The Nationals (56-68, 28-36 home) host the Phillies (67-56, 33-32 away) in game three of this NL East series. Getting the start for the Nationals is Trevor Williams while the Phillies are turning to Zack Wheeler. Read on to get my best bet for this Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies matchup.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES VS WASHINGTON NATIONALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Washington Nationals +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field at 7:10 ET on Sunday, August 20th.

WHY BET THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS:

  • In their previous five games, the Nationals are 4-1 vs. the runline.
  • The last five times the Nationals have been the underdog, they are 4-1 vs. the runline.
  • The Phillies are just 1-2 in Zack Wheeler’s last five starts.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES HAVE STRUGGLED AGAINST THE NL EAST

With an overall record of 67-56, the Phillies are 2nd in the NL East. When playing at home, they are 34-24 and 33-32. So far, Philadelphia has a record of 30-30 against below .500 teams and have played in 38 series, going 20-15-3.

Zack Wheeler is set to take the mound for Philadelphia, having pitched at least six innings in seven straight games. So far this season, he has a 3.62 ERA and 9-5 record, with 160 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.10. Wheeler has also allowed a .282 WOBA and issued 29 walks.

Zack Wheeler was unable to secure a win in his most recent start, despite delivering a quality outing. The Philadelphia hurler tossed seven innings of three-hit ball, but the Phillies ultimately fell 2-1 to the Blue Jays. Wheeler allowed one earned run in the contest.

Having gone deep 10 times in their last five games, the Phillies are 3rd in that span. At 4.7 runs per game, Philadelphia is 12th in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .257 while hitting a total of 147 home runs (13th).

The Philadelphia Phillies have seen Kyle Schwarber become one of their most productive hitters in 2023. With a .183 batting average, he has driven in 78 runs and hit 32 home runs so far this season.

WILL THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Washington’s overall record currently stands at 56-68, placing them 5th in the NL East. The Nationals will look to extend their current series winning streak to 40 and have an overall series record of 16-21-2. At home, Washington is 28-36 and 28-32 on the road.

Trevor Williams has a 5-7 record and 5.20 ERA entering the game. On the road, he has a 3-4 record and 5.69 ERA in 13 appearances. At home, his mark is 2-3 with an ERA of 5.00. His season WHIP is 1.52, with opponents batting .291 against him and slugging .531.

Trevor Williams didn’t factor into the decision in his last outing against the Athletics, despite giving up five runs and six hits. However, the Nationals were able to come away with a 8-7 victory.

The Nationals have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 9 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 9th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 26th in home runs and 20th in slugging percentage. Overall, Washington is averaging 4.4 runs per game (18th).

The Nationals’ offensive leader, Lane Thomas, has been a consistent force this season. His batting average stands at .287 and he’s posted a .480 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .334.