MLB matchup analysis

Rockies vs Nationals Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Monday, August 24, 2026 at Nationals Park · 6:45 PM ET

Pass

LyDia decision: Pass on Rockies vs Nationals

Lab Rating
6.4/10
Model lean
Nationals 71.9%
Market probability
64.7%
Model edge
+7.2%
Best moneyline
-194
Sportsbooks checked
9
LyDia model
71.9%
Market
64.7%

The case for Washington Nationals

Starting pitcher edge: 30 points
LyDia gives Cade Cavalli a 30-point edge over Ryan Feltner, driven mainly by K-BB% (20.0% vs 6.1%) and K/9 (10.2 vs 6.3).
Late-inning bullpen advantage
Colorado Rockies relievers have a 3.86 ERA over the last 7 days; Washington Nationals relievers have a 3.00. If this is still close after six innings, that gap favors Washington Nationals.

The case for Colorado Rockies

The case is thin
The model finds little going Colorado Rockies's way — it trails on the pitching plan, bullpen, and recent form. The main path to a Colorado Rockies win is variance.

Why it is not official

Setup quality below the bar
Lab Rating is 6.4/10, under the 7.2/10 required for an official pick.
Cold stretch at the plate
Washington Nationals is -0.047 wOBA below its own season form.

Why the setup score is what it is

Conviction: 8.43/10
LyDia's win probability for Washington Nationals (71.9%) is well clear of a coin flip -- this is a real, stated lean, not a guess.
Pitching plan: 20/20
Cade Cavalli rates 30 points better than Ryan Feltner on LyDia's pitcher score. That is a real edge, and it earns most or all of the available credit here.
Bullpen: 14.34/20
Washington Nationals's bullpen carries a real edge over Colorado Rockies's tonight.
Offense: 21.71/50
Washington Nationals's recent form does not clearly outpace Colorado Rockies's.

Why the price is what it is

Team strength: 41.1%
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, LyDia's team-strength model alone makes Washington Nationals 41.1% to win. Everything below moves the price from this starting point.
Pitcher score gap: 30 points
The pitcher-score gap favors Washington Nationals by 30 points. This is the biggest single mover of the price -- a large gap moves it a lot, a small gap barely moves it.
Bullpen adjustment: +0.063
The bullpen-fatigue gap between the two pens nudges the price toward Washington Nationals. This moves the price less than the starting pitchers do, since a starter covers more of the game than the bullpen.
Net effect: 41.1% -> 71.9%
Team strength alone had Washington Nationals at 41.1%. After the pitcher and bullpen terms, the price is 71.9% -- the same number shown as Model Lean above.
The verdict LyDia passes. The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.
Read the full model output

The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.

Game information

MatchupColorado Rockies at Washington Nationals
DateMonday, August 24, 2026
First pitch6:45 PM ET
VenueNationals Park
Starting pitchersRyan Feltner vs Cade Cavalli
WeatherGame-time forecast: 77°F, 3% precipitation chance, 6 mph wind from NW.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Ryan FeltnerRockies · RHP
vs
Cade CavalliNationals · RHP
MetricRockiesNationals
Pitching planTraditional starterTraditional starter
Expected innings55⅓
ThrowsRR
LyDia pitcher score (higher is better)4373
ERA (lower is better)5.973.22
WHIP (lower is better)1.531.22
K/9 (higher is better)6.310.2
K-BB% (higher is better)6.1%20.0%
K% (higher is better)15.7%27.0%
BB% (lower is better)9.6%7.0%
BB/9 (lower is better)3.82.6
HR/9 (lower is better)1.90.9
Ground-ball rate50.0%57.9%
Fly-ball rate50.0%42.1%

Pitcher edge: LyDia gives Cade Cavalli a 30-point edge over Ryan Feltner, driven mainly by K-BB% (20.0% vs 6.1%) and K/9 (10.2 vs 6.3).

How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table. Highlighted cells mark a gap big enough to matter. K% and BB% are strikeout and walk rate as a share of batters faced -- K-BB% is the two combined into one skill number. HR/9 is home runs allowed per nine innings. Ground-ball and fly-ball rate are neither good nor bad on their own: high ground-ball pitchers trade strikeouts for double plays and fewer home runs, and on this data source the two rates are complementary (they add to 100%), not independent reads.

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

Ryan Feltner strikeouts
2.8 LyDia projected Ks
No K play · -0.7K difference is below LyDia's 0.7K threshold
Market 3.5K · O -118 / U -101 · 5 books
Cade Cavalli strikeouts
7.1 LyDia projected Ks
No K play · +0.6K difference is below LyDia's 0.7K threshold
Market 6.5K · O +105 / U -119 · 5 books

Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.

Rockies are 3-7 in their last 10, averaging 4.1 runs per game over the last 15 days, and hitting below their season form; Nationals are 2-8 in their last 10, averaging 3.5 runs per game over the last 15 days, and hitting below their season form. On the season Nationals carry the better run differential per game (+0.08 against -1.05).

MetricRockiesNationals
Last 103-72-8
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)5-5 on the road6-4 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.6680.637
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.2980.284
Runs per game, last 15 days4.13.5
K% last 15 days (lower is better)22.7%23.3%

Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.

30-day offense

Full offense tool →
Last 30 daysRockiesNationals
OPS0.708 (-0.030 vs szn)0.695 (-0.059 vs szn)
Runs per game4.68 (-0.066 vs szn)4.04 (-1.131 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.311 (-0.013 vs szn)0.309 (-0.022 vs szn)
K% (lower is better)23.4% (+0.6% vs szn)22.4% (+0.7% vs szn)

Over the last 30 days the Rockies have been the better offense, 0.311 wOBA to 0.309. They are cooling off against their own season line (-0.013 wOBA).

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricRockiesNationals
Record50-8061-71
Run differential / game (team quality)-1.05+0.08
Runs scored / game (offense, season)4.755.17
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)5.795.09
Season OPS0.7380.754
K% season (lower is better)22.8%21.7%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.7560.742

Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.

Every team on today's slate, on any two axes you pick. Rockies and Nationals are highlighted.

Rockies
Combined risk
8.0 Tired
Fatigue
8.1 Tired
Efficiency
5.3 Average
Nationals
Combined risk
5.9 Normal
Fatigue
6.2 Tired
Efficiency
5.7 Effective

Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.

MetricRockiesNationals
Fatigue8.1/10, Tired6.2/10, Tired
Efficiency5.3/10, Average5.7/10, Effective
Combined risk8.0/10, Tired5.9/10, Normal
Relief innings, last 7 days28.021.0
Back-to-back arms54
7-day ERA3.863.00
7-day WHIP1.211.33

Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.

Run total projection

Full Totals Projections →
LyDia projection
6.9
Market total
8.0
Projected away runs
3.3
Projected home runs
3.1
Over price
-110
Under price
-102
Colorado Rockies team total
3.3 projected
Line 3.5 · O +112 / U -130
No team-total lean
Washington Nationals team total
3.1 projected
Line 4.5 · O -110 / U -110
Under research lean (-1.4)

The model projects 1.1 runs below the market total. A research lean still requires a setup rating of at least 7.0/10. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

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