Pit Stop In The Capital: Phillies vs. Nationals Series Preview, September 15-16

The Phillies are taking a pit stop in the nation’s capital for a peculiar and uncommon two-game series against the Washington Nationals.

Coming off a frustrating series against the division-leading Atlanta Braves, the Phillies have a chance to rebound in the final series against the Nationals. With several questions up in the air and not the greatest confidence in the world, they may have a shed of momentum as they defeated Atlanta in their Sunday finale 9-4 and are coming off an off day on Monday.

Action from the Aces

A very fascinating question entering the series is what the performance of the Phillies’ starting pitching will be, as there are some concerns surrounding Phillies’ aces Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler.

Sanchez takes the bump on Tuesday, and he has not been successful in the month of September. Sanchez allowed eight men on base and three runs against Atlanta through six innings on the fourth of the month. Then, on the ninth, he came out against Houston and struggled mightily, allowing six runs in six innings on a whopping 10 hits. It won’t be much easier this time around as Sanchez faces a Nationals lineup that has enjoyed success throughout the season.

In his last outing against Washington, Sanchez pitched a short five innings but only allowed two runs and came out with a win. While that wouldn’t be a level of performance one would like out of the lefty ace, the Phillies have been satisfied with gritty performances out of their starters.

One of those pitchers who’s thrown gritty but successful performances is the man starting the finale on Wednesday, Zack Wheeler. He is coming off a stretch in August where worry skyrocketed over whether his arm was fatigued from surgery, or, even worse, maybe injured again. Since the month changed, Wheeler has delivered two solid performances: six innings of one-run ball against Atlanta and seven innings of one-run ball against Houston.

While questions can certainly still surround the veteran righty given his struggles throughout August, he has shown in his last couple starts that he is still able to perform late in seasons. Adding another performance to that list this Wednesday will do nothing but create greater confidence in the vet come October.

Another Big Moment?

A common factor in games between the Phillies and Nationals this season has been the bountiful amount of big moments. Whether Derek Hill‘s grand slam or the Phillies’ eight-run ninth inning, the Phils have had a knack for the dramatics.

The Nationals have done a good job at battling, forcing the Phillies to show all of their cards right down to the wire. The thing is, though, that the Phillies keep being the team coming out on top. The offense continues to get the clutch knock without shutting down when things get tough. It has worked out as the Phillies enter the series 8-3 against D.C. this season.

While of course in a small two-game series and Washington no longer in legitimate playoff contention, it is possible that no big moments happen. However, that has been a feeling heading into each series.

What’s At Stake

After losing a crucial series against Atlanta over the weekend and now standing five games back in the division, it is reasonable to think that the race is over. However, that does not mean the postseason race is over for the rest of the season. There are still important pieces the Phillies need to fight for.

The Wild Card race is still an open book. The picture currently looks like this: Chicago holds the first spot at an 83-67 record, the same record as Philly. Because Chicago has the season series against Philadelphia, they get the edge if the two teams remain with the same records. Directly behind the Phils are the San Diego Padres, who are 2.5 games back with a record of 81-68.

As San Diego and Arizona battle for the third and final spot, it will likely come down to the Phillies and Cubs for that coveted top position.

That means if the Phillies finish the season strong, they could very well be hosting Chicago in a Wild Card series at Citizens Bank Park. Even with the struggles at home the last two postseasons, battling in CBP would be vastly different than being the second Wild Card team and having to face the Cubs on the road.

Game Times and Broadcasts

Tuesday, September 15th, 6:45 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP

Wednesday, September 16th, 6:45 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Cristopher Sanchez (LHP, 17-5, 2.79 ERA) vs. Jackson Kent (LHP, 1-4, 6.59 ERA)

Game 2: Zack Wheeler (RHP, 12-5, 3.14 ERA) vs. Cade Cavalli (RHP, 12-5, 3.12 ERA)

The Numbers

• Record
  • Phillies: 83-67
  • Nationals: 70-81

• Run Differential
  • Phillies: +31
  • Nationals: +3

• Runs Scored Per Game
  • Phillies: 4.50
  • Nationals: 5.11

• Runs Allowed Per Game
  • Phillies: 4.29
  • Nationals: 5.09

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