Philadelphia Phillies vs Washington Nationals

Philadelphia Phillies at Washington Nationals (2026-06-22). Tim Mayza vs Foster Griffin at Nationals Park.

Tim Mayza, a left-handed pitcher for the Phillies, has maintained a strong 2.97 ERA and 0.99 WHIP over 33.1 innings this season, demonstrating excellent control with a 1.89 BB/9 and an 8.91 K/9. His recent outings show a consistent trend of scoreless appearances, with zero earned runs allowed in his last five starts, all of which were short relief stints of one or two innings, indicating he is not typically used as a traditional starter. Conversely, Foster Griffin, also a left-hander for the Nationals, has posted a 3.32 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 84 innings in 15 starts, with a K/9 of 8.57 and a BB/9 of 2.46. Griffin's ERA has shown an upward trend recently, and while he has a 33.3% quality start percentage, his last start against the Braves saw him give up 3 earned runs over 6 innings, following a 4-run outing against the Pirates.

The Phillies' offense has been moderate, with a .232 batting average and a .696 OPS, scoring 329 runs this season, while their pitching staff holds a 4.06 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP with a solid 9.52 K/9. The Nationals' offense has been more productive, boasting a .246 batting average and a .741 OPS, accumulating 416 runs, but their pitching staff has a higher 4.64 ERA and 1.39 WHIP, with a lower 7.68 K/9. The Nationals' hitting statistics suggest they are capable of generating more offense compared to the Phillies, while the Phillies' pitching has been more effective overall.

Recent head-to-head matchups between these two teams in 2025 were closely contested, with the Phillies holding a slight edge in wins. The total line for this game is set at 9.5 runs, which appears to align with the Nationals' higher offensive output and their pitching staff's higher ERA, potentially suggesting a game with more scoring opportunities, especially considering Mayza's role as an opener rather than a deep-inning starter.