Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals Prediction, 9/1/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals

Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Location: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

TV: Nationals.TV

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

The Washington Nationals (65-74) will try to defeat the Atlanta Braves (82-55) at Nationals Park on Tuesday. The moneyline on this game has the Braves at -128 and the Nationals are priced at +106. The total is set at 8.5. The pitchers expected to start will be AJ Smith-Shawver and Jake Irvin.

As a unit, the Atlanta Braves are putting up 4.6 runs per outing, which is 8th in baseball. They have earned a total of 636 runs and have an OBP of .312. The Braves have hit 219 doubles as a team and have hit 173 balls out of the park. They have compiled 610 runs batted in as well as 1,149 hits so far this year, and their average at the plate comes in at .248. Atlanta has a slugging percentage of .412 and have struck out 1,109 times, while taking a walk on 399 occasions.

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The Braves are sitting with a team earned run average of 3.55 this year (3rd in MLB), and the staff has struck out 1,162 hitters. Braves pitchers have allowed 148 home runs and also 519 runs (4th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 461 opposing hitters and their FIP is 4.02 as a team this year. Atlanta has relinquished 1,054 base hits (7.8 per 9 innings) and 480 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.52 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.24.

The Braves have dispatched 433 relievers to the hill for the season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 151 base runners so far this year with 21.9% of them crossing the plate. The relievers have racked up 99 holds on the season (3rd in baseball). Braves pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on 103 times and also have had 159 appearances in high leverage situations. They have recorded 43 saves this year and have missed out on 19 out of their 62 save opportunities. The Braves relief pitchers have accumulated a save rate of 69.4% and have come into the game in 166 save situations.

The Atlanta Braves have earned 3,651 putouts this season, as well as 1,118 assists and 60 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .988 which puts them in 7th in MLB, and have 114 double plays. The Braves have turned 71.2% of balls in play into outs out of their 10,953 innings on the field, which has them sitting at 7th in professional baseball.

Smith-Shawver (4-2 career win-loss mark) sits with a FIP of 4.07 and he has gone up against 378 hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has surrendered 76 base knocks (7.8 hits per 9 innings) and has 42 walks. His earned run average is 4.13 (40 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.353. Smith-Shawver has taken the hill for 87 innings and has accumulated 76 K's during his MLB career.

The Nationals hold a team SLG% of .430 and they have an average of 5.18 runs per contest (2nd in baseball). They have put up 238 doubles, while getting a free base 486 times as well as earning 720 runs. Washington has accumulated 190 HRs on the year to go along with 683 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 1,151 occasions (14th in the league) and have earned 1,177 hits. The Washington Nationals are sitting with an OBP of .324 and a batting average of .248 for the year.

The Washington pitching staff have conceded 704 runs for the year while having a team ERA of 4.67 (641 earned runs relinquished). They have conceded 190 home runs and they concede 5.13 runs per 9 innings (28th in baseball). The Nationals hold a team WHIP of 1.389 in addition to having a FIP of 4.74 as a squad so far this season. Their K/BB ratio sits at 7.90 (1,081 strikeouts against 508 walks). They rank 28th in MLB as a staff in total hits surrendered with 1,207.

Washington relief pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 42.8% out of 222 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 148 times in high leverage situations in addition to 144 occasions with runners on. Sitting with 142 save situations, the Nationals have compiled 69 holds and also 35 blown saves. They are ranked 29th in the league with a save percentage of 48.5%, and they have dispatched 437 relief pitchers onto the field for the season.

The Washington Nationals have turned 116 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .982 (29th in the majors). The Nationals have racked up 1,262 assists, 92 errors and have 3,705 putouts for the season. In their 11,115 innings on the field, the Nationals have earned a defensive efficiency of 69.6% (17th in MLB).

Irvin (24-42 career mark) has a 5.04 earned run average while allowing 8.9 hits per nine innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.23 and he has gone up against 2,448 opposing batters in his MLB career. He has given up 319 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.349 and a FIP of 5.0. During his career, Irvin has surrendered 561 base hits while earning 461 strikeouts in 569 innings pitched.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Washington (+106)

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