Washington Nationals vs. Miami Marlins Pick & Prediction APRIL 13th 2025
Preview and Prediction
MacKenzie Gore, a left-handed pitcher for the Washington Nationals, will take the mound on Sunday afternoon against the Miami Marlins. Gore, who currently ranks second in the majors with 25 strikeouts, will be looking to lead his team to victory in the rubber match of their three-game series.
The 26-year-old Gore was the third overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres. He was later traded to the Nationals in August 2022 as part of a deal that included star player Juan Soto.
Gore has shown steady improvement in his time in the majors, setting personal bests in wins (10), ERA (3.90), and innings (166 1/3) last season. In his three starts this year, he has a 1-1 record with a 2.65 ERA and an NL-leading 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
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One of Gore's most impressive performances this season was on Opening Day when he faced the Philadelphia Phillies. He held them to just one hit and one run in six innings while striking out 13 batters. This was the most strikeouts on Opening Day for a Nationals pitcher, surpassing Max Scherzer's record of 12 in 2019.
Gore has also shown his ability to perform against top teams, as he defeated the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on April 7. In that game, he allowed just two runs on five hits in six innings while striking out seven batters.
When asked about his success this year, Gore credited small adjustments in his pitch mix and usage. He also emphasized the importance of repeating what he does well when he is successful.
In his four career starts against the Marlins, Gore has a 2-1 record with a 2.22 ERA. However, he has struggled in two starts in Miami, with an 0-1 record and a 3.97 ERA.
On the other side, the Marlins will send right-hander Cal Quantrill to the mound. Quantrill has a 1-1 record with a 6.00 ERA this season and is 0-1 with a 4.24 ERA in three career starts against the Nationals. He will be pitching with seven days of rest.
Marlins manager Clayton McCullough has been impressed with his team's ability to compete and battle in close games. They have a 4-2 record in games decided by one run.
The Nationals will be looking for their third straight series win, while the Marlins are hoping to end a series winless streak that dates back to their opening series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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Unfortunately for the Nationals, they will once again be without shortstop CJ Abrams, who was an All-Star last season and was also part of the trade for Soto. Abrams was placed on the injured list on Saturday due to a hip injury, but manager Dave Martinez is optimistic that the rest will help him recover.
Martinez also noted that Abrams' injury does not seem to affect his hitting, but it does bother him when he is fielding or making lateral movements. The Nationals will have to find a way to win without him in the lineup.
In conclusion, the Nationals and Marlins will face off in a crucial game on Sunday to determine the winner of their series. Both teams will be looking to their starting pitchers to lead them to victory, with Gore and Quantrill taking the mound. The Nationals will be without one of their key players, but they will be looking to continue their winning streak. The Marlins, on the other hand, will be hoping to end their series winless streak and bounce back from their loss on Saturday.
Washington Nationals vs. Miami Marlins Recap APR 13TH 2025
Matt Mervis slugged a three-run, pinch-hit home run as the host Miami Marlins defeated the Washington Nationals 11-4 on Sunday afternoon.
Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore (1-2) entered the game leading the National League with 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings, and he had beaten the Dodgers and dominated the Phillies in earlier starts.
Against the Marlins, he struck out seven but allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings, driving his ERA up from 2.65 to 3.52.
The Marlins outhit the Nationals 14-10. Miami took two out of three games in the series.
Marlins starter Cal Quantrill allowed three runs on seven hits and five walks in five innings before Ronny Henriquez (1-0) pitched a perfect sixth to get the win.
Their teammates Kyle Stowers, Eric Wagaman and Xavier Edwards continued to produce at the plate.
Stowers went 3-for-5 with three runs and a two-RBI double in the Marlins' four-run eighth. Wagaman went 3-for-3 with two runs. Edwards extended his hit streak to seven games, and he is hitting 10-for-26 during that span (.385).
Washington threatened in the first, loading the bases with one out, but Josh Bell hit a swinging bunt in front of the plate. Veteran catcher Rob Brantly, making his 2025 MLB debut, grabbed the ball, took two steps back to get the force at home and then fired to first to complete the double play.
The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the second on Jacob Young's RBI single that got past a drawn-in infield.
Miami tied the score in the bottom of the second. Wagaman walked, advanced on Derek Hill's sacrifice bunt and scored on Griffin Conine's single.
Washington surged ahead 3-1 in the fourth. With two outs and none on, Amed Rosario started the rally with a walk. Rosario advanced on a wild pitch by Quantrill and scored on Paul DeJong's single. DeJong then stole second and scored on Alex Call's single.
Miami again wasted no time tying the score as Jonah Bride and Javier Sanoja stroked RBI singles in the bottom of the fourth.
The Marlins took a 4-3 lead in the sixth as Conine walked, advanced to third on Sanoja's single and scored on Liam Hicks' sacrifice fly.
Mervis' 411-foot homer in the seventh gave Miami a 7-3 lead.