The Houston Astros (60-47) and Washington Nationals (44-62) will face off in the MLB tonight. First pitch from Daikin Park is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on MASN2.
Continue below for my Nationals vs Astros predictions and MLB picks for Monday, July 28, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
Our Nationals vs Astros Prediction
- Nationals vs Astros pick: Under 8.5 (-115, DraftKings)
Our Nationals vs Astros best bet is on the Under. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Nationals vs Astros Odds, Spread, Best Bet
| Nationals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -175 | 8.5 -105o / -115u | +115 |
| Astros Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +145 | 8.5 -105o / -115u | -135 |
Nationals vs Astros Run Line: Nationals +1.5 (-175); Astros -1.5 (+145)
Nationals vs Astros Total: 8.5 (O -105 / U -115)
Nationals vs Astros Moneyline: Nationals +115; Astros -135
Nationals vs Astros Best Bet: Under 8.5
Nationals vs Astros Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Michael Soroka (WSN) | Stat | RHP Jason Alexander (HOU) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-8 | W-L | 1-1 |
| 1.1 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | -0.1 |
| 4.85 / 3.27 | ERA / xERA | 8.14 / 5.40 |
| 4.05 / 4.06 | FIP / xFIP | 6.09 / 5.53 |
| 1.13 | WHIP | 1.90 |
| 18.0% | K-BB% | 1.9% |
| 42.7% | GB% | 45.5% |
| 94 | Stuff+ | 89 |
| 97 | Location+ | 99 |
Nationals vs Astros Preview, Picks
Game 2 between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros comes on the heels of a 2-1 final in Monday’s opener, and the spot sets up well for another low-scoring affair.
Riley Adams’ solo home run in the seventh inning was the difference in Game 1, as the Nationals beat the Astros 2-1.
It was the third straight game in which Houston managed just one run, and the fifth consecutive loss overall for a club suddenly struggling to produce at the plate.
This matchup fits the mold of the "Series Unders: Off Low-Scoring Games" system outlined by Evan Abrams.
The model targets regular-season matchups in which both teams enter Game 2 or later off a quiet offensive performance. When both offenses sputter to open a series, betting markets can misprice the next total, either overreacting to one game or expecting a quick regression.
The system capitalizes on rhythm-based stagnation, predicting that sluggish scoring trends will persist at least one more game.
Nationals vs Astros Best Bet
- Under 8.5 (-115, DraftKings)
Nationals vs Astros Betting Trends
