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The Philadelphia Phillies will square off against the Washington Nationals for a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies will look to bounce back after a defeat against the New York Mets in their last game on Thursday.
Despite the loss, the NL East leaders hold the best record in the MLB (31-14). The Nationals are third in the NL East and will enter this game on a two-game losing skid.
Phillies vs Nationals Preview
Game 1 is scheduled to take place on Friday at 6:40 PM EDT. The game can be watched on MASN and NBCSP. For those who want to stream the game online, tune into Fox Sports.
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This could turn out to be an unbalanced game as the Nationals are no match for the dominating Phillies on paper. The Nationals hold a 20-22 record and lost their last two games against the struggling Chicago White Sox.
Phillies vs Nationals Pitching Matchups
The hosts will turn to their ace Zach Wheeler to secure a victory in their first game. Wheeler is coming in strong with a 4-3 record and a 2.53 ERA. The righty has 65 strikeouts in 53.1 innings pitched. Wheeler holds a spectacular WHIP of 0.99.
The Nationals will deliver Jake Irvin to the mound for Game 1. Irvin has a 2-3 record with a 3.55 ERA. In 45-plus innings pitched, Wheeler has recorded 36 strikeouts. The right-handed pitcher has a 1.09 WHIP.
Phillies vs Nationals Players to Watch
Bryce Harper
Bryce Harper has gone deep for his team on several occasions. The two-time MVP has smashed a team-high 10 home runs and 32 RBIs.
Alec Bohm
Alec Bohm has been productive this season and is slashing .333/ .400/ .921 from the plate. Bohm leads his team with 36 RBIs in 165 at-bats.
C.J. Abrams
C.J. Abrams leads the Nationals with seven home runs. Abrams has 20 RBI in 157 at-bats.
Jesse Winker
Jesse Winker has contributed to the Nationals' offense and is slashing .228/ .346/ and .721. Winker is one of those players to watch out for in this game.
Phillies vs Nationals Prediction
It's going to be a challenge for Irvin to go up against a hot-hitting team. The Phillies have scored 24 runs in their last four games and with Wheeler on the mound, they are predicted to win Game 1 against the Nationals.
