The Washington Nationals head to Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, August 4 for a 6:40 PM ET matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies, with right-hander Zack Littell drawing the start against Jesús Luzardo. This is a division game, which means every at-bat carries extra weight — the NL East standings don't care about the calendar, and a road win against Philadelphia is always worth something. Nationals fans can catch the action on Nationals.TV or tune into WJFK 106.7 The Fan.
Pitching Matchup: Littell vs. Luzardo at Citizens Bank Park
Zack Littell gets the ball for Washington. Littell has been a reliable arm in the Nationals' rotation, the kind of pitcher who works efficiently and keeps the team in games. He'll need to be sharp in Philadelphia — Citizens Bank Park is a hitter-friendly environment, and the Phillies have the lineup to do real damage against anyone who leaves pitches over the middle.
On the other side, Jesús Luzardo takes the mound for Philadelphia. Luzardo is a talented left-handed starter with the stuff to dominate when he's on. His fastball-changeup combination gives hitters fits, and the Nationals' lineup will need a disciplined approach to work counts and manufacture traffic against him.
Keys to Watch for the Washington Nationals
- Plate discipline against Luzardo: Luzardo lives on chasing swings, particularly with his changeup away from right-handed hitters. Washington needs to resist the urge to expand the zone early in counts and force him to throw strikes.
- Littell's command in hostile territory: Citizens Bank Park crowds get loud fast. Littell's ability to establish his fastball early and avoid multi-run innings in the first three frames will go a long way toward keeping the Nationals competitive deep into the game.
- Bullpen management: Road games in division against a lineup like Philadelphia's put a premium on not burning through relievers early. If Littell can give Washington five or six innings, the back end of the bullpen can be saved for the right moments.
- Capitalizing on early opportunities: The Phillies' bullpen has its vulnerabilities. If the Nationals can keep the game close into the sixth or seventh inning, there's a real chance to make noise against Philadelphia's relief corps.
Prediction
This is a tough draw. Luzardo at home in Philadelphia is a genuine challenge, and the Nationals will need to play close to a perfect offensive game to steal this one. That said, Littell is capable of a quality outing, and the Nationals have shown they can compete in road environments when the pitching holds up. Expect a tight, low-scoring game that comes down to a handful of at-bats late. Phillies take this one, but Washington makes it interesting — 4-2 Philadelphia.
