MLB Baseball
2026-06-01 - Miami Marlins at Washington Nationals
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : Major League Baseball
Monday 1st June 2026 - Scheduled 6:45pm EST
11:45pm (British Time)
Preview
The recent successes for the Washington Nationals (31-29) has the team moving up into second place in the National League East, while a winning record means they are trending towards being one of the teams fighting it out for Playoff spots in September. However, the Nationals remain 9 games behind the Atlanta Braves at the top of this Division, while they are focusing on earning some redemption against the last team to take a series win against them.
The Miami Marlins (26-34) took two of three on the road in Washington in May, but recent form has been much more disappointing.
Five consecutive losses has meant the Marlins have slipped into the basement of the National League East and they are going to be turning to a pitcher who has also had a dip in his standards.
Sandy Alcantara will likely get some interest in the trade market in July if the Marlins are falling out of contention again and the starting pitcher has a 3-4 record and 4.66 ERA in twelve starts this season. He has struggled to get back up to the level he was producing in 2022 and Sandy Alcantara has missed a season through injury, but his ERA is one that he can improve compared with 2025.
However, Alcantara has not earned a decision win from any of his last six starts for the Miami Marlins, while he gave up at least six runs in three of the five outings in May. The starter is looking to turn things around after giving up fourteen runs in a little shy of 12 Innings thrown across the last two starts, and it is no surprise that Sandy Alcantara has absorbed the decision loss both times.
Encouragement can be taken from the fact that Sandy Alcantara restricted the Washington Nationals to two runs in 6 Innings thrown last month. That means Alcantara now holds an 8-6 record and 3.55 ERA from seventeen career starts against Washington, even though he did not factor into the decision when last facing them.
The Nationals have been in much better recent form than the Miami Marlins and will counter by giving the ball to Cade Cavalli who has a 3-3 record and 3.62 ERA from twelve starts made this season. Injury has restricted the amount of experience Cavalli has been able to pick up in his three years in the Major League before 2026, but he has already made more starts this season compared to his entire career combined.
Cade Cavalli has been a consistent performer on the mound for the Washington Nationals- his worst outing of the season saw the pitcher allow four runs and failing to get out of the 2nd Inning, but Cavalli has bounced back really well.
Since that start, Cade Cavalli has 3-2 record and 3.27 ERA in eight starts for Washington and the strong batting lineup has helped him win decisions in two of the last three starts made.
He opposed Sandy Alcantara when these teams met last month and Cade Cavalli also restricted Miami to two runs when recording one out shy of 6 completed Innings.
Last season, Cade Cavalli pitched against the Marlins twice and held them two runs in 5 Innings thrown both times- on those occasions Cavalli earned the decision win each time.
This is the fourth game of the season series between these National League East rivals and it is Miami who have won two of three.
Prediction
The Atlanta Braves have gotten a fast start in the National League East, but the Washington Nationals have made just as surprising an early impact.
They may have the more consistent pitcher going to the mound at the start of this series with the Miami Marlins, while the Washington bats have been hot all season.
The Pick :
Washington Nationals 5-2 Miami Marlins
