Washington Nationals vs Atlanta Braves Picks and Predictions May 20th 2025

Revived After Sweep, Nationals Out for Revenge on Braves

Strider Returns to Anchor Braves Rotation

The Atlanta Braves will look to keep building momentum as they visit the Washington Nationals for a three-game set beginning Tuesday, with Spencer Strider returning to the mound.

Strider (0-1, 3.60 ERA) was activated from the 15-day injured list on Monday. He last pitched on April 16, allowing two runs in five innings against the Toronto Blue Jays, and had been sidelined with a right hamstring strain. That start was just his first of 2025 after recovering from elbow surgery that ended his 2024 campaign early.

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“I need to pitch,” Strider said. “I’d pitch every day if I could. I need the reps, I need the practice and I need to move at full speed — get guys out and work on my stuff.”

Strider was lights-out in 2022 and 2023, going 31-10 with a 3.36 ERA and 483 strikeouts across 318 1/3 innings. He’s 4-1 with a 4.55 ERA in six career outings against Washington.

Mitchell Parker Looks to Rebound

Countering Strider will be Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker (3-3, 4.32 ERA), who is seeking to snap out of a rough patch. Over his last four starts, Parker has an ERA of 9.68, with 13 walks to just 12 strikeouts.

He faced Atlanta last week, allowing four runs in 4 2/3 innings before being pulled after taking a comebacker off his knee. In three career starts versus the Braves, Parker is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA.

Nationals Riding Momentum from Sweep

Washington enters the series fresh off a confidence-boosting sweep of the Orioles and has won three straight for the first time since April. After a rough stretch, the Nats improved to 21-27 and now host six games in a row at home.

“It’s awesome that we bounced back like that,” said Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews. “We’re going to use this as momentum going forward.”

CJ Abrams led Sunday’s offensive explosion with two home runs, including his 11th career leadoff blast. He’s hitting .312 with eight home runs and nine stolen bases through 35 games, a strong response after a disappointing second half in 2024.

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Braves’ Bats Warming Up

The Braves are also showing signs of heating up offensively. They took two of three in Boston and capped the series with a 10-4 win. Rookie catcher Drake Baldwin had another standout performance with two hits, raising his May average to an eye-popping .531.

“The kid is hitting,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He’s going to play more… I want to keep him active.”

Baldwin’s emergence could give Atlanta a unique advantage in managing their catcher rotation and offensive output.

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