Christian Scott is set to start on the mound for the New York Mets Sunday against the Washington Nationals. Scott, a right-hander, has been a notable performer for the Mets during a challenging season.
However, the Nationals may encounter Scott during a period of inconsistency. Earlier this season, in mid-May, Scott had a difficult start in Washington. During that outing, he allowed three earned runs on four hits, accompanied by three walks and a hit batter in just four innings pitched.
Following that performance, Scott had a more solid stretch over his subsequent three starts, surrendering only one earned run. Yet, his recent starts have seen a return to a more back-of-the-rotation level of performance. Over his last four appearances, Scott has recorded an Earned Run Average of 5.30, which has raised his season-long ERA to 3.45.
During this recent stretch, Scott has allowed 22 hits and issued seven walks over four starts, with his strikeout rate being one of the few consistent positives. This tendency to allow baserunners presents opportunities for the Nationals' offense.
Despite their losing record, the Nationals have been one of baseball's most potent hitting teams this season. Heading into Saturday's games, they lead Major League Baseball with 663 runs scored and have hit 177 home runs. This offensive strength suggests the Nationals could capitalize on Scott's recent struggles.
The prediction is that Washington's offense will generate enough opportunities to score at least two earned runs against Scott over his projected five or six innings of work. The betting recommendation is for Christian Scott to allow more than 1.5 earned runs, with odds of -150 offered by bet365 Sportsbook.