Ruffolo's MLB Pickoff Play 8/5/22

It’ll be interesting to see how the lengthy delay on Thursday affects Friday’s game, but I still like the Nationals +1.5 here. Mainly because for whatever reason, Josiah Gray pitches well on the road and his team in kind backs him up. Now Granted, the Nationals are slightly less imposing without Josh Bell or Juan Soto in the lineup, but the Nats were in tough against the Phillies up until the previously mentioned delay in Thursday’s game and a similar result could be in store here. An odd stat you probably wouldn’t have guessed, in 14 road starts for the Nationals, Josiah Gray is 7-0 with an ERA just above three and the Nationals are 13-1 on the +1.5 run line in those 14 starts including a perfect 9-0 record and 7-2 straight up record in Gray’s road starts, including a 3-2 win over these same Phillies at Citizens Bank Park back on July 6th. The other meeting of Gray’s with the Phillies in Washington was a 2-1 decision that went the Phillies way, giving Gray a 1-0 mark and a 1.50 ERA and a measly .116 opponent batting average against the Phillies this season. Need more? In 2022, the Phillies are just 5 for 43 against Gray with 4 walks and 15 strikeouts for a 35% strikeout percentage and 11.3 K/9. Kyle Gibson’s been better at home, but not by much, sporting a 4.50 home ERA in 62 innings this season. Sometimes, the numbers are just too good to ignore, so give me Washington +1.5 here while also sprinkling a bit on the ML as well.