Washington Nationals (18-26) vs. Atlanta Braves (21-22)
Game Details: Thursday, May 15, 2025 @ 12:15 pm EST
Location: Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia
T. Williams (R) vs. AJ Smith-Shawver (R)
Where to Watch: MLB.TV
The Washington Nationals wrap up a four-game set with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday afternoon. Washington won last night to have a shot at splitting the series. Atlanta hopes to continue to play well at home and take the series. Austin Riley has stepped up with Ronald Acuna Jr. on the IL, and the offense has a perfect opportunity to score some runs against a pitcher with an ERA hovering just below six. Can the Braves take the series?
Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total Runs | Money Line |
 | +1.5 (-110) | Over 9 (-102) | +170 |
| -1.5 (-110) | Under 9 (-118) | -205 |
Apex Tale of The Tape
| Team Stats |
|
| 4.11 | Runs/G | 3.95 |
| .239 | BA | .240 |
| .308 | OBP | .312 |
| .378 | SLG | .381 |
| .686 | OPS | .693 |
| 42 | HR | 44 |
| 45 | SB | 28 |
| 5.39 | ERA | 3.76 |
| 1.46 | WHIP | 1.24 |
| 8.27 | K/9 | 8.82 |
| .988 | Fielding Percentage | .988 |
| 13 | Saves | 8 |
Projected Starting Pitchers H2H
| Trevor Williams | Player Stats | AJ Smith-Shawver |
| 2-4 | W/L | 2-2 |
| 5.88 | ERA | 2.76 |
| 41.1 | IP | 32.2 |
| 1.57 | WHIP | 1.35 |
| 34 | K | 34 |
| 12 | BB | 15 |
Key Stats
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals rely heavily on their leadoff hitter, CJ Abrams. He is the only member of their lineup hitting over .300 and leads the team in stolen bases with eight. Last night’s victory broke a seven-game losing streak for the Nationals.
The Nationals send out right-hander Trevor Williams to close out the series. Williams has had a rough go over the last three starts. He hasn’t allowed fewer than four earned runs in the last three starts as his ERA balloons to almost six. It hasn’t been control as he hasn’t been walking many batters. Hitters are simply seeing the ball well against him.
Atlanta Braves
Austin Riley has been the hottest hitter for the Atlanta Braves in the past week. He is slashing .292/.346/.638 over the past seven games, getting on base to set others up to drive him in. Michael Harris and Marcel Ozuna have the most RBIs on the team over the past seven games, thanks to Riley getting on base. Ozuna has a great matchup today as he hits .333 against Williams in his career (11/33).
AJ Smith-Shawver heads to the mound looking to help the Braves continue to climb the standings in the NL East. His last two outings have been very solid. Against the Cincinnati Reds, he only gave up one hit over eight innings, helping the team earn a shutout win. In his last start against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he didn’t make it out of the sixth inning but struck out seven and only gave up one run. The Nationals are another subpar lineup that Smith-Shawver can hopefully dominate.
Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves Betting Trends
| Betting Stats |
|
| 3-7 | W/L 10 | 6-4 |
| 21-23 | ATS | 18-25 |
| 21-21-2 | O/U | 16-23-4 |
Prediction
Trevor Williams has had a rough last three starts, and the Atlanta Braves have been a good home team. I expect plenty of runs to be scored in this game and Ozuna to be able to continue his dominance against Williams. If players can get on base, this game could get out of hand quickly. However, I don’t love the -205 odds, so, despite the record ATS, I’m gonna take the Braves to blow them out and the over.
