Washington Nationals vs Kansas City Royals Picks and Predictions September 26th 2024

There appears to be a chance of light rain in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, where the Nationals and Royals will face off at Nationals Park. The forecasted temperature is 70 degrees. Michael Wacha is starting for the Royals, and they are favored on the money line (-174). The Nationals have Patrick Corbin on the mound.

The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs, and the under is paying out at -119 compared to -101 for the over. This interleague matchup can be seen on MASN, and first pitch is set for 1:05 PM ET.

Kansas City vs. Washington Key Information

Michael Wacha will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing his last time out, as he gets the start for the Royals today vs. the Nationals. Against the Giants on September 20th, Wacha took the loss, giving up two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of work. Looking at his overall numbers, Wacha has made 28 starts and has a record of 13-8. His ERA for the season is 3.29, along with a WHIP of 1.19. Wacha has turned in 14 quality starts this year and is averaging 7.96 strikeouts per nine innings.

As a team, the Royals are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. They have been a good home run hitting team this season, but their batting average and on-base percentage numbers are just average. One thing to watch will be if they can improve their team walk rate, as they are currently 27th in the league in that category.

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Bobby Witt Jr. has been one of the league’s top power threats this season, as his 32 home runs are 10th in the league. He is also hitting .333 for the season and has gone 8/21 in his last six games. Salvador Perez is also a big power threat for the Royals, as he has 27 homers this season and is 8th in the league with 103 RBIs. However, he has gone just 5/24 in his last six games.

Washington is sending left-hander Patrick Corbin to the mound today vs. the Royals. He has made 31 starts this year and has a record of 6-13 with an ERA of 5.58. Corbin’s WHIP for the season is 1.51. In his 31 appearances, he has turned in nine quality starts. Corbin most recently pitched on September 19th, where he finished with a no-decision. In that outing, he gave up five earned runs in 4 1/3 innings of work. Before that, he had won two straight starts. So far, Corbin has a 4.51 ERA at home compared to 7.53 on the road.

For the season, the Nationals are averaging just 4 runs per game, which is 25th in the league. They have been a little better on the road, averaging 4.1 runs per game. As a team, they are batting just .241 and are also near the bottom of the league in home runs. Washington’s offense does do a good job of not striking out, as they have the 5th fewest strikeouts in the league.

Washington’s top home run hitter this season is CJ Abrams, who also leads the team with 65 RBIs. However, he is just a .246 hitter this season. Luis Garcia Jr. is batting .278 and has 16 home runs, which is the 2nd most on the team. Joey Gallo has two homers in his last seven games but is batting just .211 over that stretch.

Today’s Royals vs. Nationals game is our lowest projected scoring game of the day, but with the line sitting at 8.5 runs, we are still leaning towards taking the over. As for who we like to win this one straight-up, we are leaning towards the Nationals. Patrick Corbin is our 8th ranked starter in terms of innings pitched, and Michael Wacha is 6th worst in terms of strikeouts among today’s starters.

Royals Look to Extend Record Scoreless Streak vs. Punchless Nationals

The Kansas City Royals, riding a record-setting performance by their pitching staff, aim to complete a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals on Thursday. The Royals (84-74), tied with the Detroit Tigers for the second and third American League wild-card spots, have their eyes on extending their winning streak and pushing closer to the postseason. With two games separating them from the Minnesota Twins and 2 1/2 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners, every win counts.

Royals’ Record-Setting Pitching Dominates

Kansas City secured its second consecutive shutout in Wednesday’s 3-0 victory, pushing their scoreless streak to 26 innings, surpassing the franchise record of 24 innings set in 1976 and 2015.

“That’s remarkable, regardless of the time of year, but especially in September, when these guys are all running on fumes,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, praising the team’s pitching staff for their resilience and performance under pressure.

On Wednesday, Michael Lorenzen made his return to the mound after missing a month due to a hamstring injury. Lorenzen exited after 2 2/3 innings due to leg fatigue, but the bullpen stepped up in a major way, with five relievers combining to hold Washington to just two hits.

“Everybody wants to try to match the energy of whoever threw a zero or whoever is coming in after,” said reliever Angel Zerpa, who contributed a scoreless inning in the win.

Washington’s Offensive Woes Continue

For the Nationals (69-89), scoring has become an elusive task. Washington has gone 31 innings without a run and has dropped eight of its last nine games, struggling mightily at the plate with one run or fewer in seven of those contests.

“I think they’re pressing, for sure,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said about his struggling hitters. “We’ve just got to go out there relaxed (Thursday). Just get a good pitch to hit.”

Veteran Pitchers Face Off in Series Finale

Thursday’s finale will feature a matchup of veteran arms as Kansas City’s Michael Wacha (13-8, 3.28 ERA) takes on Washington’s Patrick Corbin (6-13, 5.58 ERA).

Wacha has been in strong form of late, allowing two or fewer runs in four consecutive starts, pitching to a 1.99 ERA in that stretch. In his last outing, Wacha allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings against the San Francisco Giants on Friday. He has fared well against the Nationals in his career, boasting a 4-2 record with a 2.74 ERA in seven games (six starts) versus Washington.

On the other side, Corbin will make his 170th start for the Nationals, potentially his final one with the team. Corbin’s six-year, $140 million contract signed in December 2018 saw him play a key role in Washington’s 2019 World Series championship run, but his performance has declined sharply since. Despite struggling with a 5.61 ERA and leading the National League in losses for three straight seasons, Corbin remains a workhorse, giving the Nationals much-needed innings as they develop their younger pitchers.

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“He was a key component of a world championship, the first one in D.C. in forever,” Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said. “But he (pitched) every fifth day. That’s huge.”

Corbin has been inconsistent of late, winning three consecutive starts from Aug. 22-Sept. 3 before faltering over his past three outings. In his most recent start, he allowed five runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision against the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 19. He holds a 1-0 record with a 3.38 ERA in three career appearances (two starts) against the Royals.

Royals Eyeing Sweep and Wild-Card Spot

As Kansas City continues to tighten its grip on a playoff spot, they will look to keep their dominant pitching intact and capitalize on Washington’s offensive struggles. A win on Thursday would not only complete the sweep but also bring them one step closer to clinching a wild-card berth as the season draws to a close.