How Each Possible Result Could Affect the Nationals in Their Series Against Phillies
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The Washington Nationals are coming off their first series loss since the beginning of the month after they dropped two out of three against the Tampa Bay Rays.
There's no time for the Nationals to dwell on what could have been, though, as they had to leave Florida on Sunday to get ready for their monster four-game set at home against their division rival Philadelphia Phillies that is scheduled to get underway on Monday.
With a record of 40-38 entering this series, it feels like this could be a pivotal matchup for Washington when it comes to their playoff chances. And because of that, I've decided to dive into what each potential scenario coming out of this set could mean.
Nationals Sweep Phillies
This would clearly be the best possible scenario. Not only would that give the Nationals a 44-38 record, which would put them six games above .500 for the first time since their World Series-winning season in 2019, but it would also likely push them to the top of the NL Wild Card standings barring what happens with the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs during this same stretch.
Beyond the record and playoff positioning, it would also mean that the quartet of Foster Griffin, Zack Littell, Cade Cavalli and Miles Mikolas performed well during their starts, as those four are scheduled to pitch during this series. That would be a major plus for Washington. Litell has regressed during June with an ERA of 7.71. Cavalli has also not been sharp with an ERA of 5.60. And Mikolas has been tagged at different times throughout the year. So for the Nationals to win all four of these games with this group of starters set to pitch, then that would be massive.
Nationals Win Three Games
Winning this four-game series would be a statement for Washington. Their division rivals have come into this matchup with tons of momentum, as Philadelphia just demolished the New York Mets by a cumulative score of 25-11.
By winning three games in this series, the Nationals would sit with a 43-39 record. That would keep them in the running for a playoff spot entering the final stages of June, which would set themselves up nicely with a soft remaining schedule heading into the All-Star break.
Nationals Split This Series
This is probably the most likely scenario for Washington. They are set to face both Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo, which will make it difficult to secure wins. However, they are also set to face a bullpen game from the Phillies and will go against Aaron Nola, which are winnable matchups.
If the Nationals were to split this series, that wouldn't be a bad thing. They would remain two games above .500 and they would still likely hover around the final Wild Card spot depending on how the other teams perform over the next few days. If that's the result coming out of this set, that would be a huge plus.
Nationals Lose Three Games Out of Four
Dropping three out of four against Philadelphia would be a tough pill to swallow. Not only would that put their record back to .500, but it would also give the Phillies a boost in the NL Wild Card standings and an advantage in the head-to-head category.
It would likely also mean that this offense and pitching staff struggled, too, which would not be a good sign heading into the key part of the summer where playoff teams begin to separate themselves from other teams around the league.
Nationals Get Swept by Phillies
This would be a disaster. Not only would that put Washington two games below .500 after they worked so hard to secure a winning record. But it would also push them down the playoff picture and prove they are not a serious contender for the postseason.
Hopefully that doesn't happen. With Griffin and Cavalli set to pitch in this series, Washington has at least two starters who have been good enough throughout this campaign to give their team a chance to win. And with an explosive offense backing them up, getting swept across these four games should not happen.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai