Nats Battle Phillies Ace for Series Split

**SPEAKER_1** (0:00)
It's June 25th. This is Washington Nationals News Today Team News, powered by AI.
The Nationals are facing a tough challenge tonight, trying to avoid a sweep against the Phillies. They've dropped the last two games in really close contests, so a win tonight would at least give them a split in the series. It's not going to be easy though, with the Phillies sending out their ace, Christopher Sanchez, who's been lights out all season. On the Nats' side, there's some shuffling in the lineup due to injuries. CJ. Abrams is out again with that side issue, though he might be available off the bench.
Nassim Nunez is stepping in as shortstop, Jorbit Vivas is at second, and Curtis Mead is covering third. With a lefty pitcher for the Phillies, Andres Chaparro gets a start at first base, James Wood is the designated hitter, and the outfield will.
Featured Daylon Lyle, Jacob Young, and Dillon Cruz. Meanwhile, the Phillies are making a few adjustments too. Kyle Schwarber is back in the lineup as the designated hitter, Bryce Harper is moving over to first base, and Alec Bohm is back at third. Edmundo Sosa is sitting this one out against the right-handed pitcher. It's all set up for a big matchup with Sanchez on the mound for Philadelphia. The Nats really needed to get a win yesterday, but the bullpen couldn't hold it. A split series would be a decent outcome at this point, especially after those tough losses. They're hoping Cade Cavalli can bounce back tonight after a rough outing in his last start. This game is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time at Nationals Park. It's a crucial game for the Nats to try and get some momentum back and end this series on a positive note.