MLB Game Preview: Washington Nationals (53-78) vs. New York Yankees (71-60)

Game Details

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT.

Betting Trends

• New York has a 39–28 home record and leads MLB with a .453 slugging percentage at home.
• Washington is 27–39 on the road and ranks 29th in slugging percentage (.350) away from Nationals Park.

Key Storylines

• This is the second meeting of the season between these AL and NL East rivals; the Yankees won the opener on Monday by a 10–5 score, snapping a three-game skid for New York and extending Washington’s road losing streak to three games.
• New York sits third in the AL East wild-card race, while the Nationals are eliminated from playoff contention and developing young talent down the stretch.
• The Yankees lead the all-time series since interleague play began in 1997 by a 22–6 margin.

Players to Watch

New York Yankees

• Trent Grisham, OF: Nine doubles, a triple and 25 home runs this season; his power gives New York an early punch in the lineup.
• Giancarlo Stanton, DH: Six homers in his last ten games with a .300 batting average during that span; thrives on right-handed pitching.
• Paul Goldschmidt, 1B: Leads MLB with a .330 batting average against lefties; a tough matchup for Nationals LHP MacKenzie Gore.

Washington Nationals

• James Wood, LF: Club leader with 26 home runs and a .478 slugging percentage; one of the few consistent power threats in the lineup.
• Luis García Jr., 2B: Hitting .297 with a .353 expected wOBA; a sparkplug atop the order.
• Zach Neto, SS: Rookie shows speed and plate discipline with a 12.0% walk rate and 27.3% strikeout rate.

Pitching Matchup

Gil makes his fifth start of 2025 after recovering from a back injury; he’s averaging 4.8 innings per outing. Gore is looking to rebound from a rough August stretch despite 170 strikeouts on the season.

X-Factors

• Bullpen Depth: New York’s relievers have a 3.50 ERA over their last ten games, while Washington’s pen ranks worst in MLB with a 5.60 ERA.
• Home Run Impact: A long ball by either side could easily tilt this low-total game over 8.5 runs at the short porch of Yankee Stadium.
• Managerial Moves: Aaron Boone’s handling of late-inning matchups vs. Dave Martinez’s rookie lineups could decide a one-run game.