New York Yankees to beat Washington Nationals 

Despite their late loss to Houston on Thursday, the Yankees are 7-3 over their last 10 and should beat Washington in the opener of this three-game set.

The Nationals are 12-15 on the season including a 4-7 record on the road, and they come into this on a three-game skid.

Jameson Taillon will take to the mound for the Yankees following his best outing of the season against Detroit on May 1, allowing just one run through five innings to earn his first decision in 2021.

Pitching for Washington will be Patrick Corbin, who also got his first win of the season in his most recent start but owns an 8.10 ERA and has allowed 22 runs across just five games.

Corbin’s walk numbers aren’t pretty either, allowing 14 while striking out just 18, and a powerful Yankees offense is likely to make him pay if there is a lot of traffic round the bases on Friday.

St. Louis Cardinals to beat Colorado Rockies 

St. Louis has lost its last two but sits top of the NL Central with an 18-14 record, and it now hosts a Rockies side that has won just two of its 13 road games so far this season. 

Jack Flaherty has earned the win in each of his last five starts, and he will be on the mound for St. Louis on Friday.

The right-hander has been lights out since giving up six runs on season debut. He has allowed 10 runs across his last five outings, including just one homer in that time.

Pitching for Colorado is Austin Gomber, who is 2-3 on the season with a 5.90 ERA. Gomber got the win in his most recent start against Arizona but still gave up four runs in that appearance.

Flaherty’s form and Colorado’s horrible road record is more than enough to back the Redbirds in this one.

Los Angeles Dodgers to beat Los Angeles Angels 

The World Series champs are slumping, going 2-8 over their last 10 including losses in their last three straight.

They have a good chance to bounce back on Friday in the first of a three-game set against the inconsistent Angels, who have lost five straight and are 6-8 at home on the season.

Boosting the Dodgers’ chances is Julio Urias, who is underlining his status as one of the game’s best young pitchers with a stunning start to his season.

Urias is 4-0 through six starts with a 2.87 ERA. He has struck out 42 while walking just six in that time.

His opposite number on Friday is Griffin Canning, who owns a 2-2 record through five starts with a 6.20 ERA.

This Dodgers offense is bound to wake up at some point but even if they don’t on Friday, another stingy start from Urias may be enough to see them over the line.

San Francisco Giants to beat San Diego Padres 

The top two teams in the NL West start another three-game series on Friday in San Francisco – where the Giants are 10-3 this season – after the Padres won two of three in San Diego at the start of the month.

This is also a battle between two of the best rotations in baseball right now, with the Giants ranking first and San Diego second for ERA among starters so far in 2021.

Anthony DeSclafani gets the start for the Giants after taking a tough loss last time out against the Friars in which he gave up three runs on just three hits over six innings.

Blake Snell earned the win on that day despite giving up five hits over five innings, and he takes to the mound again on Friday.

It is tempting to back a repeat of that result here, but the Giants have been so solid at home and they are a great price to snap their two-game skid.