Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction for Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Use Code SSWC The Houston Astros and Washington Nationals meet on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at Nationals Park in Washington, District of Columbia. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM ET, and the game will be televised on MLB.TV. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks before making your selections.
Starting Pitchers Take the Mound
Houston is scheduled to start Tatsuya Imai, while Washington will counter with Andrew Alvarez. Imai enters this matchup with a 5-4 record, a 6.14 ERA, a 1.47 WHIP, and 48.1 innings pitched. He has allowed 41 hits, struck out 60 batters, walked 30, and surrendered eight home runs. Alvarez comes into Tuesday’s game with a 2-1 record, a 3.05 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, and 41.1 innings pitched. He has allowed 41 hits while recording 48 strikeouts, issuing 16 walks, and giving up only two home runs. Based on the numbers provided, Washington holds the edge in the starting pitching matchup.
Houston Tries to Build on Recent Success
The Astros bring a 45-47 overall record and a 22-23 road record into this contest. Houston has won three of its last five games, recently defeating Tampa Bay twice while also earning a victory over Minnesota. The Astros recently lost once to Tampa Bay and once to Minnesota during that stretch, but they have shown signs of improvement after taking two of three from the Rays.
Houston is batting .241 with 413 runs, 745 hits, and 122 home runs. The Astros own a .315 on-base percentage and a .410 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff has a 4.72 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP while allowing opponents to hit .239. Houston has issued 397 walks and recorded 795 strikeouts. The Astros are 19-16 in day games.
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The biggest strength for Houston has been its power at the plate. The Astros have hit 122 home runs and also own a higher strikeout total by their pitching staff than Washington. However, their team ERA matches Washington’s, and their higher walk total has contributed to a less efficient overall pitching profile.
Washington Returns Home Looking to Respond
The Nationals enter Tuesday’s matchup with a 46-45 overall record and an 18-27 mark at home. Washington has won three of its last five games, recently earning victories over Pittsburgh and Boston twice while also dropping two games to Pittsburgh. The Nationals have remained above .500 despite the recent losses and now look to bounce back on their home field.
Washington is batting .249 with 485 runs, 776 hits, and 125 home runs. The Nationals own a .323 on-base percentage and a .430 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff carries a 4.72 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP while allowing opponents to hit .259. Washington has issued 320 walks and recorded 720 strikeouts. The Nationals are 21-22 in day games.
Washington’s greatest strength has been its offense. The Nationals lead this matchup in batting average, runs scored, hits, home runs, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Those offensive advantages have helped offset pitching numbers that are very similar to Houston’s over the course of the season.
Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction
Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals Pick
- Pick: Washington Nationals Moneyline
Washington gets my pick because the Nationals have the better overall record, hold the edge in the matchup predictor, and bring stronger offensive numbers into this game. The Nationals have outperformed Houston in nearly every major offensive category, and their starting pitcher also owns the lower ERA and WHIP based on the provided data. Those advantages make Washington my choice.
Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals Total Pick
- Pick: Over 8.5
I would take the over if the total is set at 8.5. Both teams own identical 4.72 ERAs, while Washington has scored 485 runs and Houston has hit 122 home runs this season. With two productive offenses and team pitching numbers that have allowed opportunities throughout the year, I expect enough scoring to push this matchup over the total.
Final Score Prediction: Washington Nationals 6 – Houston Astros 4
This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Monday.
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