Orioles vs. Nationals Prediction, Odds, Probable Pitchers, Prop Bets for Friday, May 15

A pair of struggling starting pitchers are set to take the mound on Friday night, as the Baltimore Orioles hit the road to take on the Washington Nationals.

Both of these teams are under .500 in the 2026 season, but they are third in their respective divisions. Baltimore is hoping to get back in the playoff conversation in the American League after making some additions in the offseason, including tonight’s starter Shane Baz.

It’s been a rough start to 2026 for the young righty, as he’s posted a 5.48 ERA in eight starts, leading the O’s to just 2-6 record in those games.

Luckily for Baz, he’s taking on Washington righty Zack Littell, who has been one of the worst pitchers in MLB this season.

Littell has a 6.94 ERA and ranks in the first percentile in expected ERA and the third percentile in expected batting average against.

So, there could be some offensive fireworks in this matchup.

Let’s take a look at the odds, a player prop to bet on and my prediction for Friday’s contest.

Orioles vs. Nationals Odds, Run Line and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Run Line

Orioles -1.5 (+114)
Nationals +1.5 (-137)

Moneyline

Orioles: -142
Nationals: +118

Total

9.5 (Over -103/Under -117)

Orioles vs. Nationals Probable Pitchers

Baltimore: Shane Baz (1-4. 5.48 ERA)
Washington: Zack Littell (1-4. 6.94 ERA)

Orioles vs. Nationals How to Watch

Date: Friday, May 15
Time: 6:45 p.m. EST
Venue: Nationals Park
How to Watch (TV): Gray Media, Fox 5 WTTG, MASN, National.TV
Orioles record: 20-24
Nationals record: 21-23

Orioles vs. Nationals Best MLB Prop Bet

Orioles Best MLB Prop Bet

Adley Rutschman to Hit a Home Run (+620)

Earlier today, I shared in Daily Dinger – SI Betting’s best home run picks – why Rutschman is undervalued against the Nationals:

Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman has gotten off to a strong start in the 2026 season, hitting .291 with six homers and an .893 OPS. While Rutschman has cooled off a bit as of late, hitting .217 over the last week, he’s homered two times during that stretch.

Now, the Orioles star gets to take on the Washington Nationals and struggling starter Zack Littell, who has allowed 14 home runs in the 2026 season (eight starts) with a 6.94 ERA. Littell gave up 36 homers in the 2025 season, so he’s an easy fade candidate when it comes to any home run prop.

Rutschman is 4-for-16 against Littell in his career, and the O’s star is hitting .302 with three home runs against right-handed pitching this season. He’s an easy bet at this price on Friday night.

Orioles vs. Nationals Prediction and Pick

This game should be a high-scoring one based on the pitching matchup.

Littell has an expected ERA of 7.64 in the 2026 season, and he’s given up 45 hits and 14 home runs in just 36.1 innings of work. The Nationals are just 3-5 when he’s on the mound, and they’ve given up six or more runs in six of his eight starts.

Not only has Littell been awful this season, but the Washington bullpen has struggled as well, posting a 4.81 ERA.

On the Baltimore side, Baz has an expected ERA for 4.64 (32nd percentile) and has given up four or more runs in five of his eight outings. He’s given up five runs in each of his last two starts, and this is a tough matchup with a Washington offense that is No. 2 in the league in runs scored.

The Orioles aren’t too far behind, ranking 11th in runs scored in 2026.

The OVER is 28-14-2 in Washington’s games this season and 26-18-0 in Baltimore’s games. Given this pitching matchup, I’ll bet on this trend continuing on Friday.

Pick: OVER 9.5 (-103 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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