John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Two the bottom teams in the NL East square off today in the second game of a three game series. The Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins fought last night but it was the Marlins taking the first game of the series by a score of 5-4. Washington will be looking to make up some ground here after splitting a four game series with the New York Mets in their previous series. As for the Marlins, they dropped two of three games to the Cincinnati Reds prior to their matchup with Washington. Both teams are looking to gain some momentum and get their seasons rolling stronger. The division rivals may not be in the elite tier of teams but they both are young and have plenty of firepower to make this a fun series to watch.

Date: Wednesday, May 17th, 2023

Time: 6:40 p.m. EST

Location: loanDepot park in Miami, Florida

Team Records: Washington Nationals (18-24), Miami Marlins (21-21)

Projected Starting Pitchers:

MacKenzie Gore (3-2, 3.29 ERA) vs Edward Cabrera (2-3, 5.35 ERA)

What to Watch:

MacKenzie Gore takes the mound for the Nationals today and the young pitcher has had some ebbs and flows to start the season. He will need a good outing for his team to get the win on the road today. The key for Gore will be making sure to hit his spots early on and settle in. Much like any young pitcher, Gore has a tendency to get rattled and is prone to giving up runs early on. He has some nice stuff to work with so it’ll be up to him and his catcher to take advantage and keep Miami at bay.

The Marlins just found out that their best player in Jazz Chisholm Jr. will be out for a few weeks with an injury so they will need others to step up in his absence. While Gore does have the ability to shut down an offense, Miami can take advantage of his mistakes. If the Marlins can get off to a good start in this game, it could be curtains for the Nationals today. 

Game Prediction: Washington Nationals 4, Miami Marlins 3

The game comes down to the bullpens and I have the road team winning the battle of the bullpen.

Odds Presented By Betfred Sportsbook 

Spread – Washington Nationals +1.5 (-195) / Miami Marlins -1.5 (+165)

Moneyline – Washington Nationals +105 / Miami Marlins -125

Total – 7.5 – Over (-105) / Under (-115)

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