Anyone who bets on sports on a regular basis is always looking to create an edge in their overall betting strategy. I have been using specialization as my edge all season long when it comes to wagering on MLB games by strictly handicapping the Washington Nationals. Doc's Sports has been releasing these free picks for Washington games on a weekly basis with the use of their Unit Betting System. My ultimate goal is to generate a positive return on investment over the course of the entire MLB regular season.

As the Nationals continue their march towards the MLB playoffs, make sure to check Doc's homepage for these free MLB picks to follow along with my progress.

Washington Nationals Free Picks, Odds and Predictions

Friday, August 22, 7:05 p.m. EST (Nationals Park)

This Thursday afternoon Washington will try and run its current winning streak to 10 games with a sweep of Arizona before welcoming San Francisco to town this weekend for three games starting on Friday night. The series opener against the Giants is set to get underway at 7:05 p.m. (ET) from Nationals Park.

San Francisco has some work to do in Chicago on Thursday before heading east to the nation's capital. It first has to finish a suspended game from Aug. 18 before facing the Cubs in the four-game series finale later that night. The Giants bounced back from five-game skid earlier this month with a 4-2 mark in their last six games. They are now three games behind the Dodgers in the NL West Division race while holding down one of the two wild card playoff spots in the National League.

The Nationals started their winning streak with a three-game sweep of the Mets on the road before returning home to sweep Pittsburgh in three straight games this past weekend. Add in three more victories against the Diamondbacks this week, and their lead in the NL East over Atlanta has been stretched to a full seven games.

San Francisco at Washington Betting Storylines

The Giants have been a tough team to figure out over the second half of the MLB regular season. Just when you think they are dead in the water with multiple-game losing streaks, they find ways to string together enough victories to stay in the thick of the NL playoff race. San Francisco has the fifth-best ERA in the NL at 3.40 on a very reliable pitching staff, but it has a middle-of-the-road lineup that is averaging just 3.9 runs a game.

Look for Tim Hudson to get the start for the Giants on Friday night. The long-time veteran has been tagged for 13 earned runs in his last four starts to take his overall ERA to 3.03. The right-hander has fallen to 8-9 this season in 24 previous starts after getting the loss in six of his last 10 outings. San Francisco has gone 0-4 in his last four starts against a team with a winning record.

Washington fans have been waiting all season for everything to come together on a team that started the year as one of the top two or three favorites to win the NL Pennant in 2014. The Nationals have been clicking on all cylinders during this recent run with an average of 5.0 runs a game complementing a pitching staff that has allowed 23 total runs in nine games.

The Nationals will turn to Doug Fister to keep things going as their starter for this game. The right-hander has been sharp over his past three starts. He has not allowed an earned run while going at least seven innings in all three contests. Overall, Fister is 12-3 on the year in 18 starts with an ERA of 2.20 and a 1.05 WHIP.

San Francisco at Washington MLB Betting Odds and Key Trends

BetOnline has opened the Nationals as -140 home favorites for Friday night, with San Francisco listed as a +130 underdog on the road. The total for this game has been set at 7.

The Giants are 1-4 in their last five road games and 0-4 in Game 1 of their last four series. The total has stayed "under" in seven of their last 11 games against a team with a winning record.

The Nationals are 19-7 in their last 26 home games and 4-1 in their last five games against a team with a winning record. The total has gone "over" in seven of their last 10 games at home.

Head-to-head in this matchup, San Francisco is 2-6 in the last eight meetings and 1-7 in their last eight road games against the Nationals. Washington won three of four on the road in the first meeting this season, and the total went over in three of the games.

San Francisco at Washington Free MLB Picks and Betting Predictions

Washington is playing its best baseball of the season, and it has one of its hottest starters on the mound for Friday night's matchup. This adds up to a golden opportunity to ride the hot hand with a 4-Unit play on the Nationals to grab the early edge in this series despite the added risk of the -140 moneyline on this game.

Year-to-Date Betting Record: 11-10-1 (+646)

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