Annmarie Akpan, Staff Writer
The Washington Nationals (55-66) will face the Philadelphia Phillies (70-50) in the first game of a four-game series on Thursday evening. The Phillies, who currently lead the NL East, boast a strong 39-22 home record and have hit 146 homeruns this season, ranking fifth in the NL. Zack Wheeler, with a 2.78 ERA, will start for the Phillies, while the Nationals’ Mitchell Parker, with a 3.83 ERA, takes the mound for Washington. Despite being fourth in the NL East, the Nationals have a solid 40-8 record when out-hitting their opponents.
This series marks the seventh meeting between these teams this season, with the Phillies holding a 5-1 advantage in the series. The Nationals have been competitive recently, with a .269 batting average and a 3.33 ERA over their last 10 games, matching the Phillies’ 5-5 record in that span. The Phillies will rely on top performers like Alec Bohm and Bryce Harper, while the Nationals look to Luis Garcia and Alex Call to keep the series competitive. Both teams are dealing with significant injuries, impacting key players like Austin Hays for the Phillies and Josiah Gray for the Nationals.
