Philadelphia Phillies vs Washington Nationals Prediction – 8/14/2025
The first game of a four-game series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals will take place on Thursday night. This series features the first-place and last-place teams in the NL East. Philadelphia has a golden opportunity to create further separation between themselves and the rest of the division over the next four days. Before the first pitch of this series opener, you can continue reading to get my Phillies vs Nationals prediction.
Our Phillies vs Nationals Pick
- Pick: Nationals Moneyline
- Confidence: ★☆☆☆☆
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Philadelphia Phillies vs Washington Nationals
- Date & Time: Thursday, August 14, 2025, 6:45 pm ET
- Starting Pitchers: Jesus Luzardo (11-5, 4.20 ERA) vs Brad Lord (3-6, 3.28 ERA)
- Stadium: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
- Broadcast: MASN and NBCS-PH
Key Storylines
Pitching Matchup
Jesus Luzardo has been one of Philly’s most consistent starters. He has won his last three outings and pitched at least six innings in each of those wins. He now sits at 11-5 with a 4.20 ERA and 151 strikeouts. Brad Lord has dazzled as a reliever but remains less impressive as a starter. Lord has a respectable 3.28 ERA and he will get the start in this game for Washington.
Playoff Implications
The Philadelphia Phillies come into Thursday’s action with a five-game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East standings. The Mets are pretty heavy favorites against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday. That makes it likely that the Phillies will need a win in this contest to prevent the Mets from making up some ground on them.
Recent team streaks
- The Phillies lost the final two games of their three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds.
- The Nationals lost two of three against the Kansas City Royals in their last series.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop Type |
|---|---|
| Kyle Schwarber | Over 1.5 Total Bases |
| Jesus Luzardo | Over 5.5 Strikeouts |
| Trea Turner | Over 1.5 Total Bases |
Betting Trends & H2H
- The Phillies hold a 4-2 lead in the season series with the Nationals going into this series.
- The Phillies have won both series they have played against the Nationals by 2-1 margins this year.
- The Phillies were outscored 14-1 in their last two games against the Cincinnati Reds.
- The Nationals are 8-17 against NL East teams this season.
- Philadelphia is 16-12 against division opponents in 2025.
Phillies vs Nationals Model Projection
Score Projection: Philadelphia 5 – Washington 6
Win Probability: Philadelphia 52%, Washington 48%
Final Thoughts
The Phillies are clearly the better team going into this matchup. But Brad Lord has the potential to keep the Nats competitive in this game. The Phillies have been struggling at the plate over the last couple of games and I think it’s worth taking a shot with the Nationals on the moneyline here in what should be a tight game between NL East opponents.
