Colorado Rockies vs Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction for Wednesday August 26, 2026

The Colorado Rockies travel to face the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, August 26. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET, with coverage available on MLB.TV. Colorado enters the matchup at 50-81 overall and 23-43 on the road, while Washington is 62-71 overall and 28-36 at home.

Washington opened the series with a dominant 13-3 win on Monday, extending Colorado’s losing streak to seven games. The Nationals snapped a four-game skid with that victory and now face a Rockies team that has struggled badly both overall and away from home.

At the time of this writing the odds were not released.

Before making your wagers, check out our free MLB picks for more baseball predictions and betting analysis.

Starting Pitchers

Colorado is expected to start Tanner Gordon, who enters Wednesday at 0-4 with a 5.75 ERA and 1.49 WHIP across 76.2 innings. The right-hander has allowed 99 hits while recording 64 strikeouts against 15 walks, and he has surrendered 16 home runs. Gordon’s walk rate has been solid, but he has allowed too much contact and too many extra-base threats, which has contributed to the elevated ERA and WHIP.

Washington had not announced its starting pitcher at the time this preview was completed. That uncertainty adds some risk to the handicap, but the Nationals still hold a substantial season-long advantage in both record and recent matchup performance.

Rockies Continue to Sink

Colorado enters Wednesday at 50-81 overall and just 23-43 on the road. The Rockies have lost seven consecutive games, including Monday’s 13-3 defeat in Washington. Their last five games have ended in losses of 13-3, 7-2, 4-3, 9-1 and 6-4, with the pitching staff allowing at least six runs in four of those contests.

The Rockies are batting .252 with 1,120 hits, 620 runs and 146 home runs. They carry a .322 on-base percentage and .416 slugging percentage, so the offense has not been the primary reason for the poor overall record. The pitching staff has been the much bigger problem, posting a 5.59 ERA and 1.53 WHIP while allowing opponents to bat .289.

Colorado’s biggest weakness is clearly run prevention. The Rockies have the better batting average than Washington, but their pitching staff has been one of the least effective on the board, and their 23-43 road record compounds the concern. Unless the offense produces at a high level, Colorado has little margin for error.

Nationals Have the Better Overall Profile

Washington enters at 62-71 overall and 28-36 at Nationals Park. The Nationals had dropped four straight before Monday’s 13-3 victory, but that result showed the type of offensive upside they can produce against weak pitching.

Washington is batting .249 with 1,131 hits, 695 runs and 184 home runs. The Nationals own a .325 on-base percentage and .431 slugging percentage, giving them clear advantages over Colorado in runs, home runs and overall power production. Their pitching staff has posted a 4.67 ERA and 1.39 WHIP while allowing opponents to bat .257.

The biggest advantage for Washington is the gap in pitching quality. The Nationals have allowed significantly fewer baserunners and fewer runs over the course of the season, and they also bring the stronger offense into this matchup. Even with the starting pitcher still undecided, Washington has the more complete team profile.

Colorado Rockies vs Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction

Pick: Washington Nationals Moneyline

Washington is the preferred side because of the large gap in pitching quality, home-field advantage and Colorado’s current seven-game losing streak. The Nationals have the better team ERA, WHIP and opponent batting average, while Colorado enters with a 5.59 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. Washington also scored 13 runs in Monday’s opener and has the stronger power numbers for the season. Even with the Nationals’ starter still undecided, the overall matchup points toward Washington.

Pick: Over 9.0

Take the over if the total is set at 9.0 or lower. Colorado’s pitching staff has been extremely vulnerable, allowing 39 runs over its last five games, while Washington has the offensive profile to take advantage with 695 runs and 184 home runs on the season. Gordon’s 5.75 ERA and 1.49 WHIP add further support to the over, and the uncertainty surrounding Washington’s starter creates additional volatility. This matchup has more scoring upside than most of Wednesday’s slate.

This preview was completed prior to game play on Tuesday. Any lineup changes, pitching changes, injuries, scratches, or betting-line movement occurring after that time are not reflected in this analysis.