The Philadelphia Phillies vie for the three-game sweep when they visit the Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon.
The Phillies smacked three home runs in an 11-6 win on Saturday, including the second in two games for Kyle Schwarber.
Philadelphia right-hander Aaron Nola (14-8, 3.57 ERA in 2024) opposes Washington left-hander Mitchell Parker (7-10, 4.29 ERA last season) in the series finale.
Nola, 31, is coming off a solid spring in which he allowed just three earned runs on nine hits over 14 2/3 innings while striking out 17 batters. He made 33 starts last season and pitched 199 1/3 innings to go with 197 strikeouts.
Against the Nationals in his career, Nola is 10-8 with a 3.62 ERA in 33 starts. He was 3-0 against Washington with a 1.85 ERA in four starts last season.
Parker made one start in Triple A in 2024 and was called up to join the Nationals. He gets his turn on Sunday against a Phillies team that has scored 18 runs in two games.
Washington’s starters have been solid, but the bullpen has taken a beating. On Saturday, Jake Irvin allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks over five innings, but the Phillies teed off on Washington relievers, who allowed nine runs on seven hits and six walks over four innings.
“You can’t walk eight, nine guys in a game and expect to win,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “We’ve got to throw strikes, pound the zone like we normally do. You walk guys, give free passes with a team like that? You’re going to get beat. They’re going to score a lot of runs.”
The bullpen has given up 16 runs (15 earned) in eight innings, issuing 12 walks and giving up four homers.
Catcher Keibert Ruiz hit his second home run in as many games for Washington, and newcomers Ahmed Rosario and Nathaniel Lowe also went deep on Saturday. However, five Nationals regulars still are looking for their first hit of the season.
“We didn’t play for four days (between the spring training finale and Opening Day). I kind of figured the timing was going to be a little off,” Martinez said. “We started swinging a little bit better. I really feel like we’re going to hit. We’re going to score runs.”
On Saturday Jesus Luzardo pitched five solid innings in his Philadelphia debut, Brandon Marsh belted a three-run homer among his three hits, and Bryson Stott had a homer and a double, walked twice and scored three runs.
Stott, who did not have a double and homer in the same game last season, went deep on a low-and-in curveball from Irvin.
“That was a pitch last year that I struggled with,” Stott said, “and just to see it come to life again two days in is awesome.”
The Phillies may be without shortstop Trea Turner and catcher J.T. Realmuto on Sunday. Turner was scratched an hour before Saturday’s game due to a back spasm. Realmuto was removed for precautionary reasons in the seventh inning after fouling a ball off his left foot. X-rays were negative.
“We’ll check them out tomorrow but I’m not gonna put them in any type of danger at this point,” manager Rob Thomson said. “We’ll know more tomorrow but I’m gonna be really careful.”
–Field Level Media
