Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction for Sunday, July 5, 2026
Use Code WWWC The Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Washington Nationals on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. Pittsburgh is 44-45 and is fourth in the NL Central, while Washington is 46-43 and is fourth in the NL East. The Nationals opened this series with a 9-5 victory on Friday and have now won four of their last five games. The Pirates have split their last five contests and are trying to avoid another series loss as they continue to chase the top three teams in the division. Cash a winner with our free MLB picks.
Pittsburgh Pirates Looking to Bounce Back
Pittsburgh continues to field one of the better offenses in baseball, ranking third in MLB with a .260 team batting average. The Pirates have scored 457 runs while collecting 807 hits, 112 home runs, a .338 on-base percentage, and a .422 slugging percentage. Brandon Lowe leads the club with 20 home runs and 58 RBI, while Nick Gonzales is batting .303 with a team-high 94 hits. Bryan Reynolds owns a .395 on-base percentage, Ryan O'Hearn has contributed 13 home runs and 51 RBI.
Pittsburgh has been competitive on the mound, ranking 17th in MLB with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Pirates pitchers have limited opponents to a .238 batting average while recording 814 strikeouts and allowing only 85 home runs. The staff has generally kept the club in games, although the ERA has increased during recent losses.
Injuries: Jared Jones (7-Day IL), Wilber Dotel (15-Day IL), Chris Devenski (60-Day IL), Spencer Horwitz (10-Day IL), Oneil Cruz (10-Day IL).
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Washington Nationals Carrying Strong Momentum
Washington has quietly developed into one of the National League's more productive offensive teams. The Nationals are batting .249 while scoring 479 runs with 760 hits, 122 home runs, a .322 on-base percentage, and a .431 slugging percentage. James Wood leads the lineup with 22 home runs and 55 RBI while posting a .389 on-base percentage. Luis Garcia Jr. is batting .283 with 18 home runs and 62 RBI, CJ Abrams has added 18 home runs and 60 RBI, and Washington has scored 33 runs during its last four victories.
Washington's pitching staff continues to be the biggest concern, ranking 25th in MLB with a 4.63 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Nationals pitchers have allowed opponents to bat .257 while surrendering 123 home runs this season. Even so, the offense has frequently covered for those shortcomings during the club's recent surge.
Injuries: Max Kranick (60-Day IL), Richard Lovelady (15-Day IL), Jake Irvin (15-Day IL), Trevor Williams (60-Day IL), Josiah Gray (60-Day IL).
Pitching Matchup
Pittsburgh Pirates – Bubba Chandler
Chandler is 3-8 with a 4.62 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP across 85.2 innings this season. He has allowed 71 hits while striking out 79 batters and walking 48. Chandler has quality swing-and-miss ability but must reduce the free passes to work deeper into games.
Washington Nationals – Miles Mikolas
Mikolas is 2-7 with a 5.44 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP over 84.1 innings. He has surrendered 92 hits and 18 home runs while recording 47 strikeouts against only 17 walks. Mikolas continues to limit walks, but keeping the ball in the park has been a major challenge throughout the season.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals Game Pick
- Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh is the stronger overall in this matchup despite dropping the series opener. The Pirates rank third in MLB in batting average and have more lineup depth, while Mikolas has struggled with ERA and has already allowed 18 home runs this season. Chandler has been inconsistent, but Pittsburgh's offense is well positioned to provide enough support against a Washington pitching staff that ranks near the bottom of the league in ERA. The Pirates are the play.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals Over/Under Pick
- Over
Both offenses have produced consistently this season, with Washington scoring 479 runs and Pittsburgh adding 457. Mikolas carries a 5.44 ERA into the matchup, while Chandler has issued 48 walks and owns a 4.62 ERA. Washington has scored at least eight runs in three of its last four wins, and Pittsburgh remains one of the league's better hitting teams. With both lineups capable of producing multiple scoring innings, the over is the play.
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