Washington Nationals vs Texas Rangers Picks and Prediction for Thursday, August 20, 2026

The Washington Nationals visit the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Thursday, with the first pitch scheduled for 8:05 PM ET. Washington is 60-67, fourth in the NL East, and 33-31 on the road after losing 5-0 to Texas in its most recent completed game. The Nationals have dropped four straight and four of their last five. Texas is 62-64, second in the AL West, and 33-27 at home after Tuesday’s victory. The Rangers have split their last four games. Find your betting angle with our free MLB picks.

Washington Nationals Look to End Losing Streak

Washington has been one of baseball’s better offensive teams, batting .250 with a .326 on-base percentage and .436 slugging percentage. The Nationals have scored 670 runs with 180 home runs. CJ Abrams is batting .280 with 29 homers, 91 RBIs and a .887 OPS, while James Wood has 30 home runs and a .928 OPS. Wood is currently on the 10-day IL, removing Washington’s leading home-run hitter from the lineup.

Washington’s pitching has been the bigger concern. The Nationals carry a 4.73 team ERA and 1.39 WHIP while opponents are batting .259. They have allowed 146 home runs with 970 strikeouts. Recent results have also turned against Washington, which lost 5-0 to Texas after dropping three consecutive games against the Mets. The Nationals scored just eight total runs during those four defeats after beating the Cubs 7-0 in their previous game.

Injuries: Drew Millas (10-Day IL), James Wood (10-Day IL), Richard Lovelady (60-Day IL), Josiah Gray (60-Day IL), DJ Herz (60-Day IL).

Texas Rangers Try to Build on Shutout Win

Texas enters with a .243 batting average, .316 on-base percentage and .395 slugging percentage. The Rangers have scored 512 runs and hit 140 home runs. Joc Pederson leads Texas with 22 homers while batting .242 with an .826 OPS. Jake Burger has 21 home runs and a team-high 73 RBIs, while Brandon Nimmo is batting .273 with 125 hits. Texas has less season-long scoring production than Washington but comes off a five-run performance Tuesday.

The Rangers have posted a 4.27 team ERA and 1.30 WHIP while holding opposing hitters to a .249 batting average. Texas has recorded 1,052 strikeouts and issued 375 walks. The Rangers have been inconsistent lately, scoring 15 runs across their last five games while going 2-3. Tuesday’s 5-0 victory was encouraging after Texas had allowed 20 runs over its previous four contests. The Rangers also own a winning 33-27 record at Globe Life Field.

Injuries: Kyle Higashioka (10-Day IL), Jacob deGrom (Day-To-Day), Robert Garcia (60-Day IL), Josh Jung (10-Day IL), Nathan Eovaldi (15-Day IL).

Pitching Matchup

Washington Nationals – Andrew Alvarez

Alvarez is 2-4 with a 3.72 ERA and 1.33 WHIP through 75 innings. The left-hander has allowed 67 hits, 33 walks and only three home runs while recording 69 strikeouts. His ability to limit long balls matters against a Texas lineup with 140 home runs. Alvarez also has better numbers than Washington’s staff overall, with his 3.72 ERA sitting more than a full run below the Nationals’ 4.73 team mark.

Texas Rangers – Jacob deGrom

DeGrom is listed as the probable starter but is day-to-day. He is 8-8 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over 120.2 innings, allowing 110 hits, 31 walks and 17 home runs with 147 strikeouts. His strikeout production and low WHIP give Texas an advantage against a Washington lineup missing Wood. Abrams remains dangerous with 29 homers and 91 RBIs, but deGrom has allowed relatively few baserunners this season.

Washington Nationals vs Texas Rangers Game Pick

• Texas Rangers

Texas is the game pick behind deGrom and a pitching staff that has performed better than Washington’s overall. DeGrom has a 1.17 WHIP with 147 strikeouts in 120.2 innings, while Washington owns a 4.73 team ERA and 1.39 WHIP. The Nationals have also lost four straight, scoring only eight runs during that stretch, and Wood remains unavailable. Texas shut Washington out 5-0 Tuesday and has a 33-27 home record. Those advantages make the Rangers the play in Thursday’s matchup.

Washington Nationals vs Texas Rangers Over/Under Pick

• Under

The under is the total pick because both starters have numbers that can limit scoring. Alvarez owns a 3.72 ERA and has surrendered only three home runs across 75 innings, while deGrom has a 1.17 WHIP with 147 strikeouts. Washington has scored eight runs during its four-game losing streak and was shut out by Texas Tuesday. The Rangers have scored only 15 runs over their last five games. With Wood unavailable and both starters capable of controlling baserunners, another lower-scoring matchup is likely.