Fighting for relevance

The Nats continue to languish on the fringes of the NL East and thus in the hopes of fans. Corbin had pitche d a decent game but unraveled in the 6th. The Nats were held in check by Tucker Davidson. Offense stunk. Starter not good enough. We've heard this story before. The Nats aren't hitting enough XBH (12 in past week) or getting enough walks (21 though 8 are Soto alone - the Nats OBP in the past week without Soto is .271). Some other guys are actually hitting - Zimm, Schwarber, Gomes again. But Turner isn't and Bell, Harrison, and Robles (and Avila and Yadiel) are terrible. and that on balance swing towards bad. 

 The Nats got a split but a split isn't good enough - not against a team themselves struggling to be over .500. No, you gotta beat the under .500 teams on the road now or else you'll never make up enough ground and thus we come to the Phillies. An under .500 team that we all thought might be under .500 playing pretty consistent under .500 ball. This is who they are especially with Bryce and Didi out and expected back maybe later next week. 

Since last the Nats played the Phillies, Bryce went eventually out from taking a ball to the face and wrist and Maton, as expected, stopped hitting, but everyone else has kept up, Cutch remained hitting and Herrera came back and even if he's hitting a little above his head he replaces some terrible bats. They sit kind of average but have been mostly all or nothing. They've been 3 or under 10 times in 15 games since playing the Nats but 6 or over 5 times. Cutch is hot as is Herrera.  Superstar Brad Miller is cold. 

The Nats miss Eflin, who was good at the time but is starting to scuffle and Nola who is pitching as well as he always does but is getting no luck. In the pen Archie Bradley came back and is decent - but the overworked Coonrod's luck finally caught up to him leaving the pen no deeper than the 3 man (Neris and Alvarado) show it was 2 weeks ago. 

Probables

Max Scherzer vs Zach Wheeler - pop a bowl of popcorn and enjoy. Hopefully.  I said before I'm very shocked Wheeler has become an ace but he has, giving the Phillies a surprise bargain and what should have been a bit boost to their chances. Control, Ks, no hits, no homers. Good luck Nats. Max is Max.  Good luck Phillies

Joe Ross vs Spencer Howard - Howard is the Phillies best (only?) pitching prospect and finally got a chance to fill in the 5th spot a couple starts ago. He's been ok.  He struggles with control but guys don't get good hits off him. Still no homers this year. Even if the Nats don't touch him up he's still stretching out so chances are the Nats will get to see the middle of the Phillies pen. That should be enough unless Ross is bad but that's always a possibility.

? vs Velasquez - this would be Stras' spot. Fedde is not quite ready (his rehab start got pushed back) and Davey said he won't start but he could be up and pitch a couple relief innings but who knows now.  Would it matter if he started and pitched two? I don't get it.  Anyway expect some sort of relief game. You'll see Voth and Espino and some others. That's not good but on the other side you have Vince Velsquez. He's got talent - he was on his way to "Pitcher of May" before getting blow'd up on the 31st - but he can't consistently put it together. He's never gotten his control down so if he gets touched up for homers things get rough and that happens to him. But the Nats don't hit homers so this will likely come down to what is more powerful Velasquez' wildness or the Nats' impatience. 

Nats need 2. Don't care that it's away. If they are better than, not equal to, this sub .500 team they need to show it.