Nationals Face Marlins in Series Finale with Gore Returning to the Mound
The Washington Nationals conclude their road trip against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park tonight, September 11, 2025, seeking to finish the trip with a winning record. MacKenzie Gore returns to the mound for the Nationals after a two-week absence.
Gore Returns After Injury Layoff
MacKenzie Gore has been activated from the 15-day injured list. He aims to finish his season strong after struggling since the All-Star break. This start against the Marlins marks a significant step towards that goal, potentially leading to four starts down the stretch.
Weathers Makes His Return for Miami
Ryan Weathers will start for the Miami Marlins. He is making his return after a three-month layoff due to two IL stints. His last appearance against the Nationals was in April 2024, where he allowed six runs over four innings.
Game Information and Lineups
Here's a look at the game details and starting lineups for both teams:
- Location: loanDepot Park
- Gametime: 6:40 p.m. EDT
- TV: MASN, MLB.tv
- Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
- Weather: Indoors
Starting Lineups
Washington Nationals
- SS CJ Abrams
- RF Dylan Crews
- C Riley Adams
- LF Daylen Lile
- 1B Andrés Chaparro
- 3B Brady House
- DH Paul DeJong
- 2B Nasim Nuñez
- CF Jacob Young
- LHP MacKenzie Gore
Miami Marlins
- 2B Xavier Edwards
- DH Agustín Ramírez
- CF Jakob Marsee
- LF Heriberto Hernández
- 1B Eric Wagaman
- RF Joey Wiemer
- SS Maximo Acosta
- C Brian Navarreto
- 3B Javier Sanoja
- LHP Ryan Weathers
Nationals vs. Marlins: Betting Preview and Prediction
The game features a pitching matchup between left-handers MacKenzie Gore and Ryan Weathers. Let's analyze the betting trends and make a prediction.
Prediction: Ryan Weathers Over 4.5 Strikeouts
Our Nationals vs Marlins pick is for Ryan Weathers to record over 4.5 strikeouts today. The Nationals are a favorable strikeout matchup for left-handed pitchers.
Nationals vs Marlins: Projected Pitcher Stats
| Stat | LHP MacKenzie Gore (WAS) | LHP Ryan Weathers (MIA) |
|---|---|---|
| W-L | 5-13 | 1-1 |
| fWAR (FanGraphs) | 2.8 | 0.1 |
| ERA / xERA | 4.15 / 4.17 | 3.28 / 3.24 |
| FIP / xFIP | 3.69 / 3.70 | 4.48 / 4.24 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | 1.05 |
| K-BB% | 18.9 | 14.7 |
| GB% | 36.1 | 40.6 |
| Stuff+ | 98 | 108 |
| Location+ | 99 | 101 |
Analysis of Ryan Weathers
Ryan Weathers possesses promising upside when healthy. His changeup and sweeper were particularly effective last season. The addition of velocity to his fastball has made him a more formidable pitcher.
"Weathers flashed awesome secondary pitches over 16 starts last season. His changeup posted a +4 run value and a hefty 37.9% whiff rate. His sweeper had an absurd 51.5% whiff rate and held hitters to a .115 BA and .173 SLG."
The Nationals' Vulnerability to Left-Handed Pitching
The Nationals struggle against left-handed pitching. They lead the league with a 27.9% K% vs. LHP since the start of July and are last in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ against them. Tonight's projected lineup has a combined 27.3% K% across 884 plate appearances against LHP this season. Although Weathers will likely be capped at five innings, it is expected to be enough to hit the over.