Game Details:
Matchup: Nationals vs. Reds
Date & Time: Wednesday, July 23, 2025 | 7:05 PM ET
Venue: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
Betting Line: Nationals -1.5 | Over/Under: 8.5
Key Storylines
Reds Look to Stay Hot: The Reds come into the nation’s capital with momentum, having won seven of their last ten games. Cincinnati’s offense has found a groove in July, averaging 5.2 runs per game over their past two weeks.
Nationals Battling Inconsistency: After a promising stretch in early July, the Nationals have cooled off, dropping four of their last six. They’ll be eager to bounce back at home, where they’ve shown more stability, posting a 25-20 home record thus far in 2025.
Pitching Matchup: Cincinnati is sending right-hander Hunter Greene (8-6, 3.71 ERA) to the mound tonight. Greene has been excellent over his last three starts, giving up just four earned runs in 19 innings. Opposing him is Nationals lefty Patrick Corbin (5-11, 5.92 ERA), who continues to struggle with command and consistency. Betting trends may lean toward the Reds due to the significant difference in starter effectiveness.
Injury Report
Reds:
Out: TJ Friedl (wrist), Alexis Díaz (shoulder – 15-day IL)
Questionable: Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hamstring – day-to-day)
Nationals:
Out: Josiah Gray (elbow – 60-day IL), Keibert Ruiz (concussion protocol)
Betting Trends
Against the Spread (ATS):
Reds: 49-47 ATS
Nationals: 45-51 ATS
Over/Under Trends:
The total has gone over in 6 of the Reds’ last 9 games
The total has gone under in 4 of the Nationals’ last 5 home games
Head-to-Head:
The Reds lead the season series 2-1, including a 6-3 win earlier this week.
Player Prop to Watch
Elly De La Cruz (Reds) – Hits + Runs + RBIs Total: 2.5
De La Cruz has tallied 10 hits and 6 RBI over his last seven games. With Corbin’s struggles, he could surpass this mark easily.
Prediction & Best Bets
Spread: Reds +1.5 → With Greene on the mound and a better offense of late, Cincinnati has strong upset potential.
Total: Over 8.5 → Cincinnati is scoring at a high clip, and Washington’s bullpen remains vulnerable.
Player Prop: Elly De La Cruz Over 2.5 Hits+Runs+RBIs → Good value given his recent streak and favorable matchup.
This Nationals team has shown signs of promise but remains too inconsistent in both pitching and run production. Expect Hunter Greene to control the tone early and give the Reds enough of a cushion to cover and possibly win outright.
Final Score Prediction: Reds 6, Nationals 4