Washington Nationals vs
Houston AstrosPredictions & Preview

Washington Nationals Look to Capitalize on Recent Winning Streak as they Face Struggling Houston Astros in Series Finale

On Wednesday, the Washington Nationals (44-62, 5th NL East) are set to face the Houston Astros (60-47, 1st AL West) in the final game of a three-game series. Washington won the opening game of the series on Monday, extending their winning streak to three games and five out of the last seven. The Nationals are currently trailing the first place in the National League East by 17.5 games. Conversely, the Astros have lost five straight games and their lead in the American League West has been reduced to three games. Both teams will be missing key players due to injuries and other reasons. Readers are encouraged to dive into the in-depth prediction for the Washington Nationals vs. Houston Astros game and check out the top MLB picks for this matchup.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Nationals +102 | Astros -130
• Spread: Nationals -1.5 (+184) | Astros +1.5 (-225)
• Total: Over/Under 7.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Houston will win straight-up is 57%.

Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals are currently ranked in the middle of the pack in various offensive categories, including runs scored, batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. James Wood leads the team in home runs and RBI, with Nathaniel Lowe following close behind. The Nationals have five players with 40 or more RBI this season and have recorded a significant number of extra base hits. On the pitching side, Washington is ranked in the lower half in Quality Starts but has struggled with WHIP, ERA, and batting average against. Jake Irvin leads the team in wins, while MacKenzie Gore will take the mound on Wednesday with a 4-10 record this season. Gore leads the team in strikeouts and ERA among starters.

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros baseball team currently ranks second in batting average at .256, but falls to 13th in on-base percentage at .321, 14th in slugging percentage at .403, and 18th in runs scored with 457. Isaac Paredes leads the team with 19 home runs, followed by Jose Altuve with 17. Christian Walker and Altuve are tied for the lead in RBI with 53 each. Houston has six players with 40 or more RBI. The Astros have hit 163 doubles, 10 triples, and 116 home runs for a total of 289 extra base hits in 107 games.

On the pitching side, Houston excels in several categories, ranking 2nd in WHIP at 1.19, 3rd in Quality Starts with 49, 4th in batting average against at .229, and 7th in ERA at 3.71. Framber Valdez leads the team in wins with 11, while Hunter Brown leads in strikeouts with 149 and has the lowest ERA for starters at 2.54. The article does not mention which pitcher Houston plans to start in Wednesday's game against Washington.

Washington Nationals Show Signs of Improvement, Winning Five of Last Seven Games Including Dominance Against Houston Astros

Despite being in last place in the National League East, the Washington Nationals have recently shown improvement by winning five of their last seven games. They have particularly excelled in matchups against the Houston Astros, winning four of their last five encounters and 14 of the last 17 games played on the road against Houston. Meanwhile, the Astros, who are leading the American League West, have struggled in their most recent games, losing five in a row and all six recent home matches. Washington’s starting pitcher, MacKenzie Gore, has delivered strong performances in three of his last four outings, showcasing his potential. The Astros are facing challenges due to injuries, with key players such as Jeremy Pena and Yordan Alvarez unavailable, in addition to having 12 pitchers on the injured list.

Sources: [ 2 ] [ 3 ]