Allan Winans will get the start for the Braves (103-56, 51-27 home) as they host the Nationals (69-90, 35-43 away) at Truist Park. The Nationals will give the starting nod to Trevor Williams. Check out my prediction for game one of this NL East matchup between the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS VS ATLANTA BRAVES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Atlanta Braves -1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Truist Park at 7:20 ET on Friday, September 29th.

WHY BET THE ATLANTA BRAVES:

  • The Nationals have gone just 1-2 in their last three games vs. the runline.
  • Over their previous five games as the underdog, the Nationals are just 2-3 vs. the runline.
  • Opponents are hitting a healthy .508 against Trevor Williams in his last five starts.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS HAVE STRUGGLED AGAINST THE NL EAST

On a record of 69-90, the Nationals find themselves in 5th place in the NL East. When playing away from home, Washington is just 35-43 and come into the game with an overall series record of 20-27-3.

Trevor Williams has had a challenging season thus far, with an overall record of 6-10 and an ERA of 5.55. On the road, he’s 3-5 with an ERA of 6.01 in 15 appearances. At home, his record is 3-5 and his ERA is 6.10. His WHIP stands at 1.57, while opponents have hit .297 against him and slugged .536 for the season.

Trevor Williams’ last outing saw him pitch two innings and surrender three runs, which factored into the Nationals’ 9-5 loss to the Brewers.

The Nationals have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 2 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 10th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 25th in home runs and 20th in slugging percentage. Overall, Washington is averaging 4.3 runs per game (21st).

Over the last ten games, Lane Thomas has been a major contributor to the Nationals’ offense, leading the team in home runs with two and boasting a season-long total of 27. His batting average stands at .266 for the year.

WILL THE ATLANTA BRAVES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Coming in with an overall record of 103-56, the Braves are winners of five straight games. Through 50 series, they are 34-12-4 and in 1st place in the NL East. At home, they have gone 51-27 compared to 52-29 on the road.

Today marks Allan Winans’ sixth outing of the 2023 season, and his record currently stands at 1-2. His ERA is 4.33 with an opposing batting average of .331, and he has struck out 32 batters while maintaining a WHIP of 1.37. On the road, Winans has been particularly impressive, boasting an ERA of 2.58 compared to 8.69 at home.

The right-hander has had a difficult season, with an ERA of 6.00 and a record of 0-3.

After surrendering two runs on seven hits in five innings against the Nationals, Allan Winans’ outing ended in a loss for the Braves.

For the season, the Braves are 1st in batting average, hitting a combined .274. Over their last ten games, they have hit .261 which is 6th in that span. Atlanta’s average of 5.8 runs per game puts them 1st in the league. In terms of home runs, they have gone deep 304 times and have a team slugging percentage of .501.

Over the Braves’ past five games, Kevin Pillar has been the team’s leader in home runs with two. He has hit nine total homers this season and holds a batting average of .228.