Luis Medina gets the start for the Athletics (33-83, 15-42 away) against Jake Irvin and the Nationals (51-66, 23-34 home). Today will be game two of their series, with the Nationals leading 1-0. Check out who see coming out on top in today’s Oakland Athletics vs. Washington Nationals matchup.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS VS WASHINGTON NATIONALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Washington Nationals -123

This game will be played at Nationals Park at 7:05 ET on Saturday, August 12th.

WHY BET THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS:

  • Washington is on a three game winning streak when favored on the moneyline.
  • The Nationals are on a two game winning streak as the home favorite.
  • The Nationals are 4-0 in Jake Irvin’s last four starts.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

On an overall record of 33-83, the Athletics are 5th in the AL West. On the road, Oakland has put together a record of 15-42 while going 18-41 at home. Against teams with below .500 records, the club has gone 14-14. Overall, the Athletics have played in 37 series, going 9-27-1.

Luis Medina is making his 17th start of the season with a 3-8 record. His ERA stands at 5.47, and he has allowed a .245 batting average. On the road, he is 1-5 with an 8.14 ERA, while at home he is 2-3 with a 4.61 ERA. Opposing teams have managed to slug .434 against him this season.

Luis Medina’s most recent start against the Giants saw him give up four runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings. Although he was not credited with a win or a loss, his team, the Athletics, emerged victorious with an 8-6 scoreline.

As a team, Oakland has scuffled at the plate over their last ten games, with a combined batting average of just .209. Compared to other teams, this is just 23rd in that span. When looking at the team’s power numbers, they have a season-long slugging percentage of .360% while going deep a total of 111 times (23rd). Overall, the Athletics are 29th in the MLB at 3.5 runs per contest.

Esteury Ruiz has been one of the Athletics’ most reliable hitters in 2023, boasting a .251 batting average and driving in 35 runs. He has also sent one ball out of the park this season.

WILL THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Washington’s record of 51-66 has them sitting 5th in the NL East. At home, the Nationals have won four straight series. Their overall home record is 23-34. Against the runline, the Nationals are 65-52 along with an over/under record of 55-58.

Today marks Jake Irvin’s 18th outing of the 2023 season, and he holds a 3-5 record. His ERA stands at 4.93, while his OBP allowed is .333. Irvin has struck out 68 batters thus far, and his WHIP is 1.44. On the road, his ERA is 6.04 compared to 5.27 when playing at home.

Jake Irvin’s most recent start against the Reds saw him surrender three runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings. Despite not earning a decision, the Nationals emerged victorious with a 6-3 scoreline.

Having gone deep 13 times in their last ten games, the Nationals are 9th in that span. At 4.3 runs per game, Washington is 19th in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .258 while hitting a total of 107 home runs (26th).

Lane Thomas has been a key contributor to the Washington offense this season, boasting a .283 batting average and .484 slugging percentage. Over the team’s last ten games, Thomas has been on fire at the plate, leading Washington in hits with a .250 average.