Nationals vs Marlins Picks and Prediction – 4/13/2025

The Nationals (6-7) and Marlins (6-7) meet at loanDepot Park on Saturday morning in a rematch after Washington grabbed a 7-4 win Friday night. MacKenzie Gore gets the ball for the Nats, coming in with a strong 2.65 ERA over 17 innings. Miami counters with Cal Quantrill, who’s struggled early, posting a 6.00 ERA through just 9 innings of work. Elevate your MLB game with our top-notch MLB picks.

Washington has now won four of its last five, including the opener of this series, thanks to timely hitting and a solid start from Jake Irvin. James Wood continued his strong start to the season with his fifth homer, and Nathaniel Lowe added key RBIs. The Nationals' offense has 18 home runs so far and a team OPS of .738. Keibert Ruiz is swinging it well, slashing .333/.417/.524, while Lowe leads the club with 12 RBIs. The team is hitting .236 overall, with 60 runs scored and 99 total hits.

Defensively, the Nationals are still figuring things out. The staff ERA is 4.46 with a 1.49 WHIP, and opponents are hitting .266 against them. Gore has been the clear ace, with 25 strikeouts and only 3 walks in 17 innings. Injuries continue to hit, with CJ Abrams and Nathaniel Lowe listed as day-to-day. The bullpen is thin, and with Soroka and Cavalli on the IL, starting pitching depth is limited. 

Miami has been up and down to start the year and has now dropped three of its last four. The offense looked flat again Friday aside from a brief late push. Cal Quantrill takes the hill trying to rebound after allowing 12 hits in just 9 innings so far. Matt Mervis is heating up at the plate, now batting .276 with 3 homers, while Otto Lopez leads the club in RBIs with 7. Overall, the Marlins are batting .235 with just 9 home runs and 47 runs scored — not nearly enough juice.

Defensively, the Marlins have actually been better than the record suggests. The team ERA is 3.93 with a WHIP of 1.35, and they’ve limited opponents to a .236 batting average. Injuries are mounting though, especially in the bullpen, with multiple relievers like Jesus Tinoco and Declan Cronin sidelined. Despite the arms keeping things close, the lack of offensive production continues to be a major issue.

MacKenzie Gore is throwing like a front-line starter, and with the Nationals swinging the bats well — including 18 homers and 60 runs — they have the edge here. Quantrill has yet to find a rhythm, and Miami’s lack of offensive firepower makes it hard to trust them, especially with a banged-up bullpen. Final Score Prediction: Washington Nationals win 6-3.