodgers injuries:

Luís Garcia: 15-day IL (Adductor)
Roki Sasaki: 15-day IL (Shoulder)
Gavin Stone: 60-day IL (Shoulder)
River Ryan: 60-day IL (Elbow)
Brusdar Graterol: 60-day IL (Shoulder)
Edgardo Henriquez: 60-day IL (Foot)
Blake Treinen: 60-day IL (Forearm)
Tyler Glasnow: 60-day IL (Shoulder)
Kyle Hurt: 60-day IL (Elbow)
Michael Grove: 60-day IL (Shoulder)
Tony Gonsolin: 60-day IL (Elbow)
Evan Phillips: 60-day IL (Forearm)
Blake Snell: 60-day IL (Shoulder)

Expert's picks

With two solid pitchers taking the mound for each side, the hosts' superior offense should ultimately prove to be the difference in this game.

Money Line: Los Angeles Dodgers -196

Run Line: Dodgers -1.5 (+104)

Total Runs: Over 7.5 (-135)

About the author

Raghav Mehta is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda awaiting results for a Bachelor's in Journalism from Delhi University. He enjoys highlighting the key battles between players at different stages of the game and analyzing the decisive moments upon which they hinge.

One of Raghav's favorite moments, which underscores this, was the Shohei Ohtani vs. Mike Trout clash in the 2023 WBC, where two of baseball's best players faced off against each other in the 9th inning. With the score 3-2 to Japan, Shohei eventually got the strikeout, which was absolute cinema.

Raghav is a Baltimore Orioles fan and is enjoying watching such an exciting young team compete at the top in a very competitive division.

Raghav has loved watching sports for as long as he can remember and realized he was pretty decent at writing his thoughts down at around the age of 14. Combining the two meant he had something he would enjoy doing every day, and he had identified that well before going to college.

Aside from work, Raghav enjoys playing sports, working out and watching movies.

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Edited by Krutik Jain

Nationals vs Dodgers: Game 1 prediction, odds, injuries, and picks - June 20, 2025