Watch the Game Highlights for Nationals vs Angels – Saturday, June 28, 2025

Washington Nationals

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Los Angeles Angels

On June 28, 2025, the Los Angeles Angels will host the Washington Nationals in the second game of their interleague series at Angel Stadium. The Angels sit at 40-41, struggling to find consistency this season, while the Nationals are even further behind at 34-48. Both teams have had their share of challenges, but the Angels are looking to bounce back after a tough 15-9 loss to the Nationals in their last outing.

The Angels are projected to start Kyle Hendricks, who has had a rocky season with a 5-6 record and an ERA of 4.83. Despite being ranked only 243rd among MLB starters, advanced projections suggest he may have been unlucky, which could indicate a turnaround is on the horizon. Hendricks’ average innings pitched and below-average strikeouts could be a concern against the Nationals, a team that doesn’t strike out often, ranking 4th least in the league.

On the other side, Mike Soroka, who has a solid ranking of 59th among starters, takes the mound for the Nationals. With a 3-5 record and a higher ERA of 5.06, he’s also been perceived as unlucky this season. Soroka’s ability to generate strikeouts could be crucial, especially since the Angels rank 2nd in the league for most strikeouts.

The Angels’ offense has an impressive power ranking, hitting the 3rd most home runs in MLB, but their overall performance has been inconsistent, ranking 22nd in the league. This may present an opportunity against Soroka, who has a tendency to give up fly balls. Meanwhile, the Nationals’ offense ranks 20th overall, which may not pose a significant threat against a struggling pitcher like Hendricks.

With the game total set at 9.0 runs, this matchup presents a chance for the Angels to capitalize on their power against a pitcher who could be vulnerable. As betting markets show a close contest, the Angels look to regain footing and find a winning path against the Nationals.

Washington Nationals Insights

• Washington Nationals – 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline (-110)
  Mike Soroka is an extreme groundball pitcher (43.6% GB% per the leading projection system, THE BAT), which should make him somewhat immune to the dangers of pitching in Angel Stadium — the #10 HR venue among all stadiums — today.
  Explain: This pitcher’s skill set matches up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to better-than-expected performance.
• James Wood – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+110/-145)
  James Wood has seen a big gain in his exit velocity on flyballs this year; just compare his 99.8-mph average to last season’s 96.6-mph EV.
  Explain: Most home runs are flyballs, and the harder those flyballs are hit, the more often they turn into home runs. This is a strong indicator of power.
• Washington Nationals – 2H Moneyline
  According to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the Washington Nationals’ bullpen ranks as the 2nd-worst out of all the teams in the league.
  Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a weak bullpen sneakily creates an easier matchup for the opposing offense and boosts a game’s runs.

Los Angeles Angels Insights

• Kyle Hendricks – Over/Under 3.5 Strikeouts (-120/-110)
  Given his reverse platoon split, Kyle Hendricks will hold the advantage being matched up with 6 hitters in the projected batting order of opposing handedness in today’s outing.
  Explain: A pitcher with a reverse platoon split will perform better against opposite-handed hitters (i.e. a right-handed pitcher will be better against a left-handed hitter). Holding this advantage against several hitters can have a huge impact on whether a pitcher will perform well or struggle on any given day.
• Mike Trout – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+100/-130)
  Hitters such as Mike Trout with extreme flyball tendencies are usually more effective when facing pitchers like Mike Soroka who skew towards the groundball end of the spectrum.
  Explain: This mostly has to do with the way the hitter’s swing plane interacts with the pitch trajectory, and it can create boosted performance across all categories and hidden value few are considering.
• Mike Trout – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+100/-130)
  Mike Trout projects as the 10th-best batter in MLB, per the leading projection system (THE BAT X).
  Explain: THE BAT X is a highly sophisticated projection system that accounts for a multitude of factors and regularly tests among the most accurate systems available.

Betting Trends

• Los Angeles Angels – Run Line -1.5 (+160)
  The Los Angeles Angels have hit the Run Line in 28 of their last 43 games (+12.65 Units / 23% ROI)
• Washington Nationals – Run Line +1.5 (-185)
  The Washington Nationals have hit the Run Line in 22 of their last 34 away games (+9.65 Units / 22% ROI)
• Christian Moore – Over/Under 0.5 Runs (+165/-215)
  Christian Moore has hit the Runs Over in 6 of his last 10 games (+6.85 Units / 69% ROI)