The Washington Nationals host the Atlanta Braves on May 20, 2025. First pitch from Nationals Park is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. EDT; the game will be broadcast on MASN and FanDuel Sports South/Southeast.
The Nationals bounced back from a tough series in Atlanta with a weekend sweep over the Orioles. Meanwhile, the Braves did their job against the Red Sox, snagging two of three in Fenway. The Braves enter as -180 favorites on the road in Spencer Strider's first outing in over a month.
Find my Braves vs Nationals prediction below for Tuesday night below.
My Braves vs Nationals Prediction
- Braves vs Nationals pick: Braves -1.5 (play to -110)
My Braves vs Nationals best bet is the Braves to cover the run line. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Braves vs Nationals Odds
| Braves Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 8.5 +100 / -122 | -178 |
| Nationals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 8.5 +100 / -122 | +150 |
Braves vs Nationals Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Spencer Strider (ATL) | Stat | LHP Mitchell Parker (WAS) |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 | W-L | 3-3 |
| 0.0 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 1.0 |
| 3.60/5.60 | ERA /xERA | 4.32/3.89 |
| 4.89/4.61 | FIP / xFIP | 3.69/5.28 |
| 1.20 | WHIP | 1.30 |
| 5.0 | K-BB% | 1.3 |
| 21.4% | GB% | 42.6% |
| 99 | Stuff+ | 94 |
| 86 | Location+ | 102 |
Sean Paul’s Braves vs Nationals Preview
Washington Nationals Betting Preview
It’s been a tale of two seasons in just two months for Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker, who has failed to get past five innings in any of his last four outings — he's allowed four or more runs in each game with at least six baserunners.
The issue for Parker is command. A pitcher allowing four hits in 4 2/3 innings isn’t awful, but couple the hits with 2+ walks and that’s a recipe for disaster.
Not only does Parker rank in the 22nd percentile in walk rate, but he’s in the 7th percentile in strikeout rate. It’s great that Parker doesn’t allow homers. That’s a huge plus, but I can’t buy stock in Parker with his 5.76 K/9 and 4.32 BB/9.
On the positive side, Parker has a 3.89 xERA and 3.69 FIP. While neither number is amazing, it's good for Parker that neither number is worse than his ERA, which typically points to positive regression. Ultimately, it comes down to Parker limiting the walks and finding a way to pitch deeper in games.
The Nationals have two of the best young hitters in MLB with shortstop CJ Abrams and lefty slugger James Wood. Both boast a wRC+ better than 150 for the year and since May 10.
The issue is only one other Washington hitter since May 10 has a wRC+ better than 90 — and it's Amed Rosario. The bottom of the order is pretty close to automatic outs right now.
Part of what makes me feel good about the Braves is what comes after Parker.
Besides closer Kyle Finnegan, I can't trust a single reliever in Washington's pen. The Nationals' bullpen ERA sits at a jaw-dropping 6.55, which is the second-highest mark in MLB. They walk over 4.87 batters per nine, so the Braves' ability to work counts will prove pivotal in the latter stages.
Atlanta Braves Betting Preview
While Parker has issues putting batters away via the strikeout, that’s a non-issue for Braves ace Spencer Strider.
The multi-time All-Star starter returned from a lengthy hiatus from Tommy John surgery on April 16, but suffered a hamstring injury during the start that held him out for a month.
We’ll see how long Strider’s leash is. I’d guess anywhere from the 75-85 pitch range considering he threw 97 in his only start this year. It makes sense to limit the load with another long layoff between outings.
Now, what can we expect from Strider? He looked good in his lone outing this year before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a towering homer in the sixth inning that ultimately decided the game. Strider probably won't look like the Strider circa 2023 for a bit, but he should do well enough against the Nationals' inconsistent lineup.
Did the Braves' offense finally find something in Boston? Or did the Red Sox poor pitching staff make them look good? Maybe a combination of both.
Since May 10, the Braves rank 10th in MLB with a 114 wRC+. Atlanta ranks top 10 in walk and strikeout percentage in that span, which bodes well against Parker. He’ll likely throw a ton of pitches and force the Nationals' terrible bullpen to cover a plethora of innings.
The key to Atlanta posting above-average offense numbers is Matt Olson. He recorded 2+ hits in all three games against Boston, boosting his wRC+ to 160 since May 10.
In the Braves' last nine games, they have six home runs, with three from Olson and three from Marcell Ozuna. Nobody else has anything rolling in the power department of late.
That shouldn't be a huge concern here, as Parker doesn't allow homers anyway. So, it's paramount for Atlanta to practice patience, take walks, and push runners across using a small ball.
Braves vs Nationals Prediction, Betting Analysis
After winning five of their past seven contests, the Braves have the momentum entering this series.
Just last week, Atlanta took three of four games from Washington, winning two of the three by 2+ runs. That's what we're aiming for here, another multi-run win for the Braves with their ace back on the mound.
Pick: Braves -1.5 (play to -110)
Moneyline
I have no moneyline bet for this game.
Run Line (Spread)
My best bet is the Braves to cover the run line (-1.5).
Over/Under
I have no play on the game total.
Braves vs Nationals Betting Trends
