Washington at Texas

Washington's lineup carries more thump than its record shows, a power-driven group still capable of turning a game with one swing, and it's been held quiet across its last three games. That kind of cold spell for a lineup with real home run pop tends to break, and the bounce-back often comes on the road against a staff that isn't overwhelming. Jackson Kent gets his second career start for the Nationals tonight after a shaky debut against the Cubs: six strikeouts, but five walks and three earned runs in four innings, so there's risk on Washington's side of the mound too. Cal Quantrill has bounced between the rotation and the bullpen for Texas all year, sitting at 4-4 with a 3.44 ERA, and his last three outings were a mixed bag: a strong five-inning turn at the Angels, a scoreless relief inning against Baltimore, and a loss to San Francisco allowing a run across six innings. Neither team is playing sharp baseball right now, but Washington's bats are due, and this price still reads like Texas is the clearly better club. Washington is the right side on the moneyline tonight.