Miami Marlins vs Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction for Friday August 28 2026
The Miami Marlins travel to Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., to face the Washington Nationals on Friday, August 28, 2026. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET, with coverage on MLB.TV. Miami enters at 68-66 overall and 26-39 on the road, while Washington is 62-73 overall and 28-38 at home. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Before placing any wagers, check out our free MLB picks for more baseball predictions and analysis.
Starting Pitchers
Miami is expected to start Eury Perez, who enters at 7-9 with a 3.17 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 127.2 innings. He has allowed 90 hits while recording 137 strikeouts and 52 walks. Washington is expected to counter with Jackson Kent, who is 0-2 with an 8.03 ERA and 2.11 WHIP through 12.1 innings. He has allowed 15 hits with 14 strikeouts and 11 walks. The starting-pitching advantage clearly favors Miami based on the numbers provided.
Marlins Have Controlled This Matchup
Miami comes into Friday at 68-66 after defeating Boston 4-0 on Wednesday. The Marlins are 3-2 over their last five games, with two of those victories coming against Washington by scores of 4-2 and 6-2.
Miami is batting .249 as a team with 582 runs, 1,109 hits and 134 home runs. The Marlins own a .326 on-base percentage and .399 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff has been solid, posting a 3.88 ERA and 1.25 WHIP, while opponents are batting .230.
The biggest edge is the season series. Miami has dominated Washington, winning eight of the first nine meetings. The Marlins have repeatedly found ways to control this matchup, and the combination of the better starting-pitcher profile and recent head-to-head success gives them another favorable setup Friday.
Nationals Need to Stabilize After Rough Stretch
Washington enters Friday at 62-73 after losing consecutive games to Colorado, including a 13-1 defeat on Wednesday. The Nationals are just 1-4 over their last five games, and the pitching staff has surrendered 28 runs during that stretch.
Washington is batting .248 with 697 runs, 1,142 hits and 186 home runs. The Nationals carry a .323 on-base percentage and .430 slugging percentage. Their offense has produced more power than Miami over the full season, but the pitching numbers are a much bigger concern. Washington owns a 4.72 ERA and 1.39 WHIP, with opponents batting .257.
The key weakness is run prevention. Washington has already struggled to slow Miami in this season series, and the projected starter enters with an 8.03 ERA and 2.11 WHIP in limited work. If the Nationals fall behind early, their pitching staff could again be placed under significant pressure.
Miami Marlins vs Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction
Pick: Miami Marlins Moneyline
Miami is the side pick. The Marlins have the much stronger starting-pitcher profile, the better overall pitching numbers and an overwhelming 8-1 advantage in the season series. Washington has also lost four of its last five and is coming off a 12-run defeat. The Nationals have enough offensive power to make this competitive, but Miami owns too many advantages in the areas that matter most here. Take the Miami Marlins moneyline.
Pick: Over 8.5
The total isn't available at the time of writing, but take the Over if the number is set at 8.5. Miami has a favorable matchup against a projected starter carrying an 8.03 ERA and 2.11 WHIP, while Washington's offense has enough season-long production to contribute even against a stronger opposing starter. The Nationals' pitching staff has also been vulnerable recently, giving this game multiple paths toward nine or more runs.
Final Picks: Miami Marlins Moneyline and Over 8.5 if available.
This preview was completed before game play Friday. Starting pitchers, betting lines and other game information are subject to change before the game begins.