The Phillies and Nationals are set to face off in an NL East matchup at 3:05 PM ET at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. The money line odds have the Phillies at -179 compared to the Nationals at +150. The over/under line is currently 7.5 runs.
Philadelphia will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak and is 94-67 overall, while the Nationals have won two straight and are 71-90. Jake Irvin is starting for the Phillies, and he is facing off against an Aaron Nola. MASN is carrying this one on TV.
Philadelphia vs. Washington Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Phillies at Nationals
- Where: Nationals Park Washington
- Date: Sunday, September 29th
- Betting Odds PHI -179 | WSH +150 O/U 7.5
Phillies vs Nationals Last Game Recap
Washington picked up a 6-3 win over the Phillies in the most recent game of this series. The Nationals had a big 8th inning, scoring four of their six runs. As for the Phillies, they scored their only three runs in the 9th. Heading into the game, the Nationals were at +173 on the money line.
MacKenzie Gore got the start for the Nationals, going six innings and striking out nine without giving up a run. He picked up a win in the game, while Jose A. Ferrer closed things out. Zack Wheeler had a rough outing for the Phillies, giving up two earned runs in 6 1/3 innings of work.
James Wood and Joey Gallo each homered for the Nationals, while Keibert Ruiz went 2/4 with two RBIs. Dylan Crews also had a two-hit game at the plate.
Phillies Preview
Philadelphia is 94-67 overall and leads the NL East by five games over the Braves. They have dropped two straight games and are down 0-2 in the series against the Nationals heading into the final game of the regular season.
The Phillies have an over/under record of 15-16 when the total line is 7.5 runs. Their games have averaged 9 runs this season, with an over/under record of 77-75. In games with a total line higher than 7.5, the over has hit 72% of the time, and the current over streak is at four games.
Right-hander Aaron Nola is getting the start for the Phillies today as he faces the Nationals on the road. He has made 32 starts this season and has a record of 13-8 with a 3.52 ERA. Nola's WHIP for the season is currently 1.18. In his 32 appearances, he has turned in 20 quality starts. Nola's most recent outing came on September 23rd, where he picked up the win, going six innings and giving up two earned runs. Before that, he had lost three straight starts. Per nine innings, Nola is averaging 8.8 strikeouts and just 2.32 walks.
Philadelphia comes into the game as one of the league's top offenses, averaging 4.8 runs per game, which is 5th in the MLB. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.1 runs per game. Overall, the Phillies are 7th in the league in home runs and have the 4th best team batting average in the league.
Kyle Schwarber has been one of the league's top power hitters this season, as his 38 home runs are 6th in the league. However, he is just 4/23 in his last six games. Nick Castellanos has been hot of late, going 10/20 in his last six games and is currently on a nine-game hitting streak. For the season, he is batting .257.
Nationals Preview
Washington has struggled this season, with an overall record of 71-90 and a 3-7 record in their last 10 games. They are currently on a two-game winning streak, having won the first two games of their series against the Phillies. The Nationals are 38-42 at home and 33-48 on the road.
Against the run line, the Nationals have a solid 89-72 record and are 76-57 as underdogs. Their games have averaged 8.8 runs this season, and the over has hit in their last three games. The over/under record for games with a total of 7.5 runs is 17-12, and 79.5% of their games have had higher total lines than today's 7.5-run line.
Jake Irvin will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Cubs, as he gave up five earned runs in four innings of work. In that outing, he gave up three homers. Coming into the game, he had a home run in three straight starts. Irvin's record for the season is 10-13, and he has an ERA of 4.22. Looking at his overall numbers, Irvin has made 32 starts, and opponents are batting .238 this season. For the year, he has made 16 quality starts. Per nine innings, Irvin is averaging 7.51 strikeouts and 2.41 walks.
Washington's offense has been one of the worst in the league this season, as they are 25th in runs per game (4.1) and have the 26th ranked home run total. As a team, the Nationals are batting .243, which is 12th in the league, but their on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS are all in the bottom third of the league. One thing they have done well is avoid strikeouts, as they have the 5th fewest strikeouts in the league.
Luis Garcia Jr. and CJ Abrams have been the Nationals' top power threats this season, as Abrams has a team-high 20 homers, and Garcia is right behind him with 17. Garcia also leads the team with 68 RBIs. Over his last nine games, James Wood is hitting .303 with two homers and four RBIs.
Phillies vs. Nationals Prediction: Nationals ML +150
Our predictions for this Phillies vs. Nationals matchup is to take the Nationals on the money line, with a payout of +150. We have the Nationals winning this one by a score of 5-4, and with the over/under sitting at 7.5 runs, there isn't a lot of wiggle room.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we actually have Jake Irvin finishing with more strikeouts than Aaron Nola. Our projections have Irvin finishing with five K's and Nola with six. However, if you're looking at Nola, his chances of picking up the win are better, as he ranks sixth among starters.
