The June 1, 2025 matchup between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field offers a compelling battle between two 27–30 teams trying to claw their way back to .500 and stay relevant in their respective divisions, with both clubs looking to close this series with a momentum-building win. The Nationals arrive in Arizona on an upswing, having won five of their last six games, thanks in large part to a revitalized offense sparked by James Wood and Josh Bell, each of whom has homered in three straight games, bringing the kind of punch that had been sorely lacking in the early part of the season. Washington’s lineup, which also features solid contributors like Luis García Jr. and CJ Abrams, has been taking better at-bats and producing more consistently, giving hope that their recent run isn’t a fluke but the start of a sustained push. On the mound, Michael Soroka will get the start, and though his 1–3 record and 5.61 ERA paint the picture of a rocky season, recent outings have shown improvement as he regains confidence in his stuff and leans more on groundball outs rather than chasing strikeouts. Washington’s bullpen has been retooled recently, with Jorge López designated for assignment and Eduardo Salazar called up—signaling a youth movement aimed at shoring up middle relief while closer Kyle Finnegan (2.61 ERA, 16 saves) continues to be one of the most dependable ninth-inning arms in the National League.

Arizona, on the other hand, has been treading water following a hot start to the season, dropping six of their last ten and struggling to find consistency, particularly against teams with improving offensive depth like the Nationals. The Diamondbacks will send Brandon Pfaadt to the mound, who has been one of the more dependable arms in their rotation this year with a 7–3 record and a 3.90 ERA, and his ability to limit walks and work deep into games gives Arizona a solid foundation heading into this pivotal series finale. Offensively, the Diamondbacks will lean on Corbin Carroll’s speed and on-base skills, along with Eugenio Suárez’s power, to put pressure on Soroka early and force Washington’s young bullpen to cover more innings than they’d prefer. Arizona’s defense has been mostly reliable this season, and they’ll need to stay sharp to support Pfaadt against a Nationals team that has been aggressive on the bases and has recently been finding the gaps with more frequency. Oddsmakers have made Arizona the slight favorite on the run line (-1.5, +140) and the total sits at 9.5, reflecting expectations of a game with some scoring potential given the vulnerabilities in both pitching staffs. The key for both teams will be which starter can avoid the big inning and which bullpen can execute cleanly in the late frames—whichever team gets that edge will likely take the game and a valuable series win, giving them a psychological and standings boost heading into the heart of the summer schedule.