Game 82: Phillies at Nats

They should be going for a sweep tonight, but instead the Nationals are hoping Cade Cavalli can help them salvage a four-game split

The Nationals should be going for a four-game sweep tonight. Obviously, they’re not, because each of the last two nights they were unable to record the one remaining strike required to win a game. So instead of going for a sweep of the Phillies tonight, they need a win just to salvage a four-game series split.

Making that challenge even tougher: They’re going up against Philadelphia’s ace. Cristopher Sánchez (who seven years ago was traded from the Rays for a young prospect named Curtis Mead) has been among baseball’s best starters so far this season, going 9-3 with a 1.80 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 105 innings. Lefties are batting .147 with a .360 OPS against him, so best of luck tonight to James Wood and Daylen Lile. CJ Abrams, meanwhile, is still dealing with left side tightness, so he’s not in the lineup but should be available off the bench.

Considering what has transpired the last two nights with their pitching staff – and in particular their bullpen – the Nationals need length tonight from Cade Cavalli. Hopefully, the right-hander is fully recovered from last week’s bout of food poisoning and can be counted on for at least five (ideally more) innings in this game before Blake Butera tries to figure out which relievers he’s going to trust to close it out.

There is one change to that relief corps, by the way. Right-hander Justin Lawrence, who was claimed off waivers from the Twins on Wednesday, has officially joined the roster. He takes the spot held for one day by Carson Palmquist, who was optioned back to Triple-A Rochester after throwing 58 pitches in an impressive outing that should earn the lefty another look at some point in the near future.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Partly cloudy, 84 degrees, 11 mph out to left

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

LHP Cristopher Sánchez

NATIONALS
DH James Wood
3B Curtis Mead
1B Andrés Chaparro
RF Dylan Crews
LF Daylen Lile
CF Jacob Young
SS Nasim Nuñez
2B Jorbit Vivas
C Keibert Ruiz

RHP Cade Cavalli