Washington Nationals vs Miami Marlins Prediction, 5/18/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Washington Nationals vs Miami Marlins

Date: Thursday, May 18, 2023

Location: loanDepot park in Miami, FL

TV: Bally Sports Florida

The Washington Nationals (18-24) are en route to loanDepot park on Thursday where they will attempt to defeat the Miami Marlins (21-21). The pitchers taking the mound will be Trevor Williams and Eury Perez.

As a unit, the Washington Nationals are compiling 4.1 runs per game, which is 25th in baseball. They have earned 170 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .324. The Nationals have hit 59 two-baggers as a team and have smacked 27 baseballs out of the park. They have accumulated 162 RBI's and 369 hits over the course of the season, and their batting average is .259. Washington has a slugging percentage of .367 and have struck out 299 times, while drawing a walk on 119 occasions.

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The Nationals are sitting with a team earned run average of 4.39 on the campaign (17th in MLB), and the staff has rung up 305 batters. Nationals pitchers have relinquished 45 long balls in addition to 191 total runs (17th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 154 opposing players and their FIP is 4.58 as a squad so far this year. Washington has yielded 374 hits (9.1 per 9 innings) as well as 180 earned runs. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 1.98 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.43.

Nationals pitchers have entered the contest with runners on 38 times in addition to having 41 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 18 holds on the year (25th in baseball). The Nationals bullpen have a save percentage of 52.4% and stepped onto the hill in 39 save situations. They have earned 11 saves so far this season and have blown 10 of their 21 save chances. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 65 base runners on the season with 33.8% of those runners ended up crossing the plate. The Nationals have sent 133 relievers to the hill this season.

The Nationals have converted 68.3% of baseballs in play into outs in their 3,321 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 19th in pro baseball. The Washington Nationals have accounted for 1,107 putouts on the year, as well as 415 assists and 26 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .983 which has them sitting 24th in pro baseball, and have a total of 42 double plays.

Williams has taken the ball for 753 innings and has accounted for 617 strikeouts so far in his MLB career. His earned run average is 4.26 (357 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.341. He has conceded 771 base hits (9.2 hits per 9 innings) and has 240 walks. Williams (39-45 win-loss mark in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 4.41 while going up against 3,233 opposing hitters in the major leagues.

The Marlins have a team slugging % of .385 and they earn 3.48 runs per game (30th in the league). They have 67 two-baggers, while walking 107 times as well as scoring 146 runs. Miami has tallied 38 home runs on the year as well as 138 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 358 occasions (19th in baseball) and have recorded 351 base hits. The Miami Marlins have accumulated an OBP of .306 as well as a batting average of .249 on the season.

The Marlins have a team WHIP of 1.367 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.39 as a pitching staff over the course of the season. They come in at 21st in MLB as a staff in total hits allowed with 367. The Miami pitching staff have surrendered 201 runs for the year and come in with a team ERA of 4.52 (189 earned runs conceded). They currently have a K/BB ratio of 9.40 (393 strikeouts against 147 free passes). They have given up 53 dingers and they yield 4.81 runs per 9 innings (18th in MLB).

Sitting with 39 save situations, the Marlins have accumulated 21 holds in addition to 7 blown saves. Miami has called on relievers to step onto the mound in 18 save chances and they have walked away with 11 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill 56 times in high leverage situations in addition to 47 occasions with runners on. Miami relievers hold an inherited score rate of 27.4% out of their 73 inherited runners. They are ranked 19th in MLB with a save rate of 61.1%, and they have sent 148 relief pitchers to the mound for the year.

Out of their 3,384 innings played, the Marlins hold a defensive efficiency of 67.4% (24th in MLB). The Miami Marlins have gotten 38 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .984 (22nd in pro baseball). The Marlins have accrued 365 assists, 25 errors and have accumulated 1,128 putouts this season.

Thus far in his career, Perez has surrendered 4 base knocks and he has 7 strikeouts in 4 innings pitched. He has given up 2 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.286 and having a FIP of 7.2. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.50 and he has faced 20 opposing hitters so far in his pro baseball career. Perez (0-0 career record) has earned a 3.86 earned run average and has conceded 7.7 hits per 9 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Washington

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