Houston Astros vs
Washington NationalsPredictions & Preview

Houston Astros to Face Washington Nationals in Three-Game Series as Team Deals with Pitching Injuries

The Houston Astros (6-14) will face off against the Washington Nationals (8-10) in a three-game series starting on Friday. Houston is coming off a tough 5-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves and has lost seven of their last nine games. They will be without eight pitchers due to injury. Washington, on the other hand, is coming off a 2-0 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers and has won two of their last three games. The Nationals will be missing four pitchers and three position players in the upcoming series. Justin Verlander will start for the Astros, while MacKenzie Gore will take the mound for the Nationals. Houston is the favorite with a current line of -170.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Astros -170 | Nationals +148
• Spread: Astros -1.5 (-105) | Nationals +1.5 (-116)
• Total: Over/Under 8.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Houston will win straight-up is 63%.

Houston vs Washington Stats

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros have faced challenges with injuries to four starting pitchers from last season, but Justin Verlander is set to make his season debut on Friday. Houston's pitching statistics rank among the lower teams in the league, with a team ERA of 5.24 and a WHIP of 1.51. However, their starting rotation has shown promise with seven Quality Starts so far. At the plate, Houston's offense is strong, ranking third in team batting average, fourth in on base percentage, and fifth in slugging percentage. The team has scored 87 runs and hit 40 doubles and 24 home runs in 20 games. Despite their offensive prowess, Houston's overall performance this season has been lacking, with a power ranking of 25, a 6-14 record, and ranking 17th in offense and 28th in defense.

Washington Nationals Analysis

The Washington Nationals are currently ranked 21st in team batting average, 20th in on-base percentage, and 19th in slugging percentage. They have scored 66 runs, which ranks 25th in the league. CJ Abrams leads the team in home runs with five and RBI with 11, while Joey Gallo and Lane Thomas follow closely behind in those categories. On the mound, Washington is ranked 21st in team ERA and 29th in batting average allowed. MacKenzie Gore leads the team in strikeouts and victories. Overall, the Nationals have a power ranking of 26, ranking 23rd in offense and 21st in defense. They have an 8-10 record, with Houston winning 1 out of 3 matchups against them.

Veteran Verlander Returns for Astros, but Nationals' Gore Shines Bright - Who Will Prevail?

The Houston Astros are poised to benefit from the return of veteran Justin Verlander to the pitching rotation, providing the team with a much-needed emotional lift. However, Washington Nationals' starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore has shown impressive performance this season, boasting a 2-0 record with a 2.81 ERA in three starts. Gore has only allowed five earned runs in 16 innings, with a notable improvement in his last two starts, during which he allowed just two earned runs across 10 â…” innings. This has resulted in back-to-back wins for Washington against Philadelphia and Oakland. Conversely, Houston has struggled recently, losing seven of its last nine games, and has a less-than-stellar road record with five losses in the last seven away games. Washington has demonstrated success in recent matchups against teams from the American League West, winning six of its last eight games.

Sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ]