Thursday MLB preview: Nationals at Marlins, A's at Angels

Washington Nationals (39-40) at Miami Marlins (30-48), 7:10 p.m. ET

Stephen Strasburg (8-4, 3.79 ERA) (WSH) -200 / -1.5 runs (-115) / Over 7.5 runs (-105) Sandy Alcantara (4-6, 3.51 ERA) (MIA) +180 / +1.5 runs (-105) / Under 7.5 runs (-115)

MLB free play: Nationals -0.5 runs first five innings (-135)

Stephen Strasburg has been reliable on the road this year, so the Nationals look like a good bet in the first five innings market against Sandy Alcantara and the Marlins on Thursday night.

Strasburg has a 2.92 ERA in eight starts on the road this year, which contrasts sharply with his 4.71 ERA in eight outings at Nationals Park. He has already made Miami look foolish once this year, when he shut them out and allowed two hits over eight innings April 21. Third baseman Brian Anderson, second baseman Starlin Castro and outfielder Curtis Granderson are just 6-for-51 (.118) combined against Strasburg.

Alcantara was knocked around by Washington for four runs over five innings May 25. He registers relatively few strikeouts (6.4 per nine innings in 2019), and the Nats have tallied the second-fewest strikeouts of any team in June (162). Third baseman Anthony Rendon, shortstop Trea Turner and outfielders Adam Eaton and Juan Soto are a combined 15-for-32 (.469) against Alcantara.

Oakland Athletics (43-38) at Los Angeles Angels (41-40), 10:07 p.m. ET

Tanner Anderson (0-2, 4.20 ERA) (OAK) +140 / +1.5 runs (-150) / Over 9.5 runs (-110) Griffin Canning (2-4, 3.88 ERA) (LAA) -155 / -1.5 runs (+125) / Under 9.5 runs (-110)

MLB free play: Athletics moneyline

The Athletics have won seven of their last nine games, and they look poised to grab another victory as they face the Angels in Anaheim.

Angels rookie Griffin Canning's first start against Oakland on May 29 was solid (one run and three hits in six innings), but as is so often the case, the A's had him figured out the next time around (four runs and seven hits in six innings). Look for outfielder Robbie Grossman and shortstop Marcus Semien (identical .834 OPS marks in June) to lead the way on offense.

Like Canning, Oakland's rookie starter Tanner Anderson put up good numbers facing teams for the first time, but the Rays were able to scratch out three runs and seven hits against him the next time around. Anderson only needs to get through about five innings before he can things over to an A's bullpen that has a 3.05 ERA in the last two weeks. The Angels' relief corps pale in comparison in the same span (4.53 ERA).