Miami Marlins vs Washington Nationals — Aug 28, 2026

Keys to the game

• Miami has won 3 of its last 5 while Washington has won 2 of its last 5. Neither trend is overwhelming, but it lines up with the modest lean toward the Marlins.
• H. Hernandez leads Miami with 20 home runs and J. Wood leads Washington with 30. Wood's power gives the Nationals a way to change the game with one swing even if the pitching matchup favors Miami.
• Miami won this matchup 3-2, though that history does not carry into tonight's pitching matchup. It is simply part of the recent back and forth between these two.
• Washington holds the broader power edge, 186 home runs to Miami's 134. That gap means the Nationals lineup can produce runs in bunches, which raises the stakes on every Perez pitch.
• Perez leans on his changeup as a put-away pitch, getting a 43% whiff rate off a mix built around his 4-seam at 39% and sinker at 17%. Kent counters with his own changeup at 33% whiff, working primarily off a 41% 4-seam and 24% changeup usage.