Charlie Cummings takes you through his preview, prediction and pick for Thursday’s game between the Nationals and Athletics.

The Athletics and the Nationals won’t be making the playoffs this season, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing left to play for down the stretch run.

Both teams are full of youngsters looking to establish themselves in their teams’ respective rebuilds. New call-ups are taking roster spots vacated by Trade Deadline subtractions and seek to prove themselves worthy of a place on the roster. And while both teams have been in dire straits for some years now, there are lots of players worth getting excited about.

For the Athletics, the youth movement is finally working. 22-year-old Nick Kurtz is hitting like an MVP during his first taste of the big leagues. Jacob Wilson made the All-Star Game at 23. Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler, and Denzel Clarke all look like future pieces, and Shea Langeliers looks like a legitimate fixture behind the plate. If they can sort out some starting pitching, this team could make noise before they even get to Las Vegas in a new ballpark.

The Nationals’ rebuild doesn’t look too shabby either. James Wood slugged his way to an All-Star Game and CJ Abrams has been there already. MacKenzie Gore may not become a true ace, but he’s a great rotation piece. Dylan Crews and Robert Hassell III are well-regarded prospects who should get a lot of at-bats in August and September. Finally, hope has returned to Washington D.C.

The Athletics are a -132 Moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under is set at nine runs. Let’s dig into a preview, prediction, and best bet for this Nationals vs. Athletics game.

Nationals vs. Athletics prediction, preview

Speaking of guys looking to prove themselves, this pitching matchup screams “audition for next year.”

Jacob Lopez, a throw-in by the Rays alongside Jeffrey Springs in an offseason trade, has been the better starter of the two in 2025. The left-hander doesn’t wow you with velocity or break, but he’s been very effective. His slider/cutter combo has induced a lot of swings and misses, and Lopez holds one of the lowest hard-hit rates in baseball. If he can get the walks under control, Lopez looks like a real piece in future Athletics rotations. Not bad for a former 26th-round pick.

His opposition is another left-hander as Mitchell Parker takes the mound for Washington. Unlike Lopez, he doesn’t have the look of a future contributor. 50.7% of batted balls against Parker are classified as hard-hit and his average exit velocity is 92.1 MPH. Both of those marks are some of the worst amongst MLB starting pitchers. His fastball, which he throws 55% of the time, isn’t fooling anyone. His breaking and off-speed pitches aren’t providing a real alternative. Unless he can figure out something down the stretch run, he’s firmly on the chopping block as the Nationals welcome a lot of arms through the prospect pipeline in the coming years.

With James Wood in a massive slump, this Washington offense has lost its teeth. Especially with Parker on the mound, they’ll need serious bite to deliver a win on Thursday. I’m not counting on it.

Best Bet: Athletics Moneyline (-132)