The Los Angeles Dodgers open a road series against the Washington Nationals on April 3, 2026, with Emmet Sheehan drawing the start opposite veteran right-hander Miles Mikolas in Washington’s home opener. Los Angeles comes in priced like the superior roster at -270, but the market is still asking the Dodgers to win by margin on the -1.5 (-160) run line in a game totaled at 9.5 (Over -112/Under -108), a number that reflects both early-season volatility and Washington’s hot first-week offense—odds via BetAnything Sportsbook
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Game Info
| Matchup | Los Angeles Dodgers @ Washington Nationals |
| Date | April 03, 2026 |
| Time | 1:05PM ET |
| Location | Nationals Park (Washington, DC) |
| How to Watch | Nationals.TV, SportsNet LA |
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Odds
| Moneyline | Los Angeles Dodgers -270 | Washington Nationals +220 |
| Run Line | Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-160) | Washington Nationals +1.5 (+132) |
| Total | Over 9.5 (-112) | Under 9.5 (-108) |
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Team Stats
| Stat (2026) | Los Angeles Dodgers | Washington Nationals |
| Record | 4-2 | 3-3 |
| Runs per game | 3.8 | 6.3 |
| Batting average | .237 | .281 |
| Home runs | 7 | 7 |
| Stolen bases | 2 | 4 |
| Team ERA | 2.83 | 4.15 |
| Opponent batting average | .190 | .236 |
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Starting Pitcher Stats
| Pitcher (2026) | Emmet Sheehan (LAD) | Miles Mikolas (WSH) |
| W-L | 0-0 | 0-1 |
| ERA | 10.80 | 7.20 |
| WHIP | 2.10 | 1.80 |
| Innings pitched | 3.1 | 5.0 |
| Strikeouts | 6 | 4 |
| Most recent start | Mar 27 vs ARI: 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 K | Mar 28 at CHC: 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 K |
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Recent Form and Pitching Notes
Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2): The Dodgers enter this one off a 4-1 loss to Cleveland on April 1, 2026. Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave them a workable start (6.0 IP, 2 ER), but Los Angeles never generated sustained traffic at the plate, finishing with five hits and striking out 12 times; Freddie Freeman’s solo homer in the ninth was the lone run. The bullpen mix behind Yamamoto included Will Klein (1.2 IP), Tanner Scott (0.1 IP), and Blake Treinen (1.0 IP), with the damage coming in the eighth when Cleveland added on.
Washington Nationals (3-3): Washington’s most recent game was a gut-punch 6-5 loss in 10 innings at Philadelphia on April 1, 2026, after leading 5-1 in the seventh. Cade Cavalli was sharp (6.0 IP, 1 ER), and the offense did its part CJ Abrams’ three-run homer in the seventh swung the game, and Washington got multi-hit days from Daylen Lile, Brady House, and Joey Wiemer. The late innings were the issue: the Nationals used five relievers after Cavalli, surrendered solo homers in the seventh and eighth, then couldn’t finish the ninth before allowing the walk-off in the 10th.
For Friday’s matchup specifically, Sheehan’s season debut showed swing-and-miss (six strikeouts) but also short-start risk after he was tagged for four earned runs in 3.1 innings against Arizona. Mikolas, meanwhile, lasted five innings in his Nationals debut but was hit for six runs (four earned) as Chicago’s lineup stayed on his fastball and Washington’s defense contributed to extended innings.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Betting Trends
- The Los Angeles Dodgers have gone Under the closing total in each of their last three games.
- Two of the Washington Nationals’ last three games have gone Over the closing total.
- Emmet Sheehan’s most recent start (Mar 27) finished Over the closing total.
- Miles Mikolas’ most recent start (Mar 28) finished Over the closing total.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Breakdown
This is an interesting early-season pricing test: Washington’s offense has been loud out of the gate, but Los Angeles has done the better overall job controlling contact (2.83 team ERA, .190 opponent average) and generally forces opponents to string together quality at-bats to score. That matters against a Nationals lineup that just watched a late lead vanish in Philadelphia—especially if this turns into another game where Washington needs multiple bullpen innings to cover the final third.
On the mound, the headline is less “ace vs. ace” and more “who survives the first two trips through the order.” Sheehan can miss bats, but his debut showed how quickly counts can get away from him, which is a dangerous profile against a Nationals team that’s been putting the ball in play and creating run-scoring innings. Mikolas is the opposite style—more contact, more reliance on defense and that’s a tough ask against a Dodgers lineup that can punish mistakes even when it isn’t piling up hits.
If Los Angeles plays from ahead, the game sets up cleanly: shorten it with the bullpen and let Washington chase. If the Nationals strike first, the total becomes more live, because both starters have already shown they can get knocked out early, pushing a lot of leverage outs onto middle relief.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Best Bet
Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-160) (2 out of 5 units)
The moneyline price is steep, but the run line better matches how this matchup can separate: Mikolas’ contact-heavy approach runs into a Dodgers offense that doesn’t need volume to score, and Washington’s bullpen is coming off a multi-inning collapse in its last game. Even with Sheehan’s volatility, Los Angeles is built to win these games by turning it into a bullpen-and-defense finish once it gets a lead.
Predicted Score
Our computer projections model for this matchup predicts a final score of Los Angeles Dodgers 6, Washington Nationals 3.