Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals Prediction, 4/23/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals

Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026

Location: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

TV: Nationals.TV

Odds/Point Spread: Atlanta (-128) Washington (+106)

Nationals Park is the location where the Washington Nationals (11-13) will attempt to defeat the Atlanta Braves (16-8) on Thursday. The moneyline on this contest has the Braves at -128 while the Nationals are priced at +106. The total comes in at 8. The starting pitchers are Martin Perez and Cade Cavalli.

Atlanta has a slugging % of .448 and have struck out 180 times, while drawing a walk on 80 occasions. They have amassed 132 runs batted in in addition to 226 hits for the season, while their team batting average comes in at .272. The Braves have accrued 46 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 32 balls out of the park. They have tallied 135 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .340. As a team, the Atlanta Braves are putting up 5.6 runs per game, which ranks them 3rd in the league.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.58 and their pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.12. Braves pitchers have yielded 20 long balls and also 80 runs (3rd in baseball). Atlanta has relinquished 162 base hits (6.8 per 9 innings) and 72 earned runs. The Braves have an earned run average of 3.04 on the campaign (1st in the league), and the staff has struck out 196 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 76 opposing batters and their FIP is 3.76 as a unit on the campaign.

The Braves have sent 76 relievers to the hill on the year. The relievers have inherited 23 base runners on the campaign with 21.7% of those runners ended up scoring. The relievers have a total of 14 holds this season (14th in baseball). Braves relief pitchers have come into the game with players on base 16 times in addition to having 20 appearances in high leverage situations. They have compiled 9 saves on the year and have missed out on 0 of their 9 chances to save the game. The Braves relief pitchers have compiled a save rate of 100.0% and have entered the game in 24 save situations.

The Braves have turned 73.6% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 1,917 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 1st in professional baseball. The Athletics have a total of 639 putouts for the season, in addition to 195 assists and 10 errors. Their fielding rate is currently at .988 which puts them in 9th in the majors, and they have turned 23 double plays.

Perez (92-94 career mark) holds a FIP of 4.32 and he has faced 7,149 opposing hitters in the major leagues. He has surrendered 1,763 base hits (9.6 hits per nine innings) and has 596 free passes. His earned run average is 4.39 (805 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.429. Perez has thrown 1,651 innings and has earned 1,163 punch outs so far in his MLB career.

Washington is sitting with 27 long balls this year and 125 RBIs. They have tallied 42 two-baggers, while walking 88 times and putting up 136 runs. The Washington Nationals are sitting with an on-base percentage of .334 and a batting average of .253 on the campaign. The Nationals have a SLG% of .404 and they tally 5.67 runs per game (2nd in the league). They have been called out on strikes on 196 occasions (17th in the league) and have notched a total of 213 base knocks.

The Washington pitching staff have conceded 147 runs so far this season while holding a team ERA of 5.64 (136 earned runs relinquished). They have allowed 42 homers and they allow 6.10 runs per 9 innings (29th in the league). The Nationals have a team WHIP of 1.530 in addition to having a FIP of 5.55 as a squad this season. Their K/BB ratio sits at 7.60 (184 strikeouts vs 101 bases on balls). They rank 30th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 231.

They rank 29th in MLB with a save rate of 38.5%, and they have sent 85 bullpen pitchers to the mound on the campaign. Their relief pitchers have come in 22 times in high leverage situations and on 24 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 30 save situations, the Nationals have amassed 13 holds in addition to 8 blown saves. Washington has had bullpen pitchers step onto the hill in 13 save chances and they have tallied 5 saves. Washington bullpen pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 44.7% out of 38 inherited base runners.

The Washington Nationals have turned 19 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .975 (30th in pro baseball). The Nationals have accrued 234 assists, 23 errors and have accumulated 651 putouts this season. Out of their 1,953 innings played, the Nationals have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 68.3% (24th in MLB).

Cavalli (3-3 career win-loss mark) has earned a 4.86 earned run average while conceding 10.6 hits per nine innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.21 and he has gone up against 335 batters in his pro baseball career. He has conceded 39 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.579 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.8. During his MLB career, Cavalli has given up 85 base hits while he has tallied 64 punch outs in 72 innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Atlanta (-128)

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