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At 7:20 PM ET, the Braves and Nationals will face off in an NL East matchup. This one is taking place at Truist Park in Atlanta, and the Braves are the heavy favorite on the money line at -179. The Nationals are +151 on the money line, and they are 58-71, while the Braves are 69-59.
BSSE will be televising this one, and Jake Irvin is starting for the Nationals, while the Braves are going with Charlie Morton. Atlanta is currently on a two-game winning streak. The over/under line is at 8.5 runs.
Washington vs. Atlanta Key Information
- Teams: Nationals at Braves
- Where: Truist Park Atlanta
- Date: Saturday, August 24th
- Betting Odds ATL -179 | WSH +151 O/U 8.5
The Nationals Can Win If…
Jake Irvin gets the start for the Nationals today as he faces the Braves on the road. He has made 26 starts this season and has a record of 9-10 with an ERA of 3.81. Looking at his overall numbers, Irvin has a WHIP of 1.15 and has issued just 2.09 walks per nine innings compared to 7.57 strikeouts. This year, he has turned in 14 quality starts and is coming off an outing in which he finished with a no-decision, giving up four earned runs in six innings of work. Before that, he had won two straight starts.
Washington’s offense has been one of the worst in the league in terms of home runs this season, but they do come into the game with the 10th best team batting average in the league. Overall, they are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 17th in the league. Luis Garcia Jr. has been a solid run producer for the Nationals this season, batting .296 with a team-high 63 RBIs. He is also 2nd on the team with 15 homers. CJ Abrams has also been a good source of power, with his 18 homers leading the team.
James Wood has been swinging a hot bat for the Nationals, going 14/37 in his last 10 games with one home run and five RBIs. Keibert Ruiz has also been a solid run producer of late, going 10/35 with three homers in his last nine games.
- The Nationals are 4-6 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Nationals are 4-1 vs. the run line.
- Washington has an over/under record of 4-6 in their last ten games.
- The Nationals have an average of 4.6 runs per game over their last five games.
- Across their last ten road games, the Nationals are 2-8
- Looking back across the Nationals last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
- Washington has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Nationals have averaged 3.6 runs per game on offense
The Braves Can Win If…
Charlie Morton gets the start for the Braves today and will be looking to build off his last outing, where he gave up just one earned run in 5 1/3 innings of work. In that outing vs. the Angels, he picked up the win. Looking back over his last four starts, Morton has been a bit up and down. He has one outing where he gave up eight earned runs and another where he gave up two homers. Morton’s ERA for the season is 4.29, along with a record of 7-7. Opponents are batting .241 off the right-hander this season. Per nine innings, Morton is averaging 3.29 walks compared to 9.07 strikeouts.
Marcell Ozuna has been on a tear of late for the Braves, going 6/18 in his last five games with a home run. Ozuna has also been one of the league’s top power threats this season, as his 37 homers are the 4th most in the league. Overall, he is batting .308 with 94 RBIs, which is also 4th best in the MLB. Ozuna has also put together an eight-game hitting streak.
Atlanta’s offense is averaging 4.3 runs per game and has been a better offensive team on the road (4.5 runs per game) than at home (4.0 runs per game). As a team, they are 4th in home runs and have the 6th best ISO in the league. The Braves have been a good home run hitting team this season, but they are just 25th in the league in team batting average.
- The Braves are 7-3 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Braves are 4-1 vs. the run line.
- Atlanta has an over/under record of 2-8 in their last ten games.
- The Braves have an average of 2.8 runs per game over their last five games.
- Across their last ten home games, the Braves are 6-4
- Looking back across the Braves last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
- Atlanta has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Braves have averaged 5.8 runs per game on offense
As the Atlanta Braves continue their fight to secure a spot in the postseason, they’re up against a determined Washington Nationals team eager to play spoiler. Heading into Saturday night’s matchup, the Braves will lean heavily on their veteran closer, Raisel Iglesias, whose consistency has been a cornerstone of the team’s success this season.
Raisel Iglesias: The Braves’ Reliable Closer
Raisel Iglesias has been nothing short of exceptional for the Braves this year. Boasting a career-best 1.39 ERA and 28 saves in 30 opportunities, Iglesias has provided crucial stability at the back end of the bullpen, especially in high-pressure situations. His importance was on full display in Friday’s 3-2, 10-inning victory over the Nationals, where he pitched two scoreless innings and earned his third win of the season.
“A lot of these closers are divas, and Raisel is the complete opposite of that,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “When he gets that last out of the game, he’s the happiest guy on the field, and it’s because the team won, not because of him or his numbers. When you’re like that, the numbers take care of themselves.”
Iglesias’ recent performance has been dominant, with a streak of 22 consecutive scoreless outings and a run of retiring 38 straight batters until Friday night. His ability to deliver in clutch moments has been a key factor as the Braves continue their playoff chase.
Braves in the Playoff Hunt
With Friday’s win, the Braves gained some ground on the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East, now trailing by five games while holding onto the third NL wild-card spot. Veteran right-hander Charlie Morton (7-7, 4.29 ERA) will take the mound on Saturday, aiming to keep the momentum going. After a rough outing against the Milwaukee Brewers earlier in August, Morton has bounced back by allowing just three earned runs over his last two starts, including a solid 5 1/3-inning performance in a 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Angels.
Morton’s experience and recent form are crucial for the Braves as they continue to battle for a postseason berth in a highly competitive NL race.
Nationals Embrace Spoiler Role
The Nationals, despite being 13 games under .500, showed on Friday that they’re not to be underestimated. Washington tallied 10 hits and received a strong six-inning, one-run effort from starter MacKenzie Gore, but a costly error by shortstop CJ Abrams in the 10th inning allowed the Braves to secure the win.
“I’ve got to make a better throw in that situation,” Abrams said. “Maybe take a little more time. I think I had more time than I thought. We all fought. It came down to the wire. We wanted to continue to fight, but unfortunately, it ended like that.”
On Saturday, the Nationals will send right-hander Jake Irvin (9-10, 3.81 ERA) to the mound. Irvin has been a reliable presence for Washington, completing at least five innings in 24 of his 26 starts this season. With a 3.07 ERA in three career starts against the Braves, Irvin poses a legitimate challenge to Atlanta’s playoff ambitions.
What’s at Stake
As the Braves continue their playoff push, they’ll need to stay sharp against a Nationals team eager to disrupt their plans. With Raisel Iglesias anchoring the bullpen and Charlie Morton on the mound, Atlanta will look to secure another crucial win on Saturday night. Meanwhile, the Nationals, led by Jake Irvin, will aim to spoil their divisional rival’s postseason hopes.
The Lean
Our lean for an over/under pick would be to take the over, as we have this as the 2nd lowest combined scoring game of the day. As for who is going to take this one straight-up, we have our lean on the Nationals to pick up the win. The Braves offense has the 3rd worst team runs scored projection, and Charlie Morton is 8th among today’s starters in projected strikeouts.
