Cincinnati Reds Host Washington Nationals for 3-Game Series

The Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, both young and developing teams, are set for a three-game series with each squad relying heavily on emerging talent and strong starting pitching. While Cincinnati has struggled offensively at home—holding the lowest wRC+ in home games across MLB—they recently broke out with a nine-run performance, offering hope for improvement. The Nationals have similarly relied on their rotation, with standout performances from Mitchell Parker and MacKenzie Gore, but continue to face offensive inconsistency, especially on the road. Both teams' starting rotations are among the best in baseball so far in 2025, with Friday’s pitching matchup featuring Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene against Washington’s Mitchell Parker. Cincinnati’s bullpen is noted as improved this season, while Washington may need to consider lineup changes if struggling hitters like Josh Bell do not rebound. Overall, the series is expected to be dominated by pitching, though offensive outbursts remain possible.