The Washington Nationals host the Athletics on August 6, 2025. First pitch from Nationals Park is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET; the game will be broadcast on NBCS-CA.
The series opener was an offensive showdown, with the A's winning 16-7 yesterday. Today, Jeffrey Springs will take the mound for the visitors, and Cade Cavalli will make his season debut for the home team.
Find my MLB betting preview and Athletics vs Nationals prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
My Athletics vs Nationals Prediction
- Athletics vs Nationals pick: Over 9
My Athletics vs Nationals best bet is on the over. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Athletics vs Nationals Odds
| Athletics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +125 | 9 -110o / -110u | -130 |
| Nationals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -155 | 9 -110o / -110u | +110 |
Athletics vs Nationals Projected Starting Pitchers
| LHP Jeffrey Springs (ATH) | Stat | RHP Cade Cavalli (WAS) |
|---|---|---|
| 10-7 | W-L | (Season debut) |
| 1.1 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | ā |
| 4.00 / 4.15 | ERA / xERA | ā |
| 4.66 / 4.57 | FIP / xFIP | ā |
| 1.17 | WHIP | ā |
| 11.9 | K-BB% | ā |
| 32.2 | GB% | ā |
| 94 | Stuff+ | ā |
| 98 | Location+ | v |
Athletics vs Nationals Preview
This series started with a bang, offering a total of 23 runs last night, and today's game should keep the over trend.
Nationals Park ranks sixth in Baseball Savant's Park Factors in overall offensive output, and the A's potent lineup will take advantage of that, particularly against Cavalli, who last appeared in the majors in 2022.
The Athletics' offense ranks seventh in wRC+ this season (107), fifth in slugging (.433), sixth in average (.254) and fifth in ISO (.179).
Although not as strong as the A's, the Nats have better numbers against left-handed pitchers in 2025 and will face Springs today.
The most important factor might be both bullpens. Washington has the worst one in the MLB with a 5.98 ERA this season, and the Athletics' relievers aren't much better, ranking 28th with a 5.28 ERA.
This supports our Bet Labs recommendation to go with the over today.
Late in the MLB season, games played in hitter-friendly or high-variance environments ā such as in Colorado, Arizona, and Washington ā tend to go over the total when the closing line is modest (ā¤10.5).
These markets often underestimate run production during the final stretch of the season due to weather conditions (e.g., dry heat in AZ/CO, humid air in DC) and expanded rosters increasing bullpen volatility.
Public perception around fatigue or playoff pressure may further depress totals.
This creates value when betting overs in August to October for these specific home teams, particularly during regular-season games.
Pick: Over 9 (-110, Fanatics)
Athletics vs Nationals Betting Trends
