Washington Nationals at Athletics

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WSH	0	0	1	1	3	0	0	0	0	5	7	0
ATH	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	11	0

Foster Griffin took the mound for Washington at 1:05 PM PT looking to keep an incredible run going. The newly minted NL All-Star had allowed one earned run or fewer in seven straight starts entering the day, the longest streak of its kind in franchise history outside of openers. Jacob Lopez started for the Athletics, and his last time out lasted just 1.2 innings on 12 pitches, a line that raised more questions than it answered heading into Sunday.

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FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Nationals(49-50)

LWLLL

5

-1.5+104-138o10.5-106

Athletics(42-56)

WLLLL

2

+1.5-108+135u10.5+108

Best BetNationals -152

Postgame

Nationals won 5-2 behind that pitching gap, cashing the moneyline pick.

Pregame

Washington's -145 price at entry landed here because Foster Griffin is legitimately one of the best pitchers in baseball right now — an NL All-Star riding seven straight starts of one earned run or less. Jacob Lopez profiles as one of the shakier starters in the league, and betting against him felt like the higher-probability play even with the Nationals sitting below .500. That gap on the mound was enough to lean Washington straight up.

Both rotations are running on fumes. Washington has already lost Jake Irvin, Trevor Williams, DJ Herz, Mitchell Parker, Josiah Gray and Ken Waldichuk to season-altering injuries, and Miles Mikolas was in the middle of a suspension on top of it. Oakland isn't much healthier — Nick Kurtz, Zack Gelof and Denzel Clarke are all out, and Brent Rooker's season just ended with knee surgery. Neither lineup had much business scoring a lot Sunday, and for most of the afternoon, neither did.

Foster Griffin

(12-3)·3.06 ERA

Jul 8 vs Astros

W

7.0IP

1ER

9K

0BB

99P

07/19 Lineup

Jacob Lopez

(5-4)·5.79 ERA

Jul 10 @ White Sox

ND

1.2IP

0ER

1K

0BB

12P

07/19 Lineup

That tracked with how ugly the two nights before this one had gotten. The Nationals blitzed Oakland 23-4 in the series opener, only for the Athletics to flip the script and smash them right back, 15-1, the very next day. Sunday's rubber match was calmer by comparison — Washington scratched across single runs in the 3rd and 4th before breaking it open with a 3-run 5th, and that was enough to hold up.

Washington's 7 hits were plenty against an Athletics team that stranded runners all afternoon — Oakland actually out-hit the Nationals 11-7 and still lost by three. Griffin and the bullpen made the pitches that mattered, while Lopez and the Oakland staff couldn't find that same margin for error.

Washington Nationals

(49-50)

Jul 19L@ Athletics1-15

Jul 18W@ Athletics23-4

Jul 12Lvs Yankees3-5

Jul 11Lvs Yankees2-4

Jul 10Lvs Yankees3-5

Athletics

(42-56)

Jul 19Wvs Nationals15-1

Jul 18Lvs Nationals4-23

Jul 12L@ White Sox1-9

Jul 11L@ White Sox0-1

Jul 10L@ White Sox1-14

It's been that kind of stretch for both clubs. The Nationals are still hunting consistency after tumbling below .500 in a sweep at the hands of the Yankees, and the Athletics have alternated between demolitions and disasters for two weeks running. Sunday's win nudges Washington back toward .500 and gives Griffin another data point in what's turning into a signature season for an otherwise forgettable summer in D.C.

Washington Nationals

(10)

• 10-Day-ILDrew Millas (C) — Milias went 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Red Sox.07/15
• 15-Day-ILRichard Lovelady (RP) — Lovelady (triceps) began a throwing program shortly after landing on the injured list June 29 and had thrown off flat ground out to 60 feet as recently as July 3, MLB.com reports.07/13
• 15-Day-ILBrad Lord (RP) — The Nationals placed Lord on the 15-day injured list Thursday with left side tightness.07/09
• SuspensionMiles Mikolas (SP) — Major League Baseball announced that Mikolas will begin serving his five-game suspension Sunday, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.07/12
• 60-Day-ILJake Irvin (SP) — The Nationals transferred Irvin (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list July 10.07/17
• 60-Day-ILTrevor Williams (SP) — Williams (elbow) struck out five and allowed one unearned run on one hit and one walk across two innings Tuesday in a rehab start in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.07/15
• 60-Day-ILMitchell Parker (RP) — The Nationals transferred Parker (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Wednesday.07/02
• 60-Day-ILDJ Herz (SP) — Herz (elbow) was diagnosed Monday with a left flexor strain, Kyle Williams of TheBanner.com reports.06/22
• 60-Day-ILKen Waldichuk (RP) — Waldichuk (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure April 21 and is hopeful to return to game action at some point early in the 2027 season, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.06/11
• 60-Day-ILJosiah Gray (SP) — Gray (elbow) has resumed a throwing program, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.05/08

Athletics

(8)

• 10-Day-ILZack Gelof (3B) — Gelof will begin baseball activities once the stitches on his right knee are removed Tuesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/18
• 10-Day-ILNick Kurtz (1B) — Kurtz (thumb) is currently participating only in range-of-motion and strengthening exercises, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILJustin Sterner (RP) — Sterner earned his first save of the season in Wednesday's extra-inning win over the Cubs. He tossed a perfect inning while striking out one.07/18
• 60-Day-ILLuis Severino (SP) — Severino's (shoulder) recent MRI showed signs of healing, but manager Mark Kotsay indicated Saturday that the right-hander is several weeks away from a potential return to the rotation, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/19
• 60-Day-ILDenzel Clarke (CF) — Manager Mark Kotsay said Saturday that Clarke (hamstring) is nearing a rehab assignment, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/19
• 60-Day-ILBrent Rooker (DH) — Rooker will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/17
• 60-Day-ILBrooks Kriske (RP) — Kriske (shoulder) began a throwing progression Thursday, MLB.com reports.06/16
• 60-Day-ILGunnar Hoglund (SP) — Hoglund (knee/back) will be sidelined for the rest of the 2026 season after undergoing surgery on his left hip Monday.05/20

None of it changes the bigger picture — these are two teams playing out the string in July. But for one afternoon, Washington's ace made the difference look easy.