San Diego Padres vs Washington Nationals Prediction, Odds and Picks for Friday, 07/18/25

As we get ready to kick start off the second half of the season, the San Diego Padres are looking to stay hot in hopes of clinching a playoff spot come October. While the Nationals aren’t mathematically eliminated from the playoffs just yet, they face long odds and would need a historic turnaround at any chance of making the postseason. There is a stark difference between both of these teams, and despite the Padres playing better baseball in the first half, I’m leaning toward the Nationals as the home underdog and here’s why.  

Taking the mound for the Padres will be Dylan Cease, who had a rough go in the first half, entering this game with a 3-9 record and a 4.88 ERA. Cease has lost his last 3 starts, posting a 7.31 ERA, striking out 20 in just 16.0 innings pitched. For the Nationals, Jake Irvin will get the start. He is 7-5 with a 4.58 ERA. Irvin hasn’t been stellar in his starts this year, but he has been a little bit more consistent than Cease. In Irvin’s last 3 games, he is 1-2 with a 3.71 ERA while striking out 12 in 17.0 innings. But the lack of run support has plagued him in many of his starts. On the season the Nationals are averaging 4.3 runs per game — surprisingly better than the Padres, who are averaging 4.0. However, the Nats have the worst bullpen ERA in all of baseball, sitting at 5.88 compared to the Padres 3.20. At the end of the day, I think Washington can score early against Cease and after a few days off, the bullpen will be rested enough and help close things out late in the game. 

Padres vs Nationals prediction: Washington ML (+145) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, we recommend checking out Fanatics Sportsbook, where new users can bet $30 and receive $300 in bonus bets INSTANTLY! Join Fanatics Sportsbook, where you can bet on our Padres vs Nationals predictions.