Nationals at Phillies 7/12/19 - MLB Picks & Predictions

NL East Division rivals will square off at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night, when the Washington Nationals take on the Philadelphia Phillies. Washington was the hottest team heading into the All-Star Break, winning ten of their previous ten games. Anthony Rendon leads the Nationals in all three triple crown categories.

Thirty year old right-hander Stephen Strasburg (10-4 3.64 ERA) will take the ball to start the second half of the season. Strasburg has won three straight starts and he has allowed seven runs over his last 20 plus innings. The Philadelphia Phillies split their ten games heading into the All-Star Break and are 6.5 games out of first place. Bryce Harper has hit 16 home runs and drive in 62 runs in his first season with the Phillies. Philadelphia 1B Rhys Hoskins comes into this series with a .263 batting average to go along with 20 home runs and 59 RBIs.

The Phillies will counter with twenty-six year old right-hander Nick Pivetta (4-3 5.84 ERA) on Friday. Pivetta is winless in his last four starts and has given up 19 runs over his last 23 plus innings of work.