Washington Nationals (20-27) vs. Baltimore Orioles (15-29)
Game Details: Sunday, May 18, 2025 @ 1:35 pm EST
Location: Oriole Park At Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland
M. Soroka (R) vs. Z. Eflin (R)
Where to Watch: MLB.TV
The Washington Nationals look to complete the series sweep against the Baltimore Orioles in the Beltway Series. Things have gone from bad to worse for the Orioles, leading them to fire their manager before yesterday’s game. The team responded by giving up six runs in the first inning and being down 7-0 by the second inning. A three-run home run by Jackson Holiday in the bottom of the ninth made this game look closer than it actually was. Can Baltimore salvage a game from this series, or will the Nationals complete the sweep?
Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total Runs | Money Line |
 | +1.5 (-135) | Over 9.5 (+100) | +145 |
| -1.5 (+114) | Under 9.5 (-120) | -175 |
Apex Tale of The Tape
| Team Stats |
|
| 4.07 | Runs/G | 3.70 |
| .237 | BA | .230 |
| .307 | OBP | .299 |
| .377 | SLG | .383 |
| .685 | OPS | .682 |
| 45 | HR | 50 |
| 48 | SB | 24 |
| 5.30 | ERA | 5.31 |
| 1.46 | WHIP | 1.47 |
| 8.39 | K/9 | 7.87 |
| .987 | Fielding Percentage | .985 |
| 14 | Saves | 7 |
Projected Starting Pitchers H2H
| Michael Soroka | Player Stats | Zach Eflin |
| 0-2 | W/L | 3-1 |
| 6.43 | ERA | 3.13 |
| 14.0 | IP | 23.0 |
| 1.29 | WHIP | 0.96 |
| 15 | K | 13 |
| 4 | BB | 3 |
Key Stats
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals took a commanding 6-0 lead in the first inning. They did all of their scoring without the use of the long ball, instead stringing together hits. Only one member of the lineup yesterday did not record a hit. Luis Garcia Jr. led the way, going 2 for 5 with three RBIs. CJ Abrams, who was scorching hot coming into the series, is only 1 for 10 in the first two games.
Right-hander Michael Soroka takes the mound in the series finale. In his last outing against the Atlanta Braves, he only lasted 4.0 innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs. This will be his third start in the month of May, and the 27-year-old looks to get back on track. In those two starts, he has pitched a total of 9.0 innings, giving up nine hits and six earned runs.
Baltimore Orioles
It’s hard to watch the Baltimore Orioles’ offense right now. Some of the stats from yesterday’s game aren’t bad at all. The team went 4 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Jackson Holiday went 2 for 5 yesterday, blasting a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth. Gunnar Henderson is only 1 for 10 in this series, and Cedric Mullins is 0 for 8. The team was hoping a managerial change would give this team a shot in the arm, but it did not in this game.
Right-hander Zach Eflin takes the mound, trying to get a win for the basement-dwelling Baltimore Orioles. He has been one of the bright spots in the pitching rotation. However, he spent some time on the IL with a lat injury. On May 11, he made his first start in over a month, tossing 5.0 innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs. The last start before the injury was against the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he threw 6.0 innings, giving up four hits and one earned run. The Orioles are hoping for the pre-injury numbers on Sunday afternoon.
Washington Nationals vs. Baltimore Orioles Betting Trends
| Betting Stats |
|
| 3-7 | W/L 10 | 2-8 |
| 22-24 | ATS | 15-28 |
| 22-22-2 | O/U | 21-19-3 |
Prediction
The Baltimore Orioles have to get back on track at some point, right? There’s so much talent on the roster that it’s baffling that they struggle to score runs. While the Washington Nationals have won the last two, they are a good team to get back on track. Soroka has struggled on the mound, and the Orioles showed some signs of life late in the game. They capitalized on many of the scoring chances. The biggest question will be if Eflin can keep things close. I’ll take the chance.
