Time for a good old-fashioned getaway day rubber match. After Monday’s beatdown by the Nationals, the Phillies got their revenge on Tuesday night with a 3-2 win. Now they’ll send their top pitching talents to the mound on Wednesday to decide who takes home the series and sets the tone for the season between these two divisional rivals.
First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET. The Phillies are massive -259 moneyline favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. A Nationals upset is priced at +209. The game total is set at O/U 8.5 runs.
Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this Nationals-Phillies game.
Nationals vs. Phillies Preview
Few teams could ask for a better starter to take the mound than Cristopher Sanchez. The Phillies ace hurled six scoreless innings on Opening Day, striking out 10 and walking none while picking up a win. He’ll look to make it two elite starts in two tries as the NL Cy Young hopeful builds on a stellar Opening Day.
Sanchez’s arsenal is simple yet brutally effective. 83% of the time, you’re seeing a sinker or a changeup; both have velocity and movement, and he can locate them where he wants. Sanchez also mixes in a bendy slider. 58.5% of plate appearances against Sanchez last season resulted in ground balls, a 96th-percentile mark among starting pitchers. Despite that, he struck out over 200 batters. In short, he can get you out however he wants.
Opposite Sanchez, Cade Cavalli will try to keep pace on the mound for the Nationals. A former first-round pick and top prospect in Washington’s system, Cavalli is continuing a comeback from injuries that nearly ended his career. After making one start in 2022, Cavalli missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons with a series of arm injuries. Last year, he made a triumphant return, albeit with mixed results on the mound.
He showed off elite velocity with a 97 MPH average on his fastball and generated a ton of ground balls with his big curveball. However, his inability to miss bats and tendency to give up hard contact led to an expected ERA of 4.16. But for a guy coming off two years on the shelf, that’s pretty darn good. He continued his mixed bag on Opening Day against the Cubs, pitching only 3.2 innings while giving up three hits, three walks, and two earned runs. However, he struck out five and kept his team in the lead. Now he faces another tough task opposite Sanchez and this veteran Phillies lineup.
Baseball is a funny sport. The Phillies have Bryce Harper, a former MVP, and Kyle Schwarber, the runner-up this past season. Other veteran bats like Trea Turner make this a solid lineup on paper. However, it’s the Nationals putting up the crooked numbers to start the year. Hot starts from players like Keibert Ruiz, Daylen Lile, and Brady House have been key. But nobody has stunned more than Joey Wiemer; a scrap-heap offseason addition, Wiemer was the toughest man to retire in baseball to begin the season.
There’s your NL MVP at the five-game mark. Only 157 to go.
Philly brings one of the best starters in the game against a hot lineup. Washington’s starter has plenty of questions, as does Philly’s lineup. That makes this one interesting.
Nationals vs. Phillies Pick, Best Bet
I’m loving this early Nationals run. But the wind comes out of your sails awfully fast when you face Cristopher Sanchez. I expect him to erase this Nationals lineup, and his offense will back him up enough to carry things to the bullpen and secure the win.
