The Nationals Enter Philly Series Looking to Regain Momentum
The Nationals head into their road series against the Philadelphia Phillies riding a wave of mixed emotions. After a chaotic four-game split with the New York Mets, D.C. fans are still trying to process what just happened.
That Mets series had everything. A walk-off win thanks to a defensive miscue. A blowout loss that looked more like a football score. A shutout. And two games decided by just a single run. It was unpredictable, exhausting, and very on-brand for early-season baseball.
Now, the Nats turn their attention to a familiar foe, the division-rival Phillies. It’s still early, but there’s a lot on the line. A series sweep would bring Washington back to the .500 mark, and let’s be honest. There’s nothing sweeter than taking down Philly in their own ballpark.
Here are three things you need to know heading into this series:
1. The Nationals are 4 and 9 on the road
The Nationals play better at home than they do on the road, and the numbers show it. At Nationals Park, they hit for a higher average, get on base more, and hit with more power. They score 4.3 runs per game at home compared to just 3.7 on the road, and they hit more home runs and steal more bases in front of their home crowd. CJ Abrams and James Wood also perform slightly better at home. Abrams is hitting .280 at home vs. .270 on the road, and Wood is at .265 vs. .250. Luis García Jr. has also struggled more on the road, batting just .220 compared to .260 at home.
2. The Phillies walk a lot
The Phillies have been one of the most patient teams at the plate this season, ranking 3rd in the MLB with 120 walks. That could spell trouble for a Nationals pitching staff that gives up the 7th most walks in baseball.
The truth is it’s been a problem across the entire roster. Things get even worse late in games. Philadelphia leads the league with 55 walks drawn after the 7th inning, while Washington’s bullpen has allowed the 3rd most walks in baseball at 58. Two of the biggest threats? Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, both tied for 3rd in the majors with 23 walks each. That’s a dangerous combo for a Nationals team that already struggles to close games cleanly.
3. Bullpen break won’t fix Phillies ERA problem
The Phillies enter this series well rested after having the day off yesterday, which gives their bullpen a bit of a breather. Outside of Jordan Romano, José Alvarado, and Orion Kerkering. Who’ve seen heavier usage, manager Rob Thomson will have plenty of fresh arms to work with.
Most of the bullpen is effectively coming off two full days of rest. But rest doesn’t always equal results. Despite the time off, the Phillies bullpen has been one of the worst in baseball so far this season, ranking second to last with a 5.28 ERA. Even with options available, consistency has been hard to come by late in games.
The Nationals weaknesses could be on full display in this series, especially with the Phillies thriving at home (8–3) and Washington continuing to struggle on the road. The outcome might seem predictable. But this Nationals team has shown real growth since Opening Day, and a tough road series like this could be the perfect test of how far they’ve come.