Washington Nationals vs Atlanta Braves Preview
Charlie Morton gets the start for the Braves on Saturday, and they are facing the Nationals, who will be starting MacKenzie Gore. The money line odds have the Braves at -136 compared to the Nationals at +116. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs.
First pitch from Nationals Park is set for 4:05 PM ET, and MASN will be televising this NL East matchup. The Braves are in 2nd place in the NL East, while the Nationals are 3rd, with a record of 28-35.
Check out BetCoco for Washington Nationals – Atlanta Braves odds
Washington Nationals Trends and Key Stats
- The Braves are 3-2 across their last five road games. They have gone 3-2 vs. the runline.
- The Nationals, on the other hand, have played five home games recently, during which they have recorded a 3-2 (SU) and 4-1 record.
- The Braves have a straight-up record of 5-5 in their last ten games as the favorite, with a runline record of 5-5.
- When playing as the underdog, the Nationals have a 3-7 record against the runline and a 7-3 straight-up record in their last ten games.
It was a low-scoring game in the most recent game of this Nationals vs Braves series. Washington went into the matchup as +174 underdogs and squeaked out a 2-1 win. The Nationals only had five hits in the game but took advantage of their opportunities, as Jake Irvin pitched well and picked up a win.
Atlanta wasted a good outing from Chris Sale, as he gave up just two earned runs in seven innings of work for the Braves. Marcell Ozuna went 2/4 with an RBI, but it wasn’t enough for Atlanta to get the win.
Jesse Winker was the difference for the Nationals, as he homered twice, scored three times, and finished with two RBIs. Winker was the only player in the game to have more than one hit.
Washington Nationals vs Atlanta Braves Prediction
Atlanta is on the road today vs. the Nationals, and they are eight games behind the Phillies for the NL East lead. The Braves are 35-26 overall and have gone 12-9 against other teams in the NL East. This year, the Braves are 34-22 as the favorite, but they are just 1-4 as the underdog.
The Braves have an overall series record of 12-6-2 this year, and they are 5-5 over their last 10 games. So far, they have been good at home, going 19-12, compared to 16-14 on the road.
Atlanta has been a solid run line bet this season, posting a 31-30 record overall. They have been even better on the road, going 17-13 against the run line. The Braves have an average run margin of +0.6 runs per game this season, and they have been particularly good on the run line in games they have won, with an average run margin of +3.7 runs per game.
Atlanta’s over/under record is 21-38, and the average over/under line for their games is 9 runs. When the line is set at 8 runs, their over/under record is 4-2. The Braves have played 44 games with over/under lines set higher than 8 runs, which is 72.1% of their games. Their combined run average is 8.3, and they are currently on a three-game under streak.
Right-hander Charlie Morton gets the start for the Braves today as he faces the Nationals on the road. He has made 11 starts this year and has a record of 3-2 with a 3.88 ERA. Morton’s WHIP for the season is 1.29, and opponents are batting .226 off him this year. In his 11 appearances, Morton has turned in five quality starts. Looking back at his last outing, Morton finished with a no-decision against the Athletics, going six innings and not giving up a run. Before that, he had given up at least three earned runs in three straight starts.
Marcell Ozuna has been one of the league’s top run producers this season, as his 55 RBIs are 2nd in the MLB, and he is also 3rd in the league with 18 homers. Ozuna has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 9/26 in his last seven games, with two homers and six RBIs. Overall, he is batting .316 for the season. Matt Olson is 2nd on the Braves in RBIs, but he is hitting just .235 this season.
Overall, the Braves offense is 10th in the league in runs scored at 4.4 per game, and they have been even better on the road, averaging 4.6 runs per contest. As a team, the Braves are batting .245, which is 10th in the league, and they are near the top of the league in isolated power.
Washington is 3rd in the NL East, and they are 16 games behind the Phillies for the division lead. So far, they are 9-10 in the division and have an overall record of 28-35. The Nationals are looking to take the series lead over the Braves today, and they are hoping to pick up a win after going 4-6 over their last 10 games.
At home, the Nationals are 11-17 this year compared to 17-18 on the road. As the underdog, Washington is 25-32 this year and 3-3 as the favorite. Looking at their overall series record, the Nationals are 7-12-1 and have dropped two straight series.
Washington has been a solid team to bet on the run line this season, as they are 37-26 overall. They are 14-14 against the run line at home, but have been much better on the road, going 23-12. The Nationals have been an underdog in most games, and their run line record as an underdog is 34-23. Their average run margin in winning games is +3.4, while it’s -3.5 in losses.
The Nationals have an over/under record of 27-33 this season, with the average line set at 8 runs. When the line is set at 8 runs, they have gone 4-5-1. The combined run average in their games this season is 8.2 runs, and they are currently on a two-game under streak. The over/under line for today’s game against the Braves is set at 8 runs.
Washington is sending left-hander MacKenzie Gore to the mound today vs. the Braves. He has made 12 starts this season and has a record of 4-5 with a 3.57 ERA. In his 12 appearances, Gore has turned in four quality starts and is averaging 10.57 strikeouts per nine innings. The last time he pitched, Gore took the loss, going 4 1/3 innings, and giving up six hits, six earned runs, and one homer vs. the Mets. Before that outing, he had won two straight starts. So far, Gore’s ERA at home is 5.18 compared to 2.23 on the road.
Washington’s offense has been one of the worst in the league this season, as they are averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is 25th in the MLB. The Nationals are also near the bottom of the league in home runs and slugging percentage. CJ Abrams has been a bright spot for the team, as he is batting .246 for the season and leads the team with 10 homers. However, he has gone just 3/15 in his last four games.
Joey Meneses has driven in the most runs for the Nationals this season, but he is batting just .228 for the year. Eddie Rosario has been even worse, with a batting average of just .181. Rosario does have seven homers, which is 2nd on the team.
With the Nationals coming in as the underdogs at +116, we see this as a great value pick for today’s Braves vs. Nationals matchup. Our predicted final score is 5-4 in favor of the Nationals, and with the money line payout, this is the route we would recommend going.
Looking at the starting pitchers, our projections have Charlie Morton finishing with more strikeouts than MacKenzie Gore. However, we have Gore finishing with a lower ERA and getting the win 17th among starters.
Washington Nationals vs Atlanta Braves Betting Tips
- Take the Braves on the moneyline
- On the run line we like Nationals (+1.5)
- Projecting a combined 9 runs, we like the over
Washington Nationals Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Trevor Williams | Out | Hip Flexor |
| Mason Thompson | Out | Elbow |
| Josiah Gray | Out | Elbow/Forearm |
| Cade Cavalli | Out | Elbow |
| Jose A. Ferrer | Out | Teres Major |
Atlanta Braves Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Matzek | Out | Elbow |
| A.J. Minter | Out | Hip |
| Ronald Acuña Jr. | Out | Knee |
| Angel Perdomo | Out | Elbow |
| Jarred Kelenic | Probable | Wrist |
| Spencer Strider | Out | Elbow |
| AJ Smith-Shawver | Out | Oblique |
