The Atlanta Braves (35-26) travel to face off against the Washington Nationals (28-35) on Saturday, June 8th. This game will be played at Nationals Park in Washington and televised on MASN. The Nationals are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Braves are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Nationals. First pitch is set for 3:05 CT.
Braves vs Nationals
It was a low-scoring game in the most recent game of this Nationals vs Braves series. Washington went into the matchup as +174 underdogs and squeaked out a 2-1 win. Both teams scored one run in the first inning, and the Braves could only muster one more run in the 4th inning. As for the Nationals, they scored the game’s go-ahead run in the 8th, and both offenses went silent after that.
Atlanta wasted a good outing from Chris Sale, as he gave up just two earned runs in seven innings of work. Jake Irvin was even better for the Nationals, getting the win after going six innings and not giving up a run.
Marcell Ozuna was the only Braves hitter to have more than one hit, while Jesse Winker did the same for the Nationals. Winker also scored both of Washington’s runs.
Atlanta is 35-26 overall this season, and they are eight games behind the Phillies for the NL East lead. The Braves will be on the road today, facing the Nationals, and they are 12-9 in divisional games this year. The Braves have gone 5-5 across their last ten games and are currently tied with the Nationals in their series.
So far, the Braves have been good as the favorite, going 34-22, but they are just 1-4 as the underdog. Atlanta has been slightly better at home, putting together a record of 19-12 compared to 16-14 on the road. This season, the Braves’ series record is 12-6-2.
When the Braves are on the road, they have been a good bet to cover the run line, as they are 17-13. Their average run margin in all games is +0.6, but it jumps to +1.1 when they are the visiting team. They are 3-2 against the run line as an underdog and 28-28 as the favorite.
The Braves are on the road today against the Nationals, and the over/under line is set at 8 runs. The combined run average in Braves games this season is 8.3 runs, and their over/under record is 21-38. When the over/under line is set at 8 runs, the Braves have gone 4-2, and 72.1% of their games have had higher lines. They are currently on a three-game under streak.
Charlie Morton Gets The Start For The Braves
Right-hander Charlie Morton gets the start for the Braves today as he faces the Nationals on the road. He has made 11 starts this year and has a record of 3-2 with an ERA of 3.88. Morton’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.29. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, going six innings and not giving up a run to the Athletics. Before that, he had given up at least one homer in three straight starts. Morton’s ERA at home is 5.18, compared to 3.12 on the road.
Braves Offense Breakdown
Marcell Ozuna has been one of the league’s top power hitters this season, as his 18 home runs are 3rd in the league and the best mark on the Braves. Ozuna is also near the top of the MLB leaderboard in RBIs, as his 55 runs batted in are 2nd in the league. He has also been hot of late, going 9/26 in his last seven games. Matt Olson is 2nd on the team in RBIs and has nine homers but is hitting just .235.
Overall, the Braves have been a good home run hitting team this season, but they are just 11th in the league in runs scored. As a team, they are batting .245 and are averaging 4.4 runs per game. This is a team that strikes out a lot and doesn’t draw a ton of walks.
Washington is 3rd in the NL East, trailing the Phillies by 16 games heading into today’s game vs. the Braves. Overall, the Nationals are 28-35 and are 9-10 in divisional matchups. The Nationals have gone 4-6 over their last 10 games and are looking to bounce back after falling to the Braves in their most recent game.
At home, the Nationals are 11-17 this year and 17-18 on the road. As the underdog, the Nationals are 25-32 compared to 3-3 as the favorite. Washington’s overall series record is 7-12-1, and they have dropped two straight series.
Washington has been a solid bet on the run line this season, with a 37-26 record. They’ve been particularly good on the run line on the road, going 23-12. They’ve been a slight underdog in most games, and their run line record as an underdog is 34-23. Their average run differential in games they’ve won is +3.4, while it’s -3.5 in games they’ve lost.
Washington’s games have averaged 8.2 runs per game this season, and 58.7% of their games have had over/under lines set at 8 or higher. The Nationals’ over/under record is 27-33, and their over/under record when the line is set at 8 runs is 4-5-1. Their games have gone under the total in each of their last two contests.
MacKenzie Gore Gets The Start For The Nationals
Through 12 starts, MacKenzie Gore has a record of 4-5 and an ERA of 3.57. He has made four quality starts this year and is averaging 10.57 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, Gore took the loss, going 4 1/3 innings and giving up six hits, six earned runs, and one homer to the Mets. Before that, he had won two straight starts. The left-hander has been much better on the road, with an ERA of 2.23 compared to 5.18 at home.
Nationals Offense Breakdown
Washington’s offense has been one of the league’s worst so far this season, as they are 25th in the league at 3.9 runs per game. As a team, they are batting just .230, which is 17th in the league, and are also near the bottom of the league in home runs, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Over his last four games, CJ Abrams has gone 3/15 with one home run and two runs scored.
Joey Meneses is the Nationals’ current team leader in RBIs, with 30, but he is hitting just .228 for the season. Eddie Rosario has gone deep seven times this season but is batting only .181. Jesse Winker is currently on a five-game hitting streak and has gone 11/24 over his last seven games.
Braves vs Nationals Prediction
With the Nationals listed at +116 to win this one, they are our recommended pick. We actually have the Nationals winning this one 5-4, giving us a little bit of wiggle room to take them on the money line or to take the over, as the line is sitting at 8 runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Charlie Morton is projected to finish with seven strikeouts, which is the highest among all starters today. As for MacKenzie Gore, he is projected to finish with six strikeouts, and the Nationals are projected to finish with eight as a team.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
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Last updated:June 8, 2024 Braves, Nationals