The New York Yankees look to extend their two-game winning streak tonight as they face the Washington Nationals in the second game of their three-game series.

Last night, rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler delivered another outstanding performance, tossing six scoreless innings for the second straight start. In five outings this month, he’s posted a stellar 1.63 ERA.

The Yankees’ bats backed him up with plenty of run support, pounding Nationals pitching for 10 runs. That cushion proved necessary, as the bullpen gave up five runs in the ninth, though Washington’s weak offense couldn’t close the gap.

Despite the win, New York gained no ground in the standings. Both the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays also won, keeping the Yankees 5.5 games back in the AL East and a half-game behind the top Wild Card spot.

Still, losses by the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers helped. Kansas City now trails by four games for the final Wild Card berth, while Texas sits 5.5 back — giving New York a comfortable margin of error entering September.

Tonight, the Yankees send one of their most reliable arms to the mound in Luis Gil. After a shaky first outing following his return from the IL, he’s settled in, allowing just four earned runs across 15.2 innings.

That stretch includes strong starts against the high-powered Houston Astros and Red Sox lineups. New York can feel confident with Gil on the hill, though its bullpen remains a question mark.

The Nationals counter with MacKenzie Gore. An All-Star this season, Gore has struggled mightily since the break, going 1–4 with a 7.88 ERA over his last seven starts. That stretch includes a disastrous outing against the Athletics, when he was tagged for eight runs and 12 hits in just three innings.

While he’s had a couple of solid starts this month, Gore has become as unpredictable as the Yankees’ relievers — making him a true wildcard in tonight’s matchup.

Prediction

Expect the Yankees’ bats to pounce on Gore tonight, backed by another solid start from Gil. The bullpen may give up some runs late, but the cushion should hold.

Prediction: Yankees 6, Nationals 3

Starting Lineups

Washington Nationals

1. James Wood — LF

2. CJ Abrams — SS

3. Luis Garcia Jr. — 2B

4. Josh Bell — 1B

5. Riley Adams — C

6. Dylan Crews — DH

7. Brady House — 3B

8. Robert Hassell III — DH

9. Jacob Young — CF

Starting Pitcher: MacKenzie Gore (LHP) — 5–12, 4.11 ERA

New York Yankees

1. Paul Goldschmidt — 1B

2. Aaron Judge — DH

3. Cody Bellinger — LF

4. Giancarlo Stanton — RF

5. Trent Grisham — CF

6. Amed Rosario — 3B

7. Jazz Chisholm — 2B

8. Anthony Volpe — S

9. Austin Wells — C

Starting Pitcher: Luis Gil (RHP) — 1–1, 4.26 ERA

How to Watch Nationals vs. Yankees

First pitch for tonight’s game between the Washington Nationals and New York Yankees is set for 7:05 PM Eastern at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

The game airs live on YES and MASN 2. Tonight’s game also streams live on MLB.TV.

Washington Nationals vs. New York Yankees

Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Time: 7:05 PM Eastern

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

TV: YES (New York), MASN2 (Washington)

Streaming: MLB.tv (Out-of-market)