Cincinnati Reds at Washington Nationals

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CIN	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	5	0
WSH	0	0	2	0	0	4	0	2	—	8	10	0

Chase Burns takes the ball for Cincinnati as the best story in their rotation, and it's not close. Andrew Alvarez counters for Washington looking to build on a start where he didn't miss many bats but kept the Phillies off the board for six-plus innings.

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ML

Total

Reds(56-58)

WWWWL

2

-1.5+127-130o8.5-104

Nationals(56-61)

LWLLL

8

+1.5-133+127u8.5+106

Best BetReds -139

Pregame

Cincinnati brings a rookie ace with a 2.35 ERA and a 13-1 record against a Nationals team that just sold at the deadline and is playing out the string. The form gap is stark — the Reds have won 4 straight, Washington just lost their last game — and Burns gives Cincinnati the best pitcher on the mound by a wide margin.

The Nationals came into 2026 expecting a rebuild, then spent the summer flirting with a wild-card spot behind an offense that led MLB in runs scored. That mirage popped right before the deadline — a losing skid forced the front office to sell instead of buy, and Washington shipped out pieces instead of adding them. James Wood, their All-Star centerpiece having a 30-homer season, is now on the injured list with an oblique strain, which strips even more thump from a lineup that just lost its identity as buyers.

Chase Burns

(14-2)·2.51 ERA

Aug 2 vs Pirates

W

6.0IP

1ER

9K

2BB

88P

08/08 Lineup

Andrew Alvarez

(2-5)·3.60 ERA

Aug 3 @ Phillies

ND

6.1IP

2ER

5K

3BB

81P

08/08 Lineup

Cincinnati, meanwhile, is doing the opposite — trending up at the exact right time. The Reds are chasing a wild-card spot in a crowded NL field, and Terry Francona's club has strung together wins even while nursing a beat-up rotation.

Cincinnati Reds

(56-58)

Aug 6Wvs Athletics6-5

Aug 5Wvs Athletics3-2

Aug 4Wvs Athletics5-4

Aug 2Wvs Pirates10-2

Aug 1Lvs Pirates1-4

Washington Nationals

(56-61)

Aug 6L@ Phillies3-7

Aug 5W@ Phillies10-4

Aug 4L@ Phillies0-5

Aug 3L@ Phillies3-6

Aug 2L@ Braves2-4

The injury sheet tells two different stories. Cincinnati's is about pitching depth — Hunter Greene's season is probably over, Nick Lodolo is just working his way back, and Spencer Steer is playing with a wrist injury the team is managing. Washington's problems are more top-down: Wood's absence, a bullpen missing several arms to injury, and a rotation still waiting on DJ Herz and Connelly Early to sort themselves out.

Cincinnati Reds

(7)

• 10-Day-ILSpencer Steer (1B) — Steer will wear a splint for the next two weeks after being diagnosed with a partial tear of the tendon sheath in his right wrist, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.07/27
• 15-Day-ILNick Lodolo (SP) — Reds manager Terry Francona said that Lodolo (finger) will return from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesday's road game against the White Sox, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.08/06
• 15-Day-ILHunter Greene (SP) — Reds manager Terry Francona said Thursday that there's "probably a slim chance" Greene (elbow) pitches again this season, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.08/06
• 15-Day-ILTony Santillan (RP) — Santillan (oblique) was cleared Friday to begin an expedited recovery program, MLB.com reports.08/01
• 60-Day-ILBlake Dunn (CF) — The Reds transferred Dunn (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Thursday.08/06
• 60-Day-ILBrandon Williamson (SP) — Williamson (shoulder/finger) allowed one earned run on two walks and no walks while striking out three over two innings in a rehab start for Double-A Chattanooga on Saturday. The left-hander also hit a batter.08/02
• 60-Day-ILGraham Ashcraft (RP) — Ashcraft (elbow) is on a throwing program, which will have him throw from 105 feet beginning July 20 at the Reds' training facility in Arizona, MLB.com reports.07/18

Washington Nationals

(9)

• 10-Day-ILJames Wood (RF) — The Nationals placed Wood on the 10-day injured list Tuesday due to an oblique strain, Danielle Allentuck of The Washington Post reports.08/04
• 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-ILConnelly Early (SP) — The Nationals paused Early's (elbow) throwing program Thursday after he felt forearm tightness during his latest live BP session, Danielle Allentuck of The Washington Post reports.08/06
• 60-Day-ILDJ Herz (SP) — Herz (elbow) will resume his rehab assignment with Single-A Fredericksburg on Saturday, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.08/06
• 60-Day-ILPJ Poulin (RP) — The Nationals transferred Poulin (forearm) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.08/02
• 60-Day-ILMitchell Parker (RP) — Parker underwent elbow ligament repair surgery with an internal brace Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.07/30
• 60-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.07/19
• 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

None of that changes the fact that Burns is a legitimate ace having a rookie season worth talking about, and he's lined up against a Nationals club that just told its fans the summer's over. Cincinnati took the first 3 games from Athletics and split 1-1 with Pittsburgh over its last 5 — a stretch that includes 4 straight wins. Washington took 1 of the first 4 against Philadelphia and enters Saturday having lost their last game. First pitch is 6:45 PM ET, and the gap between these two trajectories is about as wide as it gets in August.