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Today · 6:45 PM ETLineup pendingNL East

Philadelphia Phillies   vs   Washington Nationals Preview

September 16, 2026

Starting pitchers, lineup status, recent form and weather at Nationals Park.

6:45 PM ET · Nationals ParkStats availableLineups not confirmed
T-Score57
Philadelphia Phillies
83–67 · 2nd NL East · T-Score 57
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First pitch 6:45 PM ET
Washington Nationals
70–81 · 4th NL East · T-Score 49
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T-Score49
First pitch 6:45 PM ET

Matchup at a glance

PitcherStat calculation
CategoryComparisonWhy
Starting pitcherEvenBoth starters enter with comparable season profiles; neither holds a meaningful statistical advantage.
Offense vs handNationalsWashington has produced the stronger offense against right-handed pitching.
WeatherLow impact72°F, wind 6 mph, no precipitation expected at first pitch.

Starting pitchers

PHI
Zack Wheeler RHP
Zack Wheeler
Philadelphia Phillies
2026 season (MLB rank among qualified starters)
ERA
3.14
34th
WHIP
1.07
22nd
K/9
10.80
16th
BB/9
2.83
78th
P-Score69i
FIP
3.65
HR/9
1.26
119th
OPS/R
0.555
IP
143.1
2026 ERA splits
Home ERA2.86
Road ERA3.38
Last 5 starts
WSH
Cade Cavalli RHP
Cade Cavalli
Washington Nationals
2026 season (MLB rank among qualified starters)
ERA
3.12
33rd
WHIP
1.17
56th
K/9
10.60
22nd
BB/9
2.62
58th
P-Score70i
FIP
3.33
HR/9
0.98
62nd
OPS/R
0.611
IP
164.2
2026 ERA splits
Home ERA3.25
Road ERA2.95
Last 5 starts
How the starters differ
·The WHIP gap favors Wheeler, 1.07 to 1.17.
·Cavalli allows the lower home-run rate: 0.98 vs 1.26 per nine.
Advanced starter metricsERA−, FIP, WAR, career vs opponent
MetricWheelerCavalliNote
ERA−7573Park- and league-adjusted; 100 is average.
FIP3.653.33
WAR2.93.6Season value.

How the lineups match the starters' pitch mix

Pitch data coverage: partial. Usage and velocity only.

Wheeler arsenal
PitchUsageVelo
Four-seam36%95.2
Sinker16%94.8
Splitter15%87.4
Sweeper14%81.3
Cutter10%90.8
Curveball8%79.9
Cavalli arsenal
PitchUsageVelo
Four-seam33%96.8
Knuckle Curve27%86.2
Sweeper14%86.3
Sinker13%96.1
Changeup8%89.1
Cutter6%93.5
Slow Curve0%77.6

Team OPS vs opposing starter's hand

Phillies vs RHP (Cade Cavalli)
23rd
in MLB
0.712OPS
.600.700.800.9001.000
Nationals vs RHP (Zack Wheeler)
9th
in MLB
0.739OPS
.600.700.800.9001.000

Lineups

Lineup pendingOrder from the stored snapshot; treat as unofficial until the card is filed.Full lineup page
Lineups not announced

Neither club has posted a batting order. Handedness composition, H-Score leaders and batter-vs-pitcher samples appear here as soon as the first order is filed — typically two to three hours before first pitch.

Team comparison

ResultsPHIPHI·WSHWSH
+24711th
Run differential
+2717th
83–67 Record70–81
Last 10 games
Philadelphia Phillies (0–0)
Washington Nationals (0–0)
2026 head-to-head
Season Series
0—0
0 Games Played

Frequently asked

Who is starting for the Phillies?+
Zack Wheeler is listed as the starter.
Who is starting for the Nationals?+
Cade Cavalli is listed as the starter.
What time does the game start?+
6:45 PM ET at Nationals Park.
Where is the game being played?+
Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals.
Are the lineups confirmed?+
Not yet. Orders appear here when they are posted.
How do the starters compare on P-Score?+
Zack Wheeler is at 69; Cade Cavalli is at 70. P-Score is PitcherStat's 0–100 season index for qualified starters.