Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction for Friday April 3 2026
Use Code WWWC Friday night Major League Baseball action, and we have a Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals prediction ready to rock and roll. After sweeping the Diamondbacks in three games to start the year, the Dodgers then lost two of three at home to the Guardians. The Nationals took two of three in Chicago against the Cubs, but then they lost two of three in Philadelphia. These teams split the six meetings last year. Read on to see our Dodgers vs Nationals prediction.
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The Dodger Offense Is Struggling
Los Angeles heads into Washington looking to reset after a strong opening sweep of Arizona was followed by a flat series against Cleveland, where the Dodgers dropped two of three and mustered only seven total runs. The offense hasn’t found its rhythm yet despite a respectable .237 team average and 4.1 runs per game, and the lineup has struggled to string together innings the way it did in the opening series. The pitching, however, has been excellent overall — a 2.83 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and opponents hitting just .190 — which is the main reason they’re still in solid early‑season shape despite the recent offensive dip.
Emmet Sheehan gets the ball after a shaky first outing in which he allowed four runs in 3.1 innings against Arizona, though the Dodgers still pulled out a 5–4 win. Last year he was far better than that debut suggests, posting a 2.82 ERA with elite strikeout numbers, but his career as a starter has been more uneven (4.33 ERA in 24 starts) and he’s struggled on the road (5.72 ERA in 10 road starts). He’s also been hit hard by Washington in his lone career start against them. For the Dodgers, the keys are straightforward: get Sheehan settled early, lean on a bullpen that’s been lights‑out so far, and find a way to generate more consistent traffic on the bases after the quiet Cleveland series. If the pitching holds and the bats show even a modest rebound, Los Angeles is positioned to get back on track in the opener at Nationals Park.
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National Blow One Against Philly
Washington returns home after a mixed road trip, taking two of three from the Cubs before dropping two of three in Philadelphia, including a gut‑punch 6–5 loss in 10 innings after carrying a 5–3 lead into the bottom of the ninth. Even with that collapse, the Nationals have swung the bats well to open the season, averaging 6.2 runs per game and hitting .284, showing far more life than they did early last year. The pitching has been competitive but not airtight, posting a 4.15 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and holding opponents to a .233 average, though the bullpen’s late‑inning issues were on full display in the series finale. Washington has been in every game so far, but they haven’t consistently closed them.
They hand the ball to Miles Mikolas, who was hit hard in his Nationals debut, giving up six runs (four earned) in five innings in a 10–2 loss to Chicago. Last year with St. Louis, he went 8–11 with a 4.84 ERA, and his history against the Dodgers is rough — 1–5 with a 6.20 ERA in 10 appearances. The bright spot is his work at Nationals Park, where he’s been far better, going 5–2 with a 2.79 ERA in seven career outings. For Washington to hang with a strong Dodgers pitching staff, they’ll need Mikolas to settle in early, avoid the long innings that have plagued him against L.A., and continue to get production from the top of the lineup. If the offense keeps rolling and the bullpen steadies itself, the Nationals have enough firepower to make this a competitive home opener.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Pick
Dodgers vs Nationals Spread Pick
- LA Dodgers -1.5 (5 Units)
The Dodgers make sense here because even with the offense sputtering in the Cleveland series, their pitching has been so sharp that they don’t need a huge outburst to control a game like this. Washington can hit, but they also just blew a late lead in Philadelphia and now turn to Miles Mikolas, who has a long history of getting knocked around by L.A. Even if he’s been better at Nationals Park, this Dodgers lineup tends to punish pitchers who live in the zone as much as he does. With the bullpen rested and the staff carrying a 2.83 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, Los Angeles is in a good spot to bounce back and take advantage of a Nationals team that hasn’t been closing games well.
Dodgers vs Nationals Over/Under Pick
- Over 9 (5 Units)
The Over 9 also fits because both teams have shown they can score in bunches, and the pitching matchup has enough volatility to open the door for a higher‑tempo game. Emmet Sheehan’s first outing was rough, and his career road numbers — plus his struggles in his lone start against Washington — suggest he’s not a lock to settle in quickly. Mikolas, meanwhile, just gave up six runs in his debut and has a 6.20 ERA in his career against the Dodgers, which is never a great sign when facing a lineup that’s due for a rebound. Washington is averaging 6.2 runs per game, L.A. should find more life after the Cleveland series, and with two starters who can give up crooked numbers early, this one has the feel of a game that gets into the bullpens and pushes past the total.
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