Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals Picks and Predictions August 25th 2024

There is one MLB game on the schedule for Sunday, and it features the Nationals and Braves. This NL East matchup is set to get started at 12:05 PM ET from Truist Park in Atlanta. The money line odds have the Braves at -189 compared to the Nationals at +159. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs.

Reynaldo Lopez will be starting for the Nationals, and he is facing off against a Braves team that has won three straight. However, the Braves are only 2nd in the NL East, while the Nationals are 4th with a record of 58-72.

Left-hander DJ Herz gets the start for the Nationals today as he faces the Braves on the road. He has made 13 starts this year and has a record of 2-6 with an ERA of 4.15. Herz’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.32. In his 13 starts, he has turned in two quality starts and is averaging 11.13 strikeouts per nine innings. Herz most recently faced the Rockies, where he took the loss, giving up two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of work. Before that outing, he had given up at least two homers in three straight starts.

Washington’s offense comes into the game averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 19th in the league. They have been slightly better at home, averaging 4.3 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .245, which is 11th in the league, and are one of the better teams in the league at avoiding strikeouts. However, they are near the bottom of the league in home runs and have a collective ISO of just .133.

Luis Garcia Jr. has been the Nationals’ top run producer this season, as his 63 RBIs is the best mark on the team. He is also 2nd on the team with 15 homers and is batting .293. CJ Abrams is hitting just .247 but has a team-high 18 homers. Over his last six games, Jose Tena is batting .391 with one home run.

Braves starter Reynaldo López has made 20 appearances this season and has a record of 7-4. His ERA for the season is an impressive 2.05, along with a WHIP of 1.20. So far, López has turned in 10 quality starts and is averaging 9.19 strikeouts per nine innings. The right-hander has been much better at home, coming in with a record of 4-1 and an ERA of 1.75. López’s last outing came on August 20th vs. the Phillies, where he finished with a no-decision, giving up one earned run in five innings of work. Before that, he had given up at least three earned runs in three straight starts.

Marcell Ozuna has been on fire of late, going 14/33 in his last nine games, with two homers and six runs scored. Ozuna is currently 4th in the league in RBIs, with 94, and is also the Braves’ top home run hitter, with 37. Overall, Ozuna is batting .307, which is the best mark on the team. Ramón Laureano is also swinging a hot bat for the Braves, as he has three homers in his last nine games while batting .375.

As a team, the Braves are 3rd in the league in home runs and are averaging 4.3 runs per game. However, they have been better on the road this season, averaging 4.5 runs per contest. Overall, they are batting .242, which is 13th in the league.

Braves Eye Series Sweep Against Nationals with Key Replacements Leading the Charge

The Atlanta Braves are aiming to complete a three-game series sweep against the Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon, fueled by standout performances from three key injury replacements. Whit Merrifield, Ramon Laureano, and Gio Urshela have stepped up in a big way, playing crucial roles in keeping the Braves in postseason contention and driving their recent success.

Impact of Key Replacements

Merrifield, Laureano, and Urshela, brought in as injury replacements, have been delivering when it matters most. The trio has combined for an impressive 11-for-22 at the plate in the first two games of the series against the Nationals. Laureano is currently riding an eight-game hitting streak, while Merrifield has reached base in 18 consecutive games, highlighting their importance to Atlanta’s lineup.

These contributions have been vital for the Braves, who have won three straight games and six of their last seven, keeping them within five games of the first-place Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East.

Pitching Matchup: Lopez vs. Herz

In Sunday’s series finale, the Braves will send right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (7-4, 2.05 ERA) to the mound. Lopez, recently back from a two-week stint on the injured list, was sharp in his last outing against the Phillies on Tuesday, pitching five innings and allowing just one run on five hits with 10 strikeouts. While he didn’t factor into the decision, Lopez’s performance was a positive sign for Atlanta as they head into the final stretch of the season.

Lopez has had mixed results against the Nationals in his career, holding a 0-1 record with a 7.20 ERA in two starts. His most recent start against Washington on June 6 saw him pitch six innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out seven.

The Nationals will counter with left-hander DJ Herz (2-6, 4.15 ERA), who’s been in good form recently, allowing two earned runs or fewer in each of his last six starts. Over that stretch, Herz has posted a 3.07 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings. In his latest start against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, Herz took the loss despite a solid performance, allowing three runs (two earned) over 5 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts.

Herz has faced the Braves once before, on June 9, when he pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Nationals’ Rising Star: Jose Tena

While the Braves have been boosted by their unsung heroes, the Nationals have seen a bright spot in Jose Tena. Tena has been on fire at the plate, going 12-for-30 (.400) over his past eight games. In Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Braves, Tena collected three hits, including his first major league home run, showing his potential as a future cornerstone for the Nationals.

Braves and Nationals Set for Series Finale Showdown

As the Braves and Nationals prepare for the series finale, Atlanta is focused on securing a sweep that could help them close the gap in the NL East race. With key contributions from Merrifield, Laureano, and Urshela, and strong pitching from Lopez, the Braves are in a great position to keep their winning streak alive. Meanwhile, the Nationals will look to DJ Herz and rising star Jose Tena to play spoiler and avoid the sweep as they focus on building for the future.

For a money line pick, we are leaning toward the Braves to come out on top at home vs. the Nationals. As for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over, as this is projected to be the 5th lowest-scoring game of the day, and this line is sitting at 8 runs. We have the Braves’ offense as our 8th highest-rated run-scoring team in today’s slate, and Reynaldo López is our 9th ranked starting pitcher in terms of strikeouts.