Nationals-Orioles Pitching Preview: Griffin and Young Set Up Under as Both Rotations Carry the Load

The Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles square off with two of their stronger starting pitchers on the mound, drawing attention to an under play at a total of nine runs. The matchup pits Foster Griffin against Brandon Young in a game where both rotations are expected to suppress scoring, even as the two clubs sit below expectations in the National League East and American League East respectively.

Griffin Leads Washington's Case for Confidence

Foster Griffin, 30, takes the mound for the Nationals carrying an 8-2 record, a 3.15 ERA, and a 1.06 WHIP — both the ERA and WHIP ranking 18th in the majors. His June has been particularly sharp, producing a 1.48 ERA across four starts. Washington enters the contest having lost three of four to the Philadelphia Phillies and dropped the series opener to Baltimore the previous day. The Nationals finished the first half of the season at an even mark but have since slipped below .500. Their collective team ERA stands at 4.74, meaning Griffin has outperformed his rotation significantly. Among current Orioles hitters, only Taylor Ward has seen Griffin, collecting a double in a single plate appearance.

Young Anchors Baltimore's Push for Consistency

Brandon Young brings a 6-2 record, a 3.07 ERA, and a 1.26 WHIP into the start for the Orioles. His innings total has not reached the threshold for league leaderboard qualification, but the team has gone 10-2 in games he has started. Young performs better at home, posting a 2.80 ERA in those outings. In a prior meeting with Washington this season, he lasted 3.2 innings and allowed five hits, three walks, and two earned runs — a rougher outing that contrasts with his otherwise steady line. Baltimore enters at 39-44, fourth in the American League East and 10 games behind the division lead, in what analysts describe as one of the harder divisions in the league.

Betting Read: Lean Under, Favor Baltimore

The case for the under rests on the reliability of both starters rather than either offense underperforming. Analyst David, writing at @futureprez2024, noted that the previous day's game between the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics produced 12 combined runs — five in eight innings for one team and seven in one inning for the other — which sank an under bet. With Griffin and Young both posting ERA figures well below their respective team averages, the lean is toward limited scoring. On the side, Baltimore holds the edge given Washington's recent form, though Griffin's numbers narrow that margin considerably.