The Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies will continue their four-game battle tonight in Philadelphia. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes our Nationals-Phillies prediction and pick we have laid out below.
Washington has struggled to say the least, as their 36-71 record is comfortably the worst in the league. A rain-shortened game last night still resulted in a loss. Still, there are some fun storylines to watch as the season winds down.
Philadelphia has continued their great stretch of baseball, going 8-2 in their last 10. Overall, Philadelphia is 57-48, and in a three-way tie for the final Wild Card spot. The last two months of the season will be filled with nail-biting excitement for this club and its fans.
Here are the Nationals-Phillies MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Nationals-Phillies Odds
Washington Nationals: +1.5 (-115)
Philadelphia Phillies: -1.5 (-104)
Over: 9 (-102)
Under: 9 (-120)
Why The Nationals Could Cover The Spread
Washington has not had much to cheer about this season. One of those bright spots, Josiah Gray, is tonight's starting pitcher. Gray has been the best starting pitcher for this team, with a 4.59 ERA in his 19 starts, with a 10.4 K/9 rate. Batters have had a miserable time against Gray's slider, managing just a .171 batting average against the offering. The Washington bullpen has been…an issue. A 4.23 ERA ranks 24th in the league, with just 8.37 K/9. Carl Edwards is enjoying a resurgence after some bad injury luck, with a 3.08 ERA in 38 innings. Closer Tanner Rainey has been an average closer, with a 3.30 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 30 innings.
This lineup feels empty without Juan Soto and Josh Bell. Both ended up with the San Diego Padres, and a weak lineup lost almost every bit of firepower. Lane Thomas is the only remaining hitter that has reached double-digit home runs. Nelson Cruz, finally slowed down by age, has been okay, with 52 RBI and 15 doubles in 95 games. Washington has the third-lowest home run total, with just 85 on the season. Hopefully, some of these young players ignite a stagnant offense, and Washington is at least intriguing down the stretch.
Why The Phillies Could Cover The Spread
Philadelphia improved a lot at the trade deadline, and their biggest improvement has not even arrived. Bryce Harper is still recovering from a broken thumb, and his return will be a welcomed addition to this club. In Harper's absence, the Philadelphia offense has still been good. Kyle Schwarber has slugged 33 home runs to counteract his .203 average. Rhys Hoskins has been healthy for his longest stretch since 2019, and the numbers are showing for it. Hoskins has 21 home runs and 20 doubles with a .251 batting average (.370 in his last 15 games). As a team, Philadelphia has launched 134 home runs, good for seventh in the league.
Kyle Gibson will take the mound for Philadelphia in this one. Gibson has been a solid option this year, with a 4.60 ERA in 20 starts. Gibson is slightly better at home, with a 4.50 ERA in his 11 home starts. Batters are hitting a putrid .189 against Gibson's slider this season, a pitch he throws 20.7% of the time. Philadelphia's below-average bullpen was boosted by the addition of David Robertson, enjoying a vintage year in his age 37 season, and the subtraction of Jeurys Familia, who was having a forgettable season. Seranthony Dominguez has overcome arm issues in his past and is back to his old form, with a 1.64 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 38.1 innings this season.
Final Nationals-Phillies Prediction & Pick
No reason to overthink this one.
Final Nationals-Phillies Prediction & Pick: Philadelphia -1.5 (-104), over 9 (-102)
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