After a flurry of trades around baseball on deadline day, this article went 1-0-1 to improve to 13-3 over our last 16 best bets. MLB handicapper Dalton Brown is back with another best bet on Wednesday from Washington, D.C.
1:05 p.m. ET: Milwaukee Brewers at Washington Nationals: Brewers moneyline (-125) at WynnBet
The Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals will wrap up their three-game set with a matinee on Wednesday, and I'm backing Milwaukee to pick up a victory in the rubber match. Each team will send a lefty to the mound, as Milwaukee turns to Wade Miley and Washington to MacKenzie Gore.
Neither pitcher inspires an incredible amount of confidence, but I give Miley a small edge. The veteran southpaw hasn't pitched since July 9, so he will likely be on an innings limit - but before his injury, Miley had allowed zero runs in three of five starts. Furthermore, if there's any team that can withstand a short start, it's probably Milwaukee - the Brewers' bullpen ranks No. 1 in MLB in xFIP since July 1.
MacKenzie Gore, the young lefty toeing the rubber for Nationals, has struggled to a 5.13 xERA this season. Gore had his worst month yet in July, posting a 6.64 ERA while walking 11 batters in just 20.1 innings of work. On the season, Gore is walking a higher percentage of batters than 77% of MLB pitchers. Milwaukee's lineup has been hitting lefties at an elite clip of late, posting a wRC+ of 113 since June 15 - and when Gore leaves the game, he'll be followed by Washington's 29th-ranked bullpen in baseball per xFIP since July 1.
Milwaukee needs wins like blood the rest of the way, and I'm expecting Craig Counsell to manage his bullpen that way - especially in an effort to avoid a series loss to lowly Washington.