Washington Nationals vs Oakland Athletics Picks and Predictions August 5th 2025

Washington Nationals vs Oakland Athletics August 5th 2025

The Athletics will visit the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Tuesday, August 5, 2025. The game starts at 6:45 PM and will be broadcasted on NSPCA. The weather forecast predicts warm temperatures with calm winds and overcast clouds.

The Athletics hold a record of 49-65 and are ranked fifth in the AL West. They have won 7 of their last 10 games but are currently on a two-game losing streak. The Nationals, also ranked fifth in their division, have a record of 44-67. They have struggled recently, losing their last five games and only winning 3 of their last 10.

Athletics vs Nationals Key Information

• Sport: Baseball
• Teams: Athletics vs. Washington Nationals
• Venue: Nationals Park in Washington, DC
• Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2025
• Betting Odds:
  • Athletics Moneyline: +119
  • Nationals Moneyline: -140
  • Athletics Runline: +1.5 (-179)
  • Nationals Runline: -1.5 (+149)
  • Total Over: 8.5 (-102)
  • Total Under: 8.5 (-118)

The Athletics Can Win If…

The Athletics recently played against the Arizona Diamondbacks, losing 6-4. JJ Bleday was a standout with a perfect 4-for-4 performance, scoring three runs and hitting a home run. Despite the loss, the team showed offensive potential with eight hits and three extra-base hits.

Key stats show why the Athletics can win their next game. They rank 5th in slugging percentage at .427 and are 6th in home runs with 153. This power at the plate, led by Nick Kurtz and Brent Rooker, gives them a chance to score big runs.

Pitching will also be crucial, with Luis Severino starting. Severino has a 4.83 ERA and has shown he can control games, as seen in his recent win against the Mariners. If he can keep the Nationals’ bats in check, the Athletics have a solid chance to secure a win.

The Nationals Can Win If…

The Washington Nationals recently faced the Milwaukee Brewers and lost 14-3. Drew Millas was a standout, going 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs. Despite the loss, the Nationals showed some hitting potential with seven hits and three extra-base hits.

Washington’s batting average ranks 11th in the league at .244. This shows they can get on base and create scoring chances. Their ability to hit doubles, ranked 13th, can help them advance runners and score.

MacKenzie Gore will start for the Nationals with a 3.81 ERA. His performance can keep the game close. With hitters like CJ Abrams and James Wood, who have a combined 38 home runs, the Nationals have the power to score runs.

The Lean

The Nationals have a stronger chance to win against the Athletics. The moneyline is set at -140 for the Nationals and +119 for the Athletics. Considering the Athletics’ higher earned run average of 5.32, ranked 29th, the Nationals’ better pitching might give them the edge. The model projects the Nationals to win 5-4.

The total for the game is set at 8.5, with the over at -102 and the under at -118. Both teams have struggled with pitching, with the Athletics and Nationals ranked 28th and 29th in earned run average, respectively. This suggests a higher-scoring game. The model projects a total of 9 runs, so the recommendation is to take the over.

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A Tale of Two Trajectories: Surging Severino, A’s Visit Slumping Gore and the Nationals

It is a tale of two pitchers on completely opposite trajectories as two of Major League Baseball’s rebuilding franchises meet on Tuesday night in the nation’s capital. The visiting Oakland Athletics, powered by a resurgent veteran pitcher and a host of red-hot young sluggers, will open a three-game series against the host Washington Nationals, a team mired in a deep slump and whose own young ace is in the middle of the worst stretch of his season. For the A’s, it’s a chance to build on their positive momentum. For the Nationals, it is a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding.

Washington’s Woes

The Washington Nationals are in a difficult place. They enter this series on a five-game losing streak, a stretch that was capped by a brutal three-game sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend in which they were outscored 38-14. The losses have been demoralizing for a young team that is trying to find its footing after a trade deadline that saw several veteran players shipped out for prospects. The challenge now for the remaining players is to find a way to stay motivated and competitive through the final months of a long season.

“We’ve just got to dig deep,” said catcher Drew Millas. “We’ve got to come together as a unit and want each other to do well, want each other to win, want the best for each other.”

That task will be made more difficult by a slumping superstar. James Wood, who was a sensation in the first half and participated in the Home Run Derby, has been in a deep freeze since the All-Star break, hitting just .127 with no home runs and 27 strikeouts in his last 55 at-bats.

The table below provides a snapshot of two teams that, while both in a rebuild, have had very different results in the second half of the season.

The All-Star Slump of MacKenzie Gore

The Nationals will turn to their All-Star left-hander, MacKenzie Gore (4-11, 3.80 ERA), to be the stopper, but he is in the middle of a brutal slump of his own. Since the All-Star break, Gore is 0-3 with a sky-high 10.66 ERA. In his most recent outing, he was roughed up for six runs by the Houston Astros. While he felt he threw the ball better in that start, the results were the same. “Homers, you don’t get those back,” a frustrated Gore said. “Those two homers are kind of the pitches that I’m sure I’ll think about for a bit.” For a pitcher who was one of the best in the National League in the first half, this sudden loss of form is a major concern.

Want to follow the hottest hands in sports betting? Check out our list of the best handicappers.

The A’s Offensive Firepower

While the Nationals are struggling, the Athletics are brimming with confidence, particularly on the offensive side. Their lineup is powered by two of the hottest young hitters in baseball. Rookie Nick Kurtz was just named the American League Player and Rookie of the Month for July after a historic performance that included a four-homer game. He is joined by catcher Shea Langeliers, who is hitting a blistering .397 with seven home runs over his last 16 games. “He’s staying on everything,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said of his hot-hitting catcher. “He seems to be recognizing the breaking ball really well. He’s on the fastball. He’s seeing it really good.”

The Severino Resurgence

The A’s will counter with veteran right-hander Luis Severino (5-11, 4.83), who has completely turned his season around. After a difficult start with his new team, Severino has won his last three consecutive starts, posting a 2.65 ERA with 17 strikeouts during that stretch. He is finally looking like the two-time All-Star he was with the Yankees. “Any time you experience new or change, it takes time to make the adjustment to get comfortable,” Kotsay said. “I think (Severino’s) found a rhythm here and a comfortability with his surroundings to be able to just focus on going out and performing.”

The pitching matchup on paper heavily favors the visiting Athletics. The full box scores of their recent games can be found in our MLB game results section.

The Betting Outlook

The scores and odds for this matchup will reflect the opposite trajectories of the two starting pitchers. The contrast between a struggling ace and a resurgent veteran is a key topic in our expert betting guide. For more in-depth analysis of this and other games, you can view all of our MLB previews. To see who our experts are backing, check out our daily MLB picks. To get access to even more premium content and betting tools, you can register for an account today.