The Washington Nationals host the Tampa Bay Rays on August 30, 2025. First pitch from Nationals Park is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. EDT; the game will be broadcast on MASN.
Find my MLB betting preview and Rays vs Nationals prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
My Rays vs Nationals Prediction
- Rays vs Nationals pick: Over 9 (-115)
My Rays vs Nationals best bet is Over 9 total runs in this game. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Rays vs Nationals Odds
| Rays Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +110 | 9 -115o / -105u | -150 |
| Nationals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -135 | 9 -115o / -105u | +125 |
Rays vs Nationals Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Ryan Pepiot (TB) | Stat | RHP Jake Irvin (WAS) |
|---|---|---|
| 9-10 | W-L | 8-9 |
| 1.8 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | -0.1 |
| 3.82 / 4.00 | ERA / xERA | 5.40 / 5.62 |
| 4.50 / 4.02 | FIP / xFIP | 5.48 / 4.83 |
| 1.16 | WHIP | 1.43 |
| 15.7 | K-BB% | 7.2 |
| 38.8 | GB% | 43.6 |
| 109 | Stuff+ | 94 |
| 98 | Location+ | 104 |
Rays vs Nationals Preview
Rays starter Ryan Pepiot had a rough July with a 5.03 ERA in five starts during that month, and August has not been great except for his last outing against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The right-hander has a 5.12 ERA in his past seven starts and will face a Nationals lineup that does much better against RHP, going from 23rd in wRC+ overall to 19th when facing righties.
The Tampa Bay offense does the same, ranking 18th overall in wRC+ but sitting at 10th when facing right-handed pitchers such as Nats' Jake Irvin.
Irvin has a woeful 8.35 ERA in his past seven outings. In his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies, he couldn't complete the third inning, and before that, he gave up six runs in consecutive starts.
This aligns with our Bet Labs recommendation to go with the under.
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 on overs for these specific home teams, particularly during regular-season games, in August to October.
Pick: Over 9 (-115, BetMGM)
Rays vs Nationals Betting Trends
