The remnants of Hurricane Ian that are forecasted to bring inclement weather to the Washington, D.C. area changed the schedule of the Washington Nationals’ four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies this weekend.
The teams will open the series with a doubleheader on Friday, with the first game starting at 1:05 p.m. ET, after a doubleheader was originally planned for Saturday. They will play Friday’s scheduled game at 7:05 p.m., with Saturday’s lone game set for 1:05 p.m. and Sunday’s finale scheduled for 1:35 p.m.
The Phillies (83-72), who are locked in a tight race with the Milwaukee Brewers for the final National League wild-card spot, have defeated the Nationals (54-101) eight straight times and in 13 of their 15 meetings this year.
Philadelphia, however, has lost five straight games and 10 of its past 13 after falling 2-0 to the host Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
“I think we’re pushing too much, pressuring ourselves,” shortstop Jean Segura said. “I think when we’ve got guys in scoring position we’re trying to do too much, including myself. I feel like everybody is trying so hard to get the job done and sometimes when you try too hard the result isn’t going to happen.”
The Nationals will finish in last place in the NL East for the third straight year since winning the World Series in 2019. Washington, which has dropped seven of its past 10 games, is mired in its first 100-loss season since going 59-103 in 2009.
“We all know it (stinks), right?” Washington manager Dave Martinez, whose team had Thursday off, said. “But we have to remember what we’re trying to do here and it’s going to be a process. So moving forward, hopefully this will be the last year we lose 100 games and we get better.”
On Friday afternoon, the Phillies will start right-hander Bailey Falter (5-4, 4.21 ERA), who allowed six runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts and no walks in 3 2/3 innings in a 6-3 loss to the visiting Braves Saturday.
Falter has allowed five runs on 11 hits with 10 strikeouts and two walks over a combined nine innings in his two starts against the Nationals this season, which both resulted in Philadelphia wins although Falter got a no-decision each time.
Right-hander Erick Fedde (6-11, 5.34 ERA) will start for Washington. He allowed four runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and a walk in 5 2/3 innings during a 4-1 loss to the Miami Marlins Saturday.
He’s 2-6 with a 6.19 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 26 walks in 12 appearances (11 starts) against the Phillies in his career. In his lone start against Philadelphia this year, Fedde allowed four runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings of an 8-5 loss on Sept. 10.
In the nightcap, the Phillies will start right-hander Noah Syndergaard (9-10, 4.12 ERA), who has gone 2-0 with a 5.73 ERA against the Nationals since being acquired at the August trade deadline from the Los Angeles Angels. He allowed seven runs on 19 hits with four strikeouts and no walks in 11 innings over his two starts.
The Nationals have yet to announce a starter for the night game.
–Field Level Media
