The fifth season of the annual Play of the Day betting competition between the Sun's sports staff is now underway, effective July 1.
Bankrolls start at $10,000 for each of the four participants, with the objective to increase it as much as possible over the next year. The minimum daily wager is $300, with a $200 penalty assessed for failing to place a bet on an assigned day.
Past winners are Case Keefer in 2017-2018, Ray Brewer in 2016-2017 and 2015-2016, and Taylor Bern in 2014-2015.
Washington Nationals plus-135 at Los Angeles Dodgers: $300 to win $405
The Nationals have struggled this year, and have to be high on anyone's list of the league's most disappointing teams. They're 14-22, already seven games back of Bryce Harper's new team in the National League East. The Dodgers are one of the league's best teams, a consistent juggernaut every single year.
Washington is coming off a sweep at the hands of Milwaukee and Los Angeles just swept the Braves. So why choose the Nationals? Because baseball is weird.
Picking a team because it seems like it should lose is admittedly not a great reason to put money on it, so allow this: Patrick Corbin is on the mound for the Nationals, and the Dodgers' numbers drop against lefties. It's not a big drop, but Corbin has held lefty hitters to a .594 OPS this year, and most of the Los Angeles big bats are left-handed. Washington hitters meanwhile see their numbers surge against southpaws, and will look to feast on Rich Hill tonight.
The Nationals aren't as bad as their record indicates, and they're too big of an underdog to pass up tonight, even at Dodger Stadium.
Current Standings: Brewer (23-21-2, $8,900), Keefer (33-35-2, $8,416), Emerson (8-9, $4,992), Grimala (21-23-1, $2,925)