The Washington Nationals (7-10) will face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates (6-12) at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Check out all of our MLB picks, along with this Nationals vs Pirates prediction.
This will be the third game of a four series. The Pirates won 10-3 on Monday, and the Nationals won 3-0 on Tuesday.
Can Parker deliver another strong sit
The Washington Nationals are 17th when it comes to the MLB profit rankings at (-93). They have been average offensively, scoring 4.47 runs per game (13th), batting .234 (14th), and 11th in home runs (19th). James Wood leads the team with six home runs, and is second with 13 RBI. Nathaniel Lowe leads the club with 16 RBI.
On the pitching side, Mitchell Parker (2-0, 1.96 ERA) will take the mound. Parker has been impressive in three starts. As a rookie in 2024, Parker went 7-10 with a 4.29 ERA. Beyond the starting pitching, the Nationals' bullpen has been a problem, ranking last in MLB with a 6.67 ERA.
Not much to be excited about
The Pirates are 27th in the MLB in profit (-629) following Tuesday's loss. They are 26th averaging 3.3 runs per game, but dead last in batting average (.195) and home runs (10). Bryan Reynolds and O'Neil Cruz are tied for the team lead with just two home runs. Isiah Kiner-Falefa has a team high .250 batting average, and Ke'Bryan Hayes leads the way with eight RBI.
Starting on the mound for Pittsburgh will be Bailey Falter (0-2, 7.20 ERA) who has struggled in his last two starts. Falter is 18-25 with a 4.73 ERA in 91 career games. The Pittsburgh bullpen has been solid, ranking ninth with a 3.27 ERA.
Best Bets for Washington Nationals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Full-Game Side Bet
Insiders Status:
Mitchell Parker has been a bright spot in the Nationals' rotation, and he’s quietly been dominant early. Washington is 3-0 in his starts, which include wins over quality teams like the Phillies, Diamondbacks, and Marlins. While the Nationals’ bullpen remains a concern, Parker has shown he can go deep into games — and against a Pirates offense that ranks among the worst in MLB, he should be able to hold things down for at least six innings.
On the other side, Pittsburgh is 0-3 when Bailey Falter starts, and current Nationals hitters have had success against him, batting a combined .312. With momentum on Parker’s side and the Pirates’ lack of offensive firepower, there’s value in backing Washington to win outright.
Full-Game Total Pick
Insiders Status:
This total looks a little too high given how anemic the Pirates’ offense has been. They've scored three runs or fewer in six of their last seven games, and only once during that stretch has the combined total gone over eight runs. With Parker dealing and a solid Pirates behind behind Falter, this feels like a spot where runs will be hard to come by, especially with two cold lineups facing off.
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