Washington Nationals vs Ny Yankees Picks and Predictions August 28th 2024

Yankees look to rebound from sloppy game against Nationals

Carlos Rodon will start for the Yankees on Wednesday in an interleague matchup vs. the Nationals. MacKenzie Gore is slated to start for the Nationals. The money line odds have the Yankees as the favorites, with their odds sitting at -195 compared to the Nationals at +163. The over/under line is currently at 9 runs.

First pitch from Nationals Park is set for 6:45 PM ET, and AMZP will be televising this one. The Yankees are 78-55 and are first in the AL East, while the Nationals are 4th in the NL East with a record of 60-73.

New York vs. Washington Key Information

• Teams: Yankees at Nationals
• Where: Nationals Park Washington
• Date: Wednesday, August 28th
• Betting Odds NYY -195 | WSH +163 O/U 9

The Yankees Can Win If…

Carlos Rodón gets the start for the Yankees today as he faces the Nationals on the road. So far this season, he has made 26 starts and has a record of 14-8 with an ERA of 4.16. Rodón’s WHIP for the season is 1.23. In his 26 appearances, he has turned in 13 quality starts. Looking at his numbers, Rodón has a BB/9 figure of 2.88 compared to 9.79 strikeouts per nine innings. The left-hander most recently pitched on August 23rd, where he didn’t give up a run in six innings of work. Before that, he had given up at least two homers in three straight starts.

Not only do the Yankees lead the league in home runs, but they are also the top-scoring offense in baseball, averaging 5.1 runs per game. They have been even better on the road, putting up 5.4 runs per contest. As a team, they are the league’s best in terms of on-base percentage and OPS. The Yankees also have the league’s top two home run hitters in Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.

Aaron Judge has been on a tear of late, going 8/23 with six homers over his last seven games. For the season, he is batting .333 with a league-leading 122 RBIs. Gleyber Torres has also been swinging a hot bat, going 10/27 with two homers in his last seven games.

• The Yankees are 5-5 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Yankees are 3-2 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 4.4 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Yankees are 6-4
• Looking back across the Yankees last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
• 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 4.1 runs per game on offense

The Nationals Can Win If…

Washington is sending left-hander MacKenzie Gore to the mound today vs. the Yankees. He has made 26 starts this season and has a record of 7-11 with an ERA of 4.51. Gore’s WHIP for the season is 1.56. In his 26 appearances, he has turned in six quality starts. Looking back at his most recent outing, Gore finished with a no-decision vs. the Braves, going six innings and giving up one earned run on four hits. Before that, he had lost three straight starts. Gore has given up at least one homer in each of his last three outings.

The Nationals offense is averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 21st in the league. They have been a below-average home run hitting team this season and are also near the bottom of the league in terms of slugging percentage and OPS. However, they do have the 11th best team batting average in the league. Luis Garcia Jr. comes into the game batting .292 and is the Nationals’ leader in RBIs this season.

Jacob Young has been swinging a hot bat for the Nationals, going 9/24 in his last seven games. During this stretch, he has one home run and three RBIs. Juan Yepez is also on a four-game hitting streak and has two homers in his last four games.

• The Nationals are 5-5 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 3.0 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 2-1 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

Our lean for a money-line pick is to take the Nationals to come out on top at home. And with our projections pointing to this being the 7th highest-scoring game of today’s league slate, we are leaning towards taking the over. The Yankees offense has our 4th highest projected home run total, and Carlos Rodón is 9th among today’s starters in projected strikeouts. On the other side, MacKenzie Gore has the 6th worst innings pitched projection among today’s starters.

The New York Yankees are aiming to bounce back from a disappointing performance as they face the Washington Nationals in the final game of their three-game series on Wednesday evening. After a night marred by defensive errors and missed opportunities, the Yankees are under pressure to tighten up their play and capitalize on scoring chances to avoid losing the series.

Yankees’ Defensive Struggles and Missed Opportunities

In Tuesday night’s 4-2 loss, the Yankees committed a season-high four errors, leading to unearned runs and a missed opportunity to maintain momentum after winning five of their previous six games. Despite loading the bases with no outs in the eighth inning and creating a late rally in the ninth, the Yankees couldn’t overcome their defensive miscues or capitalize on their offensive chances, leaving eight runners stranded on base.

Manager Aaron Boone was candid about the team’s performance, stating, “We did not play clean tonight defensively. And on a night when we’re not scoring a ton of runs, we’ve got to be cleaner than that.”

Pitching Matchup: Rodon vs. Gore

The series finale will see a showdown between two left-handers: the Yankees’ Carlos Rodon (14-8, 4.16 ERA) and the Nationals’ MacKenzie Gore (7-11, 4.51 ERA). Rodon has been inconsistent in August, alternating between strong and shaky outings. After a rough game against the Detroit Tigers, where he allowed four runs in just over three innings, Rodon rebounded with a dominant six-inning, shutout performance against the Colorado Rockies. This will be Rodon’s second career start against the Nationals; in their previous encounter, he allowed just one run over six innings but took a no-decision in a game the Nationals eventually won.

Gore, on the other hand, has shown promising form lately. In his last outing against the Atlanta Braves, Gore delivered seven strong innings, allowing only one run and striking out four without issuing a walk. Despite this performance, the Nationals lost in extra innings. Gore’s only other start against the Yankees came last August, where he struggled, giving up six runs in four innings. However, his recent success, coupled with the Nationals’ improved pitching, suggests a more competitive matchup this time around.

Nationals’ Pitching Surge

The Nationals’ starting rotation has been a significant factor in their recent success. Over the past seven games, Washington’s starters have posted a 1.60 ERA, held opposing hitters to a .209 batting average, and recorded 40 strikeouts against just 12 walks. This resurgence on the mound has led the Nationals to a 4-3 record over that span.

Patrick Corbin, who entered Tuesday’s game with the highest ERA among qualified starters, continued this trend by pitching six shutout innings against the Yankees. Despite the Nationals going 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, their pitching carried them to victory, underscoring the importance of solid pitching in low-scoring games.

Yankees’ Star Players Underperforming

One of the critical issues for the Yankees in this series has been the underperformance of their star players. Through the first two games, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Juan Soto have combined for just three hits in 24 at-bats. Judge, who remains at 51 home runs, missed a crucial opportunity with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, grounding into a double play that stifled a potential comeback.

Stanton, who has historically performed well at Nationals Park, has yet to make a significant impact in this series. His career numbers at the stadium include a .297 batting average, 22 home runs, and 47 RBIs in 62 games. However, his success in the past hasn’t translated into this series, leaving the Yankees without the offensive spark they need.

What’s at Stake?

For the Yankees, the final game of the series is a must-win if they hope to maintain momentum in their pursuit of a playoff spot. The team’s recent struggles on both defense and offense highlight the need for a more disciplined and effective approach. With Rodon on the mound, the Yankees will look to set the tone early, avoiding the defensive lapses that have plagued them and taking advantage of any scoring opportunities they can create.

The Nationals, buoyed by their recent pitching successes, will aim to continue their strong performance on the mound while hoping for more timely hitting to secure a series victory.

Conclusion

As the Yankees take the field for the series finale, the focus will be on playing cleaner baseball, both defensively and offensively. With the potential for a low-scoring game hinging on the starting pitchers, every play will count. The Yankees must shake off the mistakes of their previous game and deliver a performance that keeps their postseason hopes alive.

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