The Nationals (49-63, 27-29 away) travel to take on the Phillies (61-51, 30-21 home) in game one of this NL East matchup. Josiah Gray is getting the start for the Nationals while Ranger Suárez is starting for the Phillies. See who I like to pick up the win in today’s Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies showdown at Citizens Bank Park.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS VS PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Washington Nationals +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Citizens Bank Park at 7:35 ET on Tuesday, August 8th.

WHY BET THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS:

  • In their last five games as the underdog, the Nationals have put together a runline record of 4-1.
  • The Nationals have covered the runline in each of their four most recent games as the underdog.
  • Opponents are hitting a healthy .346 against Ranger Suárez in his last two starts.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS HAVE STRUGGLED AGAINST THE NL EAST

Entering game 113 of their season, the Nationals are 22 games out in the NL East and are in 5th place. So far, their overall series record stands at 12-21-2. Washington’s road winning percent is currently 48.2% (27-29) compared to 39.3% at home (22-34).

Josiah Gray is currently 7-9 with an ERA of 3.54 in 2023. On the road, he has a record of 4-4 and an ERA of 2.62 in 13 appearances. At home, his mark is 3-5 with an ERA of 5.62. His season-long WHIP is 1.43, while teams facing him have a slugging percentage of .385 and a batting average allowed of .242 against him.

Josiah Gray’s most recent start against the Brewers ended in disappointment, as he yielded five runs on four hits in 3 2/3 innings of work, resulting in a 6-4 loss for the Nationals.

For the season, the Nationals’ offense is averaging 4.3 runs per game. Over their last ten games they have swung the bats well, sitting 10th in the league in scoring, with a total of 46 runs. Overall, Washington’s team batting average is .259, putting them 6th in the MLB.

The Nationals have seen Lane Thomas lead the team in home runs over their last five games, with three. His total for the season stands at 19, and his batting average is a solid .290.

WILL THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

On an overall record of 61-51, the Phillies are 2nd in the NL East. On the road, Philadelphia has put together a record of 31-30 while going 30-21 at home. Against teams with below .500 records, the club has gone 25-25. Overall, the Phillies have played in 35 series, going 20-13-2.

The Phillies will turn to starter Ranger Suárez, who has an overall record of 2-5. Through 15 appearances, the southpaw’s ERA is 4.01 with a K/9 of 8.02. His FIP stands at 3.79, while his opponents’ OBP is .328.

Ranger Suárez was unable to secure the victory in his most recent start, despite a quality performance. The Phillies emerged victorious in the 3-1 contest against the Marlins, with Suárez going 6 1/3 innings and allowing just one earned run.

During their last ten games, Philadelphia is the 20th ranked offense in terms of batting average. In these games, they have hit a combined .233 and are averaging 5.1 runs per game. Across the entire season, the Phillies are hitting .255 with an OBP of .322 while averaging 4.6 runs per contest. This figure puts them 14th in the league.

Kyle Schwarber is the Phillies’ home-run king in 2023, leading the team with 28 long balls. He’s also driven in 67 runs and boasts a .421 slugging percentage.