Rogers' EARLY Afternoon ASSAULT >>> 18-9-1 MLB Run
(MLB) Philadelphia vs. Washington,
Money Line: -142.00 Washington (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Nats edged the Phillies 3-2 Friday night in the opener of this three-game series. Washington has won three of its last four to move to 6-4, with Daniel Murphy (.347 BA in 2016) hitting safely in all 10 games so far. He has multiple-hit games in seven of the 10, including a 2-for-5 effort Friday. His game-winning RBI double in the 10th inning gives him a .444 average through 10 games. along with a team-leading 10 RBI. The Phillies, who won two of three at home against Washington last weekend, have now dropped four in a row, three by one run, and sit at 3-7. One way to open the season 3-7 is to have an NL-worst 5.11 team ERA, including a 5.59 bullpen ERA and just one save!

The pitching matchup: Jeremy Hellickson (1-0 & 0.90 ERA) takes the mound for Philly on Saturday afternoon, opposed by Washington's Tanner Roark. Hellickson has been the lone bright spot in Philadelphia's rotation. He allowed only one hit over five scoreless innings versus the Nationals last Sunday, before departing with the injury. He has allowed just one run on seven hits with two walks in 10 innings overall, throwing just 137 pitches thus far. However, he is just 1-3 with a 4.93 ERA in seven career starts against the Nationals (teams are 2-5), having allowed 31 hits and 16 walks in 38 1/3 innings. Roark had a very solid 2017 debut and while he wasn't anything special in his second outing of the season (allowed five runs, three earned, on seven hits in just five innings against St. Louis on Monday), he was able to move to 2-0 to open the season. Roark is 4-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 10 career starts against Philly (teams are 5-5), including making five starts against them in 2016.

The pick: Roark won 15 games in his first full season in the majors (2014) but was the "forgotten man" in 2015, before working his way back into the starting rotation last year and winning 16 times. He owns a 2.84 ERA in his career at home, while Hellickson owns a 5.60 ERA in three career starts at Nationals Park. Make Washington an 8* play.