Washington Nationals vs New York Yankees Picks and Predictions August 27th 2024

Gerrit Cole aims to continue strong August at Washington

The forecast for Tuesday’s Yankees vs. Nationals interleague matchup calls for clear skies and temperatures in the mid-90s. This one is getting started at 6:45 PM ET from Nationals Park in Washington, DC. The Yankees are 1st in the AL East with a record of 78-54, while the Nationals are 4th in the NL East at 59-73.

New York is currently on a two-game winning streak, and they are the heavy money line favorite for Tuesday’s game at -224. The Nationals are +188 on the money line, and the over/under line is currently at 9 runs. YES will be televising this game.

New York vs. Washington Key Information

• Teams: Yankees at Nationals
• Where: Nationals Park Washington
• Date: Tuesday, August 27th
• Betting Odds NYY -224 | WSH +188 O/U 9

The Yankees Can Win If…

New York is sending right-hander Gerrit Cole to the mound today as he faces the Nationals on the road. Cole has made 11 starts this season and has a record of 5-2 with a 3.72 ERA. In his 11 appearances, he has turned in four quality starts and is averaging 9.62 strikeouts per nine innings. Cole’s most recent outing was a dominant one, as he didn’t give up a run in six innings of work against the Guardians. He has won each of his last two starts. Cole’s ERA at home is 4.1 compared to 4.2 on the road.

As a team, the Yankees are averaging 5.1 runs per game, which is the 2nd best mark in the league. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5.4 runs per contest. New York’s offense has been the best home run-hitting team in the league this season and also lead the MLB in on-base percentage and OPS. Aaron Judge has been the team’s top hitter this season, batting .333 with 51 homers and 122 RBIs. He has been even better of late, going 12/37 in his last 10 games with eight homers.

Not only do the Yankees lead the league in home runs, but they also have the top team on-base percentage and OPS. As a team, they are also the league’s top offense in terms of home runs. The Yankees have two of the league’s top home run hitters in Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, who have 51 and 37 homers, respectively.

• The Yankees are 6-4 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Yankees are 4-1 vs. the run line.
• New York has an over/under record of 4-6 in their last ten games.
• The Yankees have an average of 5.2 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Yankees are 7-3
• Looking back across the Yankees last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
• New York has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Yankees have averaged 5.3 runs per game on offense

The Nationals Can Win If…

Left-hander Patrick Corbin gets the start for the Nationals today as he faces the Yankees at home. Corbin has made 26 starts this season and has a record of 3-12 with a 5.73 ERA. So far, he has turned in seven quality starts and is coming off a game in which he pitched well, going six innings and giving up just one earned run. In that outing, he finished with a no-decision. Corbin has not taken a loss in his last three starts. His ERA at home is 5.09 compared to 7.42 on the road.

So far this season, the Nationals offense is averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 20th in the majors. They have been a bit better at home, where they are also averaging 4.2 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .244, which is 11th in the league, and are one of the better teams in terms of avoiding strikeouts. However, they are near the bottom of the league in home runs and isolated power.

Luis Garcia Jr. comes into the game with a team-high 63 RBIs, and his 15 homers are the 2nd most on the team. CJ Abrams has also been a solid power threat for the Nationals, as he has 18 homers this season. Jacob Young has been on fire of late, going 8/18 in his last five games with a home run.

• The Nationals are 4-6 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Nationals are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Washington has an over/under record of 2-8 in their last ten games.
• The Nationals have an average of 3.8 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Nationals are 3-7
• 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 3.5 runs per game on offense

The Lean

For an over/under pick, our lean would be to take the under, as we have this as the 4th lowest-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. Patrick Corbin has the 7th best chance to earn the win among today’s starters, while Gerrit Cole has the 5th best strikeout projection.

Gerrit Cole, the ace right-hander for the New York Yankees, is set to cap off an impressive August as the Yankees take on the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night. Cole has been in stellar form this month, and the Yankees will look to him to continue his dominance on the mound.

