Washington Nationals vs Sacramento Athletics Prediction, 7/18/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Washington Nationals vs Sacramento Athletics

Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026

Location: Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Washington (-182) Sacramento (+150)

The Washington Nationals (48-49) are hitting the road to Sutter Health Park on Saturday where they will take on the Sacramento Athletics (41-55). The moneyline on this contest has Washington at -182 and Sacramento is at +150. The over/under is 8. The expected starting pitchers are Zack Littell and J.T. Ginn.

Washington is slugging .435 and have been rung up 799 times, while being walked on 332 occasions. They have tallied 490 runs batted in as well as 830 hits on the year, and their batting average is sitting at .250. The Nationals have compiled 165 doubles as a squad and have smacked 138 balls out of the stadium. They have a total of 516 runs and hold an on-base percentage of .324. As a unit, the Washington Nationals are earning 5.3 runs per game, which ranks them 2nd in MLB.

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They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.26 and their pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.40. Nationals pitchers have surrendered 137 home runs in addition to 509 total runs (28th in baseball). Washington has allowed 875 hits (9.0 per 9 innings) as well as 460 earned runs. The Nationals hold a team earned run average of 4.75 this year (26th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 769 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 340 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 4.73 as a team on the year.

The Nationals have sent 311 relievers to the hill on the season. The relief pitchers have inherited 145 runners this season with 43.4% of those runners ended up scoring. The relief pitchers have a total of 54 holds this season (13th in MLB). Nationals bullpen pitchers have come into the game with players on base 95 times and also have had 107 appearances in high leverage situations. They have earned 27 saves on the year and have missed out on 27 of 54 chances to save the game. The Nationals bullpen have recorded a save percentage of 50.0% and have stepped onto the mound in 113 save situations.

The Washington Nationals have 2,612 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 887 assists and 74 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .979 which has them ranked 30th in pro baseball, and have earned 78 double plays. The Nationals have converted 68.8% of balls in play into outs out of their 7,836 innings, which has them sitting at 26th in baseball.

Littell has taken the ball for 692 innings and has earned 553 punch outs in his career. Littell (41-35 win-loss record in his career) sits with a FIP of 3.96 while he has faced 2,898 opposing hitters in the majors. His earned run average is 4.02 (309 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.228. He has conceded 689 hits (9.0 hits per nine innings) and has had 161 free passes.

The Athletics hold a slugging percentage of .400 and they earn 4.40 runs per game (17th in baseball). They have 145 two-baggers, while walking 340 times as well as scoring 422 runs. Sacramento has compiled 117 home runs so far this season as well as 404 runs batted in. They have been called out on strikes on 841 instances (9th in MLB) and have accounted for 795 base hits. The Sacramento Athletics have a team OBP of .321 and a batting average of .243 for the season.

The Sacramento pitching staff have yielded 528 runs on the year and come in with a team ERA of 5.20 (493 earned runs surrendered). They have allowed 150 HR's and they relinquish 5.57 runs per 9 innings (29th in the league). The Athletics have a WHIP of 1.471 in addition to having a FIP of 4.95 as a squad this season. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 8.60 (813 strikeouts vs 372 walks). They have a ranking of 29th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 883.

Sacramento bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 35.2% out of 159 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill 96 times in high leverage situations in addition to 106 occasions with runners on base. Sitting with 100 save situations, the Athletics have earned 56 holds and also 18 blown saves. They rank 23rd in MLB with a save percentage of 57.1%, and they have dispatched 328 relievers to the mound so far this season.

Out of their 7,677 innings played, the Athletics have earned a defensive efficiency of 68.5% (28th in pro baseball). The Sacramento Athletics have gotten 63 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .988 (6th in baseball). The Athletics have recorded 721 assists, 40 errors and are sitting with 2,559 putouts so far this season.

In his pro baseball career, Ginn has allowed 211 hits while he has totaled 221 strikeouts in 227 innings. He has given up a total of 109 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.308 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.3. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.57 and he has gone up against 968 hitters during his career. Ginn (12-14 career mark) is the owner of a 4.32 ERA and has conceded 8.4 hits per nine innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Sacramento (+150)

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