Washington Nationals vs Houston Astros 6/14/2023 Expert Picks, Tips and Odds
On June 14, 2023, at 8:10 PM ET, the Washington Nationals will play the Houston Astros in MLB action at Minute Maid Park in Texas. Despite upsetting the Braves on Sunday, the Nationals came into this series on a 3-9 skid. Unquestionably the worst club in the NL East, they are in the middle of the National League standings. They were 25th in ERA before facing Houston, so they could need to be better. According to FanGraphs, their relievers had a 28th-ranked ERA and a -0.1 WAR before they came to Texas. Josiah Gray has done admirably so far, but the starting rotation is under a lot of stress. Gray has a 3.00 ERA in his previous nine starts and contributed to the Nationals winning six of those contests. His current career-best HR% of 2.6% led to a career-best FIP, while he has the fewest strikeout totals in his brief career. Gray succeeds in road games, and DC hopes the pattern holds this time.
The offense, which boasts a roster primarily of younger players, ranks 21st in runs per game this season. Several advantages include the lowest strikeout rate and sixth-highest batting average in MLB. The team has a major slugging issue as seen by their rankings of 23rd in slugging % and 29th in home runs. Like how aggressively they run the bases, they rank 27th in thefts with just 33. Another evident issue is a 29th-ranked walk rate. It’s fantastic to be able to get hits, but life becomes difficult when you’re not excellent at anything else.
With runners on base and in high-stakes situations, the Nationals’ pitchers began games 56 times. The relievers have 33 holds this season, the 22nd in the league. The Nationals bullpen had a total save percentage of 53.1% going into the game after 65 save opportunities. This year, they have only succeeded in making 17 saves, while 15 of their 32 attempts have failed. Bullpen pitchers allowed 95 runs this season, with 36.8% of those runs reaching base. The Nationals employed 197 bullpen pitchers this season.
- Washington is 3-6 SU in their last 9 meetings with the Astros.
- The Washington Nationals are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games on the road.
- The Nationals are 12-2 SU in their last 14 games on the road against Houston.
Washington Nationals vs Houston Astros 6/14/2023 Expert Picks, Tips and Odds
This month, the Astros scored five runs or more on six separate times. They also have five straight games with two runs or less scored. They now have a runs-per-game average of 14. If they want to win again, they must hit more bombs. That might be difficult without Yordan Alvarez for the foreseeable future. He is the top hitter and the biggest home run threat for a team that isn’t usually setting many records. In addition, Alvarez gives other batters a chance to see better pitches, which is essential considering Houston’s weak OBP. It can be challenging in the Houston batting cages for a while.
The pitching staff for the Astros is fortunately excellent. This club has the lowest ERA in the league. The rotation and bullpen are third in the league with an ERA of 3.20. At the top of the rotation this time, Framber Valdez hopes to bounce back from a rare failure. He only pitched for 5.0 innings in his most recent start, walking four hitters and allowing three runs. Before then, he had thrown 22.0 innings of one-run ball. Before this game, he had a 2.36 ERA, 2.94 FIP, and 1.060 WHIP. Expect a stronger performance while playing the Nationals.
Houston’s bullpen relievers entered the game and collected 17 saves out of 25 chances. They have used 202 relievers this season and are now ranked 10th in MLB with a 68.0% save percentage. With runners in scoring position, they employed their bullpen relievers 34 times, and in high-stakes situations, 54 times. Out of 60 chances to make a save, the Astros had 34 holds and eight missed opportunities.
- The Houston Astros are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games at home.
- Houston is 2-12 SU in their last 14 games at home against Washington.
- The total went UNDER in 5 of Houston’s last 5 games against an opponent in the National League East Division.
Washington Nationals vs. Houston Astros The MLB pick for this game is the Washington Nationals. Houston’s pitchers shouldn’t have any issue facing this Nationals lineup at any point in this series. The question of whether Washington’s pitching can compete is more crucial. It should, given that Josiah Gray started the game. Gray has a 2.63 ERA away from home and will face a thin Astros lineup. The Nationals were winning Gray’s starts, or at least maintaining control of the score. If Washington maintains its composure, it may succeed. It is expected that the Washington Nationals will triumph 6-4.
MLB Starting Time: 8:10 PM ET
Location: Minute Maid Park, TX
Date: Wednesday, June 14, 2023
TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest
MLB Odds: Washington Nationals +216
MLB Totals: 7.5
