Nationals vs. Rockies Prediction and Odds for Thursday, April 6 (Must Back Nats)

The Washington Nationals have been dealt a tough hand to start the season. While the team is in the midst of a rebuild, it isn't great that they had to face two World Series contenders in the Tampa Bay Rays and Atlanta Braves to start the year.

Now, the Nats head to Colorado to face a similar rebuilding team in the Rockies at Coors Field. While both teams are going to fall well below .500, this line has installed the Rockies as considerable home favorites.

Is that warranted? We dig into it with a full betting preview below!

I can't back the Rockies as this big of favorites against anybody, including the Nationals, with Kyle Freeland on the mound.

The left hander is equal, if not worse, to the Nationals start Josiah Gray, who will look to take a step forward in his second full season in the bigs after posting a 5.02 ERA while struggling to keep the ball in the park (more than two home runs allowed per nine innings).

However, Freeland has a far more mediocre track record over a longer period of time. After being a Cy Young candidate in 2018, he has posted a 4.94 ERA while walking nearly three batters per nine innings over the last four seasons.

Gray may have trouble keeping the long ball out of play with the altitude of Coors Field in play, but he has far more upside than Freeland and can outperform this expectations against a poor pitcher like the lefty.

I'll take the Nats as underdogs against a Rockies team that doesn't deserve this price tag.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.