Washington Nationals vs Los Angeles Dodgers Picks and Prediction for Friday September 4 2026

The Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers open a three-game series on Friday, September 4, 2026, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 PM ET with MLB.TV providing coverage. Washington enters at 67-75 overall and 34-35 on the road, while Los Angeles is 82-57 overall and 40-28 at home. The Dodgers lead the season series 3-0 and remain atop the NL West, while Washington sits fourth in the NL East. ESPN Analytics gives Los Angeles a 70.3% win probability compared with 29.7% for Washington. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Check out our free MLB picks throughout the baseball season.

Starting Pitchers

Jackson Kent is scheduled to start for Washington and enters at 1-2 with a 5.59 ERA and 1.71 WHIP through 19.1 innings. He has allowed 18 hits and one home run while recording 17 strikeouts against 15 walks. Blake Snell gets the start for Los Angeles and comes in at 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA and 1.08 WHIP through 26 innings. He has allowed just 16 hits with no home runs while striking out 36 and walking 12. The starting matchup strongly favors Los Angeles based on ERA, WHIP, strikeout production and overall baserunner prevention.

Nationals Bring More Offense Than Their Record Suggests

Washington enters Friday at 67-75 overall and has been nearly even on the road at 34-35. The Nationals have gone 3-2 over their last five games, although their most recent result was a 9-0 loss. Before that defeat, Washington had won two straight while scoring nine and six runs. The recent stretch has therefore been volatile, with both strong offensive showings and a complete shutdown performance.

The Nationals are batting .248 with 735 runs, 1,202 hits and 193 home runs. They own a .325 on-base percentage and .429 slugging percentage. Those are impressive offensive totals for a team with a losing record, and Washington actually enters Friday having scored 51 more runs and hit 22 more home runs than Los Angeles. The Nationals also hold a slight advantage in slugging percentage, giving them enough offensive firepower to make this matchup more competitive than the standings alone might suggest.

Pitching is where Washington has consistently fallen short. The Nationals carry a 4.69 team ERA and 1.39 WHIP while opponents are batting .255 against them. Those numbers compare poorly with Los Angeles' 3.71 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and .218 opponent batting average. Washington's scheduled starter also enters with a 5.59 ERA and 1.71 WHIP, making run prevention the clear concern against a Dodgers team that has already won all three previous meetings this season.

Dodgers Have the Better All-Around Profile

Los Angeles enters Friday at 82-57 and remains in first place in the NL West, holding a nine-game lead over Arizona. The Dodgers are 40-28 at home, but they come into this matchup having lost two straight games. Those defeats came by scores of 13-8 and 8-6 in 10 innings, so the larger issue recently has been pitching rather than offensive production. Los Angeles has still scored at least six runs in three of its last five games.

The Dodgers are batting .258 with 684 runs, 1,209 hits and 171 home runs. They own a .336 on-base percentage and .422 slugging percentage. Los Angeles has the better batting average, more hits and the higher on-base percentage, while Washington holds the edge in total runs, home runs and slugging percentage. That creates a more balanced offensive comparison than the overall records indicate, but Los Angeles remains the more consistent team over the full season.

The Dodgers separate themselves most clearly on the mound. Los Angeles owns a 3.71 team ERA, 1.16 WHIP and .218 opponent batting average, all substantially better than Washington's corresponding numbers. Friday's starting matchup widens that gap further, with the Dodgers scheduled starter carrying a 2.42 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Los Angeles has also dominated the season series, winning all three earlier meetings, and the combination of home field, stronger pitching and superior overall record makes the Dodgers difficult to fade.

Washington Nationals vs Los Angeles Dodgers Picks and Prediction

Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers Moneyline

The Los Angeles Dodgers Moneyline is the preferred side. Washington has put up strong offensive numbers this season, but the pitching mismatch is difficult to overlook. Los Angeles owns the better team ERA, WHIP and opponent batting average, while Friday's scheduled starter carries a 2.42 ERA and 1.08 WHIP against Washington's 5.59 ERA and 1.71 WHIP. The Dodgers are also 15 games better in the standings, 40-28 at home and 3-0 against Washington this season. Los Angeles is the preferred moneyline play Friday night.

Pick: Over 8.5

The Over 8.5 is the preferred target number. Washington has scored 735 runs and hit 193 home runs, while Los Angeles has enough offensive quality to take advantage of a Nationals pitching staff carrying a 4.69 ERA. Washington's scheduled starter enters with a 5.59 ERA and 1.71 WHIP, creating a strong opportunity for the Dodgers to generate early scoring. Los Angeles' starter is much more reliable, but Washington's season-long offensive production gives the Nationals a realistic chance to contribute as well. Over 8.5 is the preferred total if that number is available.

Final Picks: Los Angeles Dodgers Moneyline and Over 8.5

This preview was completed before play on Thursday. Starting pitchers, betting lines and other game information are subject to change before the game begins.