Washington Nationals vs Cleveland Guardians Picks and Predictions May 6th 2025

Guardians and Nationals Set for Doubleheader After Rain Delay

After a soggy start to the week, the Washington Nationals and Cleveland Guardians are gearing up for a packed Tuesday, with a traditional doubleheader on the docket. Monday night’s series opener was washed out by rain, setting up a back-to-back showdown at Nationals Park.

A Tight Turnaround

The first pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for 3:35 p.m. ET, followed quickly by a series finale at 12:05 p.m. on Wednesday. That means all three matchups could be wrapped up in just 24 hours.

Washington enters the doubleheader fresh off a rain-soaked 4-1 win in Cincinnati, finishing their road trip 3-3. Meanwhile, Cleveland arrives on a hot streak, winning five of their last six games, including a close 5-4 victory in Toronto.

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Ortiz Looks to Build Momentum

Guardians right-hander Luis Ortiz (2-3, 4.78 ERA) will open the twin bill, taking on Nationals righty Jake Irvin (2-1, 4.01 ERA). Ortiz is coming off his longest outing of the season, pitching 6 1/3 shutout innings against the Twins in a game the Guardians eventually won.

“We needed that from Luis to have a chance to win this game and I know he won’t get the win, but Luis won the game for us,”
— Stephen Vogt, Guardians Manager

Despite his recent success, Ortiz has struggled historically against the Nationals, holding a 6.75 ERA over two appearances.

Irvin Aims to Rebound

Jake Irvin is hoping to bounce back from his toughest outing of the year, where he gave up six runs, including two homers, over six innings to the Phillies. Still, he has had success against Cleveland in the past, earning a win in his only career start against them by limiting them to two runs over six innings.

Game 2 Matchup: Lively vs. Lord

In the nightcap, Cleveland will turn to Ben Lively (1-2, 3.72 ERA), who recently tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings against Minnesota. He’s been solid in limited action against Washington with a 1-1 record and 3.29 ERA in two starts.

Washington counters with rookie Brad Lord (1-3, 4.43 ERA), who finally notched his first big-league win after allowing just two runs over five innings against the Phillies. He’s been steady in his last three starts, giving up just two runs in each.

“It was really just mixing and matching pitches, trying to keep them off-balance, really trying to keep them off the fastball.”
— Brad Lord, Nationals Pitcher

Lord’s rotation spot remains uncertain with Michael Soroka nearing a return, which could push the young pitcher back to Triple-A Rochester.

Injury Watch: Josh Bell’s Status

Josh Bell, who’s struggled at the plate this season with a .139 average, five homers, and 14 RBIs, has missed the past two games with a groin injury. Manager Dave Martinez is being cautious about rushing the infielder back into action.

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“We have played in some bad weather. He’s a big guy, so I want to make sure that he’s OK. But he’s definitely doing better.”
— Dave Martinez, Nationals Manager

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Clase Gets the Job Done—Barely

Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase locked down his seventh save of the season on Sunday, though not without a scare. A throwing error and a late run kept things tense before he closed the door on a 5-4 win. His 6.28 ERA is a concern, but his manager remains confident in him.

“(There is) no one else on the planet I’d rather have on the mound in the ninth inning.”
— Stephen Vogt, Guardians Manager