The Philadelphia Phillies host the Washington Nationals on August 4, 2026. First pitch from Citizens Bank Park is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on NATS.
The Phillies are favored by -276 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The Nationals are +221 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 9 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Nationals vs Phillies prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Nationals vs Phillies Prediction
- Nationals vs Phillies Pick: Jacob Young Over 0.5 Singles (+116)
My Nationals vs Phillies best bet is on Jacob Young to record over 0.5 singles. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Nationals vs Phillies Odds
| Nationals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 +102 | 9 -103o / -117u | +221 |
| Phillies Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -123 | 9 -103o / -117u | -276 |
- Nationals vs Phillies moneyline: Nationals +221, Phillies -276
- Nationals vs Phillies over/under: 9 (-103o / -117u)
- Nationals vs Phillies spread: Phillies -1.5 (-123), Nationals +1.5 (+102)
Nationals vs Phillies Probable Pitchers
| RHP Zack Littell (WSN) | Stat | LHP Jesus Luzardo (PHI) |
|---|---|---|
| 7-8 | W-L | 9-5 |
| -0.7 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 3.5 |
| 4.94/6.12 | ERA / xERA | 3.57/2.98 |
| 5.94/5.17 | FIP / xFIP | 3.03/3.00 |
| 7.5% | K-BB% | 21.6% |
| 35.1% | GB% | 50.5% |
| .256 | BABIP | .314 |
| 83 | Stuff+ | 111 |
| 101 | Location+ | 103 |
Nationals vs Phillies MLB Betting Preview
The Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals meet for the second installment of their four-game series following an action-packed opener.
Philadelphia pushed its winning streak to three games on Monday night with a 6-3 victory over Washington. The game turned in the seventh inning when Derek Hill broke a tie with a go-ahead grand slam, followed later by a two-run home run from Bryce Harper to seal the win for the visitors.
Philadelphia will send left-hander Jesus Luzardo to the mound for Game 2. Luzardo enters the matchup carrying a 9-5 record alongside a 3.57 ERA.
He will match up against Washington right-hander Zack Littell, who holds a 7-8 record and a 4.94 ERA on the season.
One notable matchup for the Nationals in this game features catcher Keibert Ruiz, who has had plenty of success facing Luzardo in his career, going 5-for-16 (.375) with a home run and four RBIs.
On the field, the big narrative centers around Bryce Harper returning to right field for the first time since April 16, 2022.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski paved the way for Harper to return to his former position for the rest of the season after acquiring three-time batting champion Luis Arraez in a trade with the San Francisco Giants on Monday.
Nationals vs Phillies Pick, Betting Analysis
The top prop selection for this matchup points toward Nationals outfielder Jacob Young taking advantage of his favorable line on the basepaths.
Looking at the Action PRO projection system, Young is projected to record 0.86 singles against Philadelphia. With his prop set at Over 0.5 singles at plus-money odds, this projection yields an 11.4% edge against the market.
Young broke out of a four-game slump by recording a single during Monday's opener, and he appears prime to replicate that success in Game 2.
He has already demonstrated a pattern of stringing together hits this summer; after delivering two singles against Arizona on July 24, he followed up with another single against the Diamondbacks the very next day.
Look for Young to stay hot at the plate and cash the Over 0.5 Single at plus-money.
Pick: Jacob Young Over 0.5 Singles (+116)
