MLB best bets: Blue Jays vs. Nationals pick, odds, predictions for Friday 5/3

Blue Jays vs. Nationals Odds

Friday, May 3, 6:45 p.m. ET, Apple TV+

Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute MLB odds here.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have hit the skids of late by dropping seven of their last nine games, while being held to two runs or fewer in the seven losses.

There's currently a power outage from first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who hasn't hit a home run in 19 straight games. Toronto has hit 28 total home runs this season, which ranks 12th in the American League.

The good news is Toronto has started road series' on a solid note by posting a 4-1 record in away Game 1s, while winning each of those games by two runs or more.

Yusei Kikuchi has been reliable — for the most part — in six starts this season, but the Jays' southpaw allowed four runs in six innings of a 4-2 home defeat to the Dodgers his last time out. Kikuchi has yielded two runs in his past two road starts against the Royals and Yankees, both multi-run wins by Toronto.

The Jays have struggled in the first five innings recently (2-6-1 in the last nine games), as Toronto has been limited to one run or less six times.

Washington Nationals

The Nationals have put together a respectable 15-16 record so far, considering they faced the Dodgers and Rangers nine times in the last two weeks.

Washington's offense stalled in Arlington the last three days by scoring two runs, while losing two of three to the World Series champions.

The lone victory came in the middle game of the series by a 1-0 count, but the Nationals completed a successful 5-2 road swing, which included a four-game sweep of the Marlins.

Washington enters tonight's opener at 0-4 in home Game 1s this season, while getting outscored by 13 runs in those defeats.

Patrick Corbin won 14 games during Washington's World Series title run in 2019, but it's been all downhill for the southpaw since then.

Corbin has compiled a dreadful 27-50 record since 2020, which includes an 0-3 mark in 2024.  The left-hander was bailed out in his last start after the Nats fell behind the Marlins 7-0 through two innings. Washington rallied back for a 12-9 victory.

Corbin delivered his best start of the season in his last home appearance, which came against the mighty Dodgers in a 4-1 loss. Corbin tossed 5.1 scoreless innings and allowed three hits, but the Dodgers broke a 1-1 tie late with three runs for the victory.

Blue Jays vs. Nationals

Betting Pick & Prediction

The Game 1 trends are telling us Toronto has started strong and Washington hasn't been successful early on in series'.

Corbin is always tough to trust, as he only has one quality start so far this season. He was also racked by the Blue Jays in a 7-0 loss last season.

Toronto's bats need to bust out sooner or later, so we'll take the Jays on the run-line to capture the series opener in D.C. tonight.

Pick: Blue Jays -1.5 (Play to -115)