Game 115: Nats at Phillies

With James Wood now on the IL, the Nationals will need somebody to step up offensively and help snap a six-game losing streak

PHILADELPHIA – The trade deadline has passed, and the rest of the 2026 season beckons. What that will look like for the Nationals remains to be seen, but given their current six-game losing streak and the trades of Luis García Jr. and Foster Griffin, it’s not hard to imagine the focus around here could shift to the future over the present.

Of more immediate concern, though, is the loss of James Wood, who was placed on the 10-day IL this afternoon with a mild left oblique strain. You can read the full story on that situation here. Taking Wood’s place on the active roster is Andrew Pinckney, who has had his contract purchased from Triple-A Rochester, though he’s not in the lineup tonight.

On the pitching side of things, the Nationals have another new arm in the bullpen: Will Dion. The left-hander, one of the four players acquired from the Guardians on Monday, has 12 games of big-league experience this season, striking out 25 while walking only three. He replaces Eddy Yean, who was optioned to Triple-A Rochester after the game.

And with the lefty-heavy Phillies lineup, Blake Butera will go with Carson Palmquist as the opener in front of Zack Littell. Palmquist opened against Philadelphia earlier this summer and tossed three scoreless innings before giving up a run in the fourth. We’ll see how far Butera is willing to push him tonight against a lineup that now includes Luis Arraez, whose acquisition has bumped a bunch of guys into new positions, including Bryce Harper, who is back in right field for the first time since 2022.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 6:40 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Partly cloudy, 85 degrees, wind 6 mph right to left

NATIONALS
RF Dylan Crews
1B Andrés Chaparro
3B Brady House
DH CJ Abrams
C Harry Ford
CF Jacob Young
LF Daylen Lile
SS Nasim Nuñez
2B Jorbit Vivas

LHP Carson Palmquist

PHILLIES
DH Kyle Schwarber
SS Trea Turner
RF Bryce Harper
2B Luis Arraez
1B Alec Bohm
C JT Realmuto
LF Brandon Marsh
3B Bryson Stott
CF Justin Crawford

LHP Jesús Luzardo