Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction for July 24, 2026

The Arizona Diamondbacks visit the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, District of Columbia, on July 24, 2026. The game is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. and will be televised on MLB.TV. Arizona enters the matchup with a 53-49 overall record and a 22-27 record on the road, while Washington is 52-51 overall and 20-31 at home. ESPN Analytics gives the Diamondbacks a 52.2% chance of winning and the Nationals a 47.8% chance. The listed game-time temperature is 82 degrees. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks.

Starting Pitchers

Eduardo Rodriguez is scheduled to start for Arizona against Washington right-hander Zack Littell. Rodriguez is 8-3 with a 2.62 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP through 116.2 innings. He has allowed 101 hits and 12 home runs while recording 82 strikeouts and issuing 41 walks. Littell enters with a 7-7 record, a 5.34 ERA, and a 1.35 WHIP across 96 innings. He has surrendered 100 hits and 25 home runs while collecting 61 strikeouts and allowing 30 walks. Rodriguez has the lower ERA and WHIP while earning one more victory and recording 21 more strikeouts. He has also allowed 13 fewer home runs despite pitching 20.2 more innings.

Arizona Arrives With Four Wins in Its Last Five Games

Arizona enters Friday’s matchup with a 53-49 overall record and a 22-27 mark away from home. The Diamondbacks have won four of their last five games, including consecutive victories over the Athletics by scores of 15-5 and 6-5. The latter game required 10 innings. Arizona also recently defeated St. Louis 8-7 in 10 innings and 5-3, while its only loss during the stretch was a 5-2 setback against the Athletics. The Diamondbacks scored at least five runs in all five contests and reached eight or more runs three times.

The Diamondbacks have recorded a .240 batting average, a .311 on-base percentage, and a .393 slugging percentage. They have collected 815 hits, scored 456 runs, and hit 100 home runs. Arizona’s pitching staff enters with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP while allowing opposing hitters to bat .252. The staff has recorded 695 strikeouts and issued 295 walks. The Diamondbacks have also compiled a 32-31 record in night games.

Arizona’s clearest advantage is its run-prevention profile. The Diamondbacks have a team ERA that is 0.57 lower than Washington’s, while their WHIP is also substantially better. Arizona has issued 66 fewer walks and has held opposing hitters to a batting average nine points lower. The concern for the visitors is an offense that trails Washington in every supplied category, including batting average, runs, hits, home runs, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage.

Washington Brings the More Productive Offense Home

Washington is 52-51 overall and 20-31 at Nationals Park entering the series opener. The Nationals have won three of their last five games, including an 8-0 victory over Colorado in their most recent contest. Washington also recently defeated Colorado 7-3 and the Athletics 5-2. Its two defeats during that stretch were an 8-7 loss against Colorado and a 15-1 setback against the Athletics. The Nationals scored at least five runs in four of their five most recent games.

The Nationals enter with a .253 batting average, a .328 on-base percentage, and a .443 slugging percentage. They have accumulated 898 hits, scored 567 runs, and hit 150 home runs. Washington’s pitching staff owns a 4.79 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP while allowing opponents to bat .261. The staff has collected 814 strikeouts and issued 361 walks. Washington has also posted a 29-27 record in night games.

Washington’s biggest strength is its offensive production. The Nationals have scored 111 more runs than Arizona while collecting 83 more hits and hitting 50 more home runs. They also lead the Diamondbacks by 13 points in batting average, 17 points in on-base percentage, and 50 points in slugging percentage. However, Washington’s 20-31 home record is a significant disadvantage in this matchup. The Nationals also have the higher team ERA and WHIP, while their scheduled starter enters with considerably higher figures in both categories.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Washington Nationals Pick

• Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks Moneyline

Arizona is my side selection based on its starting-pitching advantage, stronger recent form, and slight edge in the matchup predictor. The Diamondbacks have won four of their last five games, while Washington has won three of five. Arizona’s scheduled starter enters with a 2.62 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, compared with Washington’s starter at 5.34 and 1.35. The Diamondbacks also have the lower team ERA and WHIP, and Washington has struggled to a 20-31 home record. The Nationals possess the stronger offense, but Arizona’s pitching advantages support the road team.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Washington Nationals Total Pick

• Pick: Over 9.0

Take the over if the total is set at 9.0. Arizona has scored at least five runs in each of its last five games, with three of those contests producing 11 or more combined runs. Washington has also scored at least five runs in four of its last five, while three of its games during that stretch finished with at least 10 combined runs. The Nationals have recorded 567 runs and 150 home runs this season, but their pitching staff owns a 4.79 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Those offensive numbers and recent scores make the over the preferred total.

Final Score Prediction: Arizona Diamondbacks 6 – Washington Nationals 5

This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Thursday.