Cleveland Guardians vs Washington Nationals Prediction, 5/6/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cleveland Guardians vs Washington Nationals

Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Location: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

TV: MASN

Odds/Point Spread: Cleveland (-152) Washington (+126)

The Washington Nationals (16-19) will compete against the Cleveland Guardians (20-14) at Nationals Park on Tuesday. The line on this contest has the Guardians at -152 and the Nationals are opening at +126. The over/under has been set at 9. The starting pitchers will be Ben Lively and Brad Lord.

As a squad, the Cleveland Guardians are notching 3.9 runs per game, which has them sitting at 21st in MLB. They have tallied 131 runs and hold an on-base percentage of .304. The Guardians have tallied 43 two-baggers as a team and have hit 38 baseballs out of the park. They have accumulated 124 RBI's in addition to 256 base knocks on the season, and their average at the plate is .232. Cleveland is slugging .378 and have been rung up 274 times, while being walked on 109 occasions.

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The Guardians have compiled a team earned run average of 4.20 for the season (18th in the league), and the staff has rung up 283 hitters. Guardians pitchers have relinquished 40 home runs and 154 total runs (19th in baseball). They have walked 126 opposing batters and their FIP is 4.26 as a unit for the season. Cleveland has surrendered 299 hits (9.0 per 9 innings) as well as 140 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.25 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.42.

The Guardians relief pitchers have accumulated a save rate of 75.0% and have entered the game in 48 save situations. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 39 base runners for the year and 20.5% of those players crossed home plate. Guardians relief pitchers have entered the game with players on base 29 times as well as having 37 appearances in high leverage situations. The Guardians have sent 117 relief pitchers to the hill over the course of the season. The relief pitchers have accumulated 32 holds on the campaign (1st in the league). They have recorded 12 saves over the course of the season and have blown 4 of 16 save chances.

The Guardians have turned 67.5% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 2,700 innings, ranking them 27th in professional baseball. The Cincinnati Reds have notched a total of 900 putouts this season, as well as 256 assists and 23 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .980 which has them ranked 25th in the majors, and have accumulated 29 double plays.

Lively has taken the ball for 395 innings and has racked up 302 punch outs so far in his career. Lively (22-29 career mark) holds a FIP of 4.40 and he has faced 1,686 opposing batters during his time in the major leagues. His earned run average is 4.46 (196 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.336. He has surrendered 404 hits (9.2 hits per nine innings) and has 124 walks.

Washington has 36 home runs for the year to go along with 142 RBIs. They have recorded 49 two-baggers, while getting a free base 105 times as well as recording 151 runs. The Washington Nationals have a team OBP of .309 in addition to a batting average of .240 on the season. The Nationals have a SLG% of .385 and they are earning 4.31 runs per outing (15th in baseball). They have been called out on strikes on 283 occasions (14th in MLB) and have a total of 280 base hits.

The Nationals have a WHIP of 1.430 and have a FIP of 4.16 as a team on the year. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 8.50 (288 strikeouts against 128 free passes). They come in at 27th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 307. They have relinquished 35 dingers and they allow 5.30 runs per 9 innings (26th in MLB). The Washington pitching staff have allowed 179 runs this season while holding a team ERA of 5.09 (172 earned runs yielded).

Sitting with 33 save situations, the Nationals have accumulated 17 holds and also 5 blown saves. Washington has called on relievers to enter the contest in 16 save opportunities and they have come away with 11 saves. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 26 times in high leverage situations and on 37 occasions with runners on base. Washington bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 46.3% out of their 67 inherited base runners. They rank 14th in baseball with a save rate of 68.8%, and they have dispatched 117 bullpen pitchers to the mound so far this season.

The Washington Nationals have gotten 24 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .988 (8th in professional baseball). The Nationals have 302 assists, 15 errors and have a total of 914 putouts on the campaign. In their 2,742 innings played, the Nationals are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 67.7% (26th in MLB).

Thus far in his career, Lord has surrendered 27 base knocks while tallying 17 strikeouts in 22 innings. Lord (1-3 career win-loss record) has earned a 4.48 earned run average while giving up 11.0 hits per 9 innings. He has conceded a total of 11 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.674 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.4. He has a K/BB ratio of 1.70 and he has faced 99 opposing hitters so far in his career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Cleveland (-152)

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