Gerrit Cole’s August Mastery

Cole has been virtually untouchable in August, compiling a 2-0 record with an exceptional 1.17 ERA over four starts. In 23 innings of work, Cole has allowed just 17 hits and nine walks, while striking out 24 batters. His ability to limit damage, despite allowing baserunners, has been a key factor in his success. The Yankees have won three of his four starts this month, underscoring his impact on the team’s recent surge.

In his most recent outing, Cole delivered a masterful performance, throwing six scoreless innings in a 6-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians. He gave up only one hit, issued five walks, and struck out two, earning his 150th career win in the process. At 33 years old, Cole continues to prove why he’s one of the top pitchers in the game.

“He looked great, and I think he’s been feeling good the last few starts,” said Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton, emphasizing Cole’s recent resurgence after missing the first 2 1/2 months of the season due to an elbow issue.

Historically, Cole has fared well against the Nationals, boasting a 4-2 record with a solid 2.79 ERA in seven career starts against them. As he prepares to face Washington again, Cole is in prime position to close out August on a high note.

Patrick Corbin’s Rollercoaster Season

Opposing Cole on the mound will be Washington Nationals veteran left-hander Patrick Corbin, who has experienced a challenging season. Corbin enters the game with a 3-12 record and a 5.73 ERA, numbers that reflect his struggles over the past few years. However, Corbin recently reached a personal milestone, notching his 100th career win in his last start against the Colorado Rockies.

In that outing, Corbin delivered one of his best performances of the season, allowing just one run on four hits over six innings while striking out a season-high eight batters. This performance offered a glimpse of the Corbin who was instrumental in the Nationals’ 2019 World Series run, where he posted a 14-7 record with a 3.25 ERA.

Since that championship season, Corbin has struggled, amassing a 30-69 record with a 5.64 ERA. As he nears the end of his six-year, $140 million contract, Corbin remains a workhorse for the Nationals, consistently taking the ball every five days.

“What I can say about Patrick is, the guy competes,” said Nationals manager Dave Martinez. “He goes out there every five days, takes the ball, will give us 110 pitches if we ask him to. He’s been awesome.”

Despite his overall struggles, Corbin has had success against the Yankees, holding a 1-0 record with a 2.84 ERA in four career starts against them. This history suggests that Corbin could be a formidable challenge for New York’s lineup.

Yankees’ Balanced Offense and Judge’s Milestone

The Yankees’ offense has been clicking recently, even on nights when their big hitters like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Juan Soto are kept quiet. In their 5-2 win over Washington on Monday night, it was the supporting cast that stepped up. Gleyber Torres, Austin Wells, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. each homered, while Anthony Volpe and Alex Verdugo contributed with three hits apiece.

Aaron Judge, who has been the centerpiece of the Yankees’ lineup, added another milestone to his impressive career. In the ninth inning, Judge singled for his 1,000th career hit. While Judge didn’t add to his home run tally on Monday, he made a significant impact in the field, robbing Andres Chaparro of a potential two-run homer with a spectacular catch in center field, which he turned into a double play.

“I called [the robbery] his 52nd homer of the year,” joked Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “He’s really good at this stuff. A night they keep him in the ballpark, he takes one back from the other side. It’s just a little reminder of how many other things he does well.”

Nationals Look to the Future with Dylan Crews

The Nationals, in the midst of a rebuilding phase, saw one of their top prospects, Dylan Crews, make his major league debut on Monday. The 22-year-old outfielder, drafted second overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, went 0-for-3 with a walk in his first game. Despite the hitless debut, Crews described the experience of playing against the Yankees and stars like Judge and Soto as “surreal.”

“Playing against the Yankees, and playing against Judge and Soto for the first time, it was a pretty surreal moment going out there,” Crews said. “And obviously playing with my new team I’m playing on now, the Nationals, it’s a great feeling. I’m just going to come out [Tuesday] and do it all over again.”

Game Outlook

As the Yankees look to continue their recent winning ways, Gerrit Cole’s dominant form will be key to their success. For the Nationals, Patrick Corbin will aim to build on his recent milestone and recapture the form that made him a World Series hero. With both teams having much at stake, this matchup promises to be an exciting contest between two veteran pitchers with something to prove.

Take your MLB handicapping to the next level with our expert MLB handicappers