Washington Nationals vs Atlanta Braves Prediction & Picks - MLB

Prediction published on 5/21/25, 2:49 PM  by Erik Gibbs | Modified on 5/21/25 at 6:45 PM in MLB Picks

The Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals face off again tonight in the second game of their current three-game series, a matchup that has become increasingly competitive over the past week. These two National League East rivals are meeting for the second time in just under seven days. In their previous four-game set in Atlanta, the Braves emerged victorious in three of the four contests, asserting their usual dominance. However, Washington took game one of this series on Tuesday, flipping the early momentum and extending their current winning streak to four games.

Despite that loss, Atlanta has been trending upward. The Braves have won five of their last seven games, climbing out of an early-season slump and positioning themselves more favorably in the divisional standings. Although they remain in third place and are still five games behind the division leader, they’ve been chipping away at the deficit with improved play on both sides of the ball. A big part of their resurgence has been the steady improvement in their lineup and the return of key contributors from injury.

Meanwhile, the Nationals have been one of the more surprising teams in the National League recently. Their four-game win streak includes a dominant series against the Baltimore Orioles, where they outscored their regional rivals 24-13. Their offensive surge has been timely, as the Nats aim to make up ground within the division. Currently sitting in fourth place in the NL East, they are 3.5 games behind Atlanta, making this series critical if they hope to continue climbing.