Boston Red Sox vs Washington Nationals Prediction, 8/15/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Boston Red Sox vs Washington Nationals

Date: Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Location: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

TV: MASN

Odds/Point Spread: Boston (-218) Washington (+180)

The Boston Red Sox (62-56) are traveling to Nationals Park on Tuesday where they will play the Washington Nationals (53-66). The line on this contest has Boston at -218 and Washington is opening at +180. The total is set at 9.5. The starting pitchers are Nick Pivetta and Josiah Gray.

Boston has a slugging rate of .432 and have been called out on strikes 958 times, while taking a walk on 358 occasions. They have 547 RBI's as well as 1,054 base knocks so far this season, while their team batting average is sitting at .262. The Red Sox have hit 258 two-baggers as a unit and have smacked 132 balls out of the stadium. They have accounted for 571 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .328. As a squad, the Boston Red Sox are putting up 4.8 runs per contest, which puts them at 8th in the league.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 3.03 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.31. Red Sox pitchers have given up 154 home runs in addition to 542 runs in total (18th in the league). Boston has given up 1,028 base hits (8.9 per 9 innings) in addition to 501 earned runs. The Red Sox have a team earned run average of 4.32 on the campaign (18th in the league), and they have rung up 1,020 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 337 hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.37 as a squad over the course of the season.

The Red Sox bullpen have earned a save rate of 77.8% and stepped onto the hill in 101 save situations. The relievers have inherited 125 base runners for the season and 28.8% of them ended up crossing the plate. Red Sox pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 83 times and also have had 103 appearances in high leverage situations. The Red Sox have sent 371 relief pitchers to the hill over the course of the season. The relievers have accumulated 56 holds on the season (23rd in the league). They have earned 35 saves on the campaign and have blown 10 out of their 45 chances to save the game.

The Boston Red Sox have amassed 3,129 putouts on the year, as well as 1,051 assists and 82 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .981 which has them sitting 30th in professional baseball, and they have twisted 107 double plays. The Red Sox have converted 67.9% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 9,387 innings, which has them sitting 27th in pro baseball.

Pivetta has taken the mound for 838 frames and has earned 904 punch outs in his MLB career. Pivetta (48-56 career win-loss mark) has a FIP of 4.48 and he has faced 3,610 hitters in the majors. His ERA is 4.92 (458 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.366. He has conceded 816 base hits (8.8 hits per nine innings) and has 329 free passes.

The Nationals have a slugging percentage of .401 and they score 4.34 runs per game (19th in MLB). They have 210 doubles, while getting a free base 313 times and putting up 517 runs. Washington has hit 108 home runs so far this year to go along with 489 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 849 occasions (29th in the league) and have earned a total of 1,056 base hits. The Washington Nationals hold an on-base percentage of .320 and a team batting average of .260 on the year.

The Nationals hold a team WHIP of 1.456 in addition to having a FIP of 5.11 as a squad on the campaign. They are currently ranked 28th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 1,092. The Washington pitching staff have allowed 606 runs over the course of the season and come in with a team ERA of 4.88 (568 earned runs surrendered). They currently have a K/BB ratio of 7.70 (895 strikeouts against 433 free passes). They have surrendered 176 dingers and they concede 5.21 runs per 9 innings (27th in the league).

Sitting with 109 save situations, the Nationals have accumulated 57 holds in addition to 21 blown saves. Washington has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the hill in 52 save opportunities and they have earned 31 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 118 times in high leverage situations and on 110 occasions with runners on. Washington bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 32.8% of 177 inherited runners. They are currently ranked 20th in the league with a save rate of 59.6%, and they have dispatched 373 bullpen pitchers to the hill this season.

In 9,426 innings played, the Nationals are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 68.5% (22nd in baseball). The Washington Nationals have gotten 113 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .985 (22nd in professional baseball). The Nationals have recorded 1,090 assists, 66 errors and have a total of 3,142 putouts so far this season.

So far in his career, Gray has allowed 322 base knocks while he has tallied 340 strikeouts in 346 innings pitched. Gray (16-21 career record) has earned a 4.63 ERA and has surrendered 8.4 hits per 9 innings. He has surrendered 178 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.387 and having a FIP of 5.5. His K/BB ratio is 2.15 and he has gone up against 1,509 batters in his pro baseball career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Boston (-218)

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