Game three of this interleague series sees the Nationals (52-66, 24-34 home) and Athletics (33-84, 15-43 away) facing off at Nationals Park. The starting pitcher for the Nationals will be Trevor Williams, while the Athletics are turning to Ken Waldichuk. Find out who I like to win in this Washington Nationals and Oakland Athletics showdown.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS VS WASHINGTON NATIONALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Washington Nationals -134

This game will be played at Nationals Park at 1:35 ET on Sunday, August 13th.

WHY BET THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS:

  • Over their previous five games as the underdog, the Athletics are just 2-3 straight-up.
  • Washington is on a four game winning streak when favored on the moneyline.
  • The Athletics are just 0-2 in Ken Waldichuk’s last two starts.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

This season, the Athletics have an overall series record of 9-27-1 and are currently 5th in the AL West. Oakland’s overall record is 33-84, which includes their current two game losing streak. On the road, the Athletics are 15-43 and 18-41 at home.

Ken Waldichuk takes the mound for Oakland, boasting a 2-7 record. The right-hander has made 26 appearances this season, posting an ERA of 6.30 and a K/9 of 9.16. His FIP stands at 5.37, while his opponents’ OBP is .368.

Ken Waldichuk was unable to secure a win in his most recent start, as he pitched six innings and allowed two runs. Despite the quality start, the Athletics were unable to come away with a victory, falling to the Rangers 5-3.

The Athletics have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 4 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 7th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 20th in home runs and 27th in slugging percentage. Overall, Oakland is averaging 3.5 runs per game (29th).

JJ Bleday has been a major contributor to the Athletics’ offense in recent games, leading the team with two home runs over their last five contests. The slugger has hit 10 long balls so far this season and holds a batting average of .203.

WILL THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Winners of two straight games, the Nationals are in 5th place in the NL East. So far, they have a series win percentage of 39% (14-22-2). Washington has gone 28-32 on the road this season compared to 24-34 at home.

Washington starter Trevor Williams will take the mound today hoping to keep the ball in the park after giving up a home-run in five consecutive appearances. His 2023 campaign has been a mixed bag thus far, with a 5-7 record and an ERA of 5.00. The right-hander has tallied 86 strikeouts and boasts a K/9 figure of 6.83, but he has also issued an average of 3.02 walks per 9 innings.

Trevor Williams’ most recent start against the Phillies saw him surrender six runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings, resulting in a loss for the Nationals by a score of 8-4.

During their last five games, Washington is the 18th ranked offense in terms of batting average. In these games, they have hit a combined .226 and are averaging 3.6 runs per game. Across the entire season, the Nationals are hitting .259 with an OBP of .319 while averaging 4.3 runs per contest. This figure puts them 18th in the league.

Lane Thomas has been a major contributor to the Nationals’ offensive success this season, leading the team in home runs with 20 over the course of the year. His batting average of .284 is impressive, but he is currently listed as questionable on the team’s injury report. In their last ten games, Thomas has hit four home runs and will be a key factor in determining their success going forward.