Colorado Rockies vs Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction for Monday August 24, 2026

The Colorado Rockies travel to Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., to face the Washington Nationals on Monday, August 24, 2026. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM ET, with MLB.TV carrying the game. Colorado enters at 50-79 overall and 23-42 on the road, while Washington sits at 61-70 overall and 27-36 at home. The Rockies have lost five straight games, while the Nationals have dropped three in a row and four of their last five. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Bettors looking for more daily baseball analysis can also check out our free MLB picks before placing their wagers.

Starting Pitchers

Colorado is expected to start Ryan Feltner, who enters at 5-7 with a 5.97 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP across 92.0 innings. He has allowed 102 hits, struck out 64 and walked 39 while surrendering 19 home runs, leaving him with a difficult statistical profile entering this matchup. Washington counters with Cade Cavalli, who is 11-5 with a 3.22 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP over 142.2 innings. Cavalli has allowed 132 hits while striking out 162 and walking 42, giving the Nationals a significant edge in the starting pitching matchup.

Colorado Searches for a Way to Stop the Slide

Colorado comes into Monday at 50-79 and has struggled badly away from home with a 23-42 road record. The Rockies have lost five consecutive games, including defeats of 4-3, 9-1, 6-4, 7-6 and 11-5. While there have been moments of decent offensive production during that stretch, the pitching staff has consistently made it difficult for Colorado to stay in games.

The Rockies are batting .253 as a team with a .322 on-base percentage and a .417 slugging percentage. They have scored 615 runs, totaled 1,106 hits and hit 144 home runs. The biggest issue has been run prevention, as Colorado owns a 5.53 team ERA and a 1.52 WHIP while opponents are batting .288.

That pitching weakness is particularly concerning against a Washington team that has shown more power over the course of the season. Colorado has enough offensive ability to put runs on the board, but its staff has given opponents too many baserunners and too many scoring opportunities to trust consistently.

Washington Has the Better Matchup on the Mound

Washington enters at 61-70 overall and 27-36 at home, and the Nationals are also trying to break out of a recent slump. They have lost three straight and four of their last five, scoring two runs or fewer in four of those games. Even so, Monday's matchup gives Washington a favorable opportunity to turn things around.

The Nationals are batting .248 with a .324 on-base percentage and a .431 slugging percentage. They have scored 680 runs, collected 1,113 hits and hit 183 home runs, giving them a clear edge over Colorado in both total runs and home-run production. Washington's pitching staff carries a 4.67 ERA and 1.39 WHIP while allowing opponents to bat .257.

The Nationals' season-long pitching numbers are not dominant, but they compare favorably with Colorado's 5.53 ERA and 1.52 WHIP. Washington also has the stronger starter for this matchup, and that advantage becomes even more important with Colorado struggling so badly on the road.

Colorado Rockies vs Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction

Pick: Washington Nationals Moneyline

Washington is the preferred side because of the substantial starting pitching advantage and Colorado's poor road form. The Nationals enter with a starter carrying a 3.22 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, while Colorado counters with a 5.97 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. Washington has also scored 65 more runs and hit 39 more home runs this season, and although both teams are struggling recently, Colorado's 23-42 road record and 5.53 team ERA make the Nationals the stronger play.

Pick: Over 8.5

The Over is the better play if the total is set at 8.5 because Colorado has one of the weakest pitching profiles in the league, entering with a 5.53 team ERA and 1.52 WHIP, while its projected starter carries a 5.97 ERA. Washington has shown enough power to take advantage with 183 home runs and 680 runs scored, and Colorado can contribute offensively with a .253 average and .417 slugging percentage. With one vulnerable starter and two bullpens that do not profile as shutdown units from the supplied team numbers, this matchup has enough scoring upside to favor the Over.

This game preview was completed prior to game play on Monday.