NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
This week is turning out to be one of those times where I feel like there are too many ugly defeats to justify following my choices. I still put my nose to work and found the winners, but yesterday I took an under which disappeared quite quickly.
On Monday, I had a loser against the Minnesota Twins almost instantly. Making them public can be difficult, but I remind myself that the next win is just around the corner and I’ve been more profitable than in debt to bet. Let’s try to get out of this mini crisis with a victory between the Washington Nationals and the Colorado Rockies.
The Nationals are currently the subject of many trade scenarios. They are 51-51, which is significantly better than most people expected at this point in the season. There are only two problems: first, you can’t really expect them to win the division because every team (except the New York Mets) is good this season; and second, this team expected to be bad this year, so the original plan was to trade pieces and build for the future.
Washington Nationals starter Cade Cavalli pitches the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on June 30, 2026. (Jaiden Tripi-Imagn Images)
The team has been really good on the road this season, which is surprising. They are 31-20 away from home. Cade Cavalli is looking to improve this brand. For the season, Cavalli is 6-4 with a 3.78 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. His ERA is a little lower on the road, but nothing noticeably different. He has a decent mix of strikeouts, flyballs, and ground balls. He’s posted quality starts in four of his last five outings, but also has two starts shorter than three innings in two of his last six outings. Only Troy Johnston has hit against Cavalli and he is 0 for 3.
The Rockies are as bad as expected. Some predicted they would be the worst team in baseball, and that seems a bit far off. The Mets and Angels could compete for that this season. Yet the Rockies have very little to be excited about this year. They are 41-62 for the season, but are at least doing well at home with a 24-28 record. They have some interesting trade pieces themselves, as Hunter Goodman and Jack McCarthy could be of interest for multiple playoff pushes. This Rockies team needs to build their farm system, so it makes sense to trade some players.
Colorado Rockies pitcher Gabriel Hughes takes the mound for the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. (Christopher Hanewinckel/Imagn Images)
The biggest problem is that they will always need to pitch. The team never really had a reliable arm in the rotation. Sure, they signed Mike Hampton years ago, but it didn’t go very well. It seems like even when they try to make a splash in free agency for hitters, it doesn’t work (read: Kris Bryant). It’s far too early to say that Gabriel Hughes will be reliable, but today’s starter looks good in his first few games with the Rockies. He allowed just five earned runs in 14.1 innings (two starts and one relief appearance).
A New Era Washington Nationals baseball cap is seen during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on April 16, 2026. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
I managed to get a win against the Reds when they played Hughes the other day and I think we can get another one here. The Rockies are not a good hitting team, and even if they are better at Coors Field, I don’t think they will do well against Cavalli. Part of what I like about Nationals is how Cavalli mixes up pitches and can strike out in different ways. Pitching at Coors is always a problem, but I will compete at nationals to win this one.
For more news and sports betting, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
