We came so close to having just a regular, on-time, full-crowd Opening Day for the first time since 2019. Two years disrupted by a global pandemic, and this was going to be the one to restore baseball to all its full, natural glory. So of course, Rob Manfred and company saw to it we were going to go 0-for-3 no matter what. But! It’s finally Opening Day, and even baseball’s most hamfisted attempts at self-destruction can’t wane our enthusiasm as we peruse the Thursday MLB odds board.
Besides, April 7 is relatively close to the original March 31 start date. Plus, despite the delay, we get a full 162-game schedule. So now it’s time for 18 of 30 clubs to swing into high ge…
Wait. Make that 14 of 30. The very first game in the first hour of the 2022 season got washed out Tuesday, because it comes as a surprise to MLB’s schedule-makers that Northeast and Midwest weather can be kinda lousy in April. So we don’t get that Yankees-Red Sox 1 p.m. ET start. Or Twins-Mariners later today.
But we do have the table-setter. The game you’ve been waiting for all offseason: Guardians-Royals for all the AL Central tone-setter!
Nah, we wouldn’t do that to you. Instead, our Thursday MLB odds preview focuses on an NL East showdown between the New York Mets (who are without their co-aces) and Washington Nationals (who sort of have bona fide superstar in right fielder Juan Soto … but not much else).
Odds via WynnBet and updated as of 6 p.m. ET.
New York Mets vs Washington Nationals
First pitch/TV: 7:05 p.m. ET/ESPN+
Mets (2021): 76-85 SU/69-82 RL
Nationals (2021): 65-97 SU/72-90 RL
Moneyline/Total: Mets -119/9 (Over -120)
Did You Know: Washington won four of the first five meetings against the Metropolitans last season, but New York took eight of the final 11. (Mr. Met has not, as of yet, been implicated in a sign-stealing scandal during the stretch.)
Mets Fans Mood:
About New York: Your Opening Day starter, Jacob deG– wait, no. No, that’s gonna take a couple of months. Well then it’s huge free-agent acquisition Max Scherz– no. No, a tight hammy derailed Scherzer from his last spring training start, and the Mets’ brass is playing it cautious when it comes to his first go-round. Instead, we’ll turn to Tyler Megill, a 26-year-old righty who pitched to a 4.52 ERA and 4.69 FIP with 99 strikeouts in 89.2 innings during his rookie campaign last season. Ladies and gentlemen, the Mets!
About Washington: Scherzer started six of the last seven Opening Days for the Nats, but this year he’s wearing blue and orange. On the bench. Instead, the Nationals turn to Patrick Corbin, who last year went 9-16 with a chunky 5.82 ERA while leading the National League in earned runs allowed (111) and taters surrendered (37).
Injuries: Mets RF Brandon Nimmo is listed as day-to-day with neck stiffness. He’s expected to play Thursday. Scherzer (hamstring) and fellow RHP Taijuan Walker (knee) are slated to pitch Friday and Monday, respectively. However, deGrom (right shoulder) is out for at least a month. … Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg (right shoulder, neck) and utility infielder Ehire Adrianza (left quad strain) start the season on the 10-day injured list. Strasburg isn’t expected to pitch until at least early May. Like Strasburg, RHP Will Harris is recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, but he’s on the 60-day IL.
Editor’s Note: New to betting on MLB? Check out our complete MLB betting guide that includes tips on how to become a sharper baseball bettor.
Notable Trends
- New York ended spring training at 7-7 with 62 runs scored and 61 allowed
- Washington went 4-11 in the spring, scoring 70 and allowing 98
- New York lost nine of its last 10 road games to close the 2021 regular season
- Washington went 35-46 at home last season (6-4 vs. the Mets)
New York Mets vs Washington Nationals Odds & Action
UPDATE 6 P.M. ET: An hour before first pitch, New York remains a modest -119 chalk in WynnBet’s Thursday MLB odds market. That’s down from a -127 opener and -133 high point, but up a few cents from a -114 low point, before settling at -119 late this morning. It’s two-way moneyline action, with 53% of tickets on the Mets and 55% of money on the Nationals. The total opened at 9 and has seen only a couple of price adjustments, sitting at Over -120 since late this morning. The Over is taking a modest majority 56% of tickets, but that’s translating into 92% of money.
UPDATE 12:30 PM ET: The Mets opened as -127 favorites at WynnBet but the line has since dipped to Mets -119/Nationals +109. New York is taking 62% of the early tickets, but the Nationals are drawing 51% of the money. The total has been steady at 9, though the juice has now crept to Over -120 on early splits of 55% tickets/97% money on the Over. The runline opened Washington -140/New York +120 but now is out to -150/+130. The Mets are taking 69% of runline tickets and 60% of runline cash.
