Washington Nationals vs Miami Marlins Prediction, 8/21/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Washington Nationals vs Miami Marlins

Date: Friday, August 21, 2026

Location: LoanDepot Park in Miami, FL

TV: MLB.TV

Odds/Point Spread: Washington (+120) Miami (-144)

The Washington Nationals (61-67) are headed to LoanDepot Park on Friday where they will play the Miami Marlins (64-64). The odds on this game have Washington at +120 while Miami is priced at -144. The over/under has been set at 8. The expected starting pitchers are Will Dion and Ryan Gusto.

The Nationals have accounted for 218 doubles as a unit and have knocked 182 baseballs out of the stadium. Washington has a slugging percentage of .437 and have been rung up 1,067 times, while taking a walk on 442 occasions. As a team, the Washington Nationals are earning 5.3 runs per game, which puts them at 1st in MLB. They have earned 647 RBI's and 1,100 hits this season, while their team batting average sits at .251. They have tallied 676 runs scored and have an OBP of .326.

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They have a K/BB ratio of 2.19 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.39. Nationals pitchers have yielded 177 home runs in addition to 657 runs in total (28th in baseball). Washington has surrendered 1,131 hits (8.9 per 9 innings) and 594 earned runs. The Nationals hold a team earned run average of 4.69 so far this season (27th in the league), and the staff has struck out 983 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 448 hitters and their FIP sits at 4.73 as a unit this year.

The Nationals have sent 403 relievers to the mound on the year. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 201 runners this year and 42.8% of them earned a run for their team. The bullpen have racked up 64 holds this season (18th in the league). Nationals relief pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 129 times and also have had 136 appearances in high leverage situations. They have recorded 33 saves on the year and have blown 32 of 65 save opportunities. The Nationals relief pitchers have a save percentage of 50.8% and have stepped onto the mound in 134 save situations.

The Washington Nationals have 3,417 putouts this year, in addition to 1,171 assists and 89 errors. Their fielding rate is at .981 which has them ranked 30th in baseball, and have 110 double plays. The Nationals have transformed 69.3% of baseballs in play into outs out of 10,251 innings on the field, which ranks them 23rd in MLB.

Dion (1-0 career mark) sits with a FIP of 3.14 while he has faced 114 hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has surrendered 25 base hits (8.0 hits per nine innings) and has had 5 walks. His earned run average is 3.19 (10 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.064. Dion has thrown 28 innings and is sitting with 34 K's in his career.

The Miami Marlins have accounted for an on-base percentage of .326 and a team batting average of .250 over the course of the season. They have struck out on 1,045 occasions (17th in the league) and have earned 1,062 base hits. Miami has knocked in 131 HRs on the season to go along with 537 runs batted in. The Marlins have a slugging percentage of .402 and they tally 4.38 runs per game (19th in MLB). They have tallied 202 doubles, while getting a free base 431 times and notching 560 runs.

The Marlins have a team WHIP of 1.254 in addition to having a FIP of 4.00 as a staff on the campaign. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.50 (1,056 strikeouts against 426 walks). They rank 7th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 980. They have yielded 128 homers and they relinquish 4.38 runs per 9 innings (13th in the league). The Miami pitching staff have allowed 546 runs this season while having an ERA of 3.96 (493 earned runs relinquished).

Miami bullpen pitchers have an inherited score rate of 23.6% out of their 157 inherited base runners. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 117 times in high leverage situations and on 107 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 116 save situations, the Marlins have 69 holds and 16 blown saves. They are currently ranked 15th in MLB with a save rate of 64.4%, and they have dispatched 408 bullpen pitchers to the hill for the year.

The Miami Marlins have turned 95 double plays and have a fielding rate of .982 (29th in baseball). The Marlins have accrued 1,058 assists, 82 errors and have 3,363 putouts over the course of the season. In their 10,089 innings played, the Marlins have earned a efficiency on defense of 70.6% (10th in MLB).

Gusto (7-10 career win-loss mark) has earned a 5.36 ERA while surrendering 10.0 hits per nine innings. His K/BB ratio is 2.92 and he has gone up against 690 batters in his pro baseball career. He has conceded 92 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.431 and being the owner of a FIP of 5.3. So far in his career, Gusto has given up 171 base hits while accumulating 146 strikeouts in 154 frames.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Miami (-144)

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