Red-hot Nats chasing down Phillies in weekend series in Tampa Bay

Curtis Mead of the Washington Nationals celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run in the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals

The Nationals, disregarding their 1st series of the month, are on an 8-4 tear as we head into the second half of June. They find themselves sitting just 1.0 game back of the 2nd place Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East race, and currently hold the last Wild Card spot. After winning their 4th straight series against the Kansas City Royals, they now have a chance to go for 5 in a row against the Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays have not had the best of months so far, and have lost 5 of their last 6 games. They still pose a legitimate threat and are certainly not an opponent that should be overlooked. Their 41-30 record sees them firmly in control of the top Wild Card spot, and they remain 3.0 games back of the division lead.

TBR: RHP Griffin Jax (1-5, 3.68 ERA)

Cade Cavalli was the intended starter for the series opener, but an illness has Poulin stepping in to make the spot start. Brad Lord could be the bulk man, with Poulin’s night not expected to last that long. The southpaw’s season has been quite effective to this point, with a low-3.00s ERA through 27.1 innings. He’s been one of the team’s best relievers and openers since the beginning of May and will have to face a tough Rays offense on short notice.

Jax has spent most of his career as a late-inning reliever, including keeping that role for the first month and a half of 2026, but Tampa Bay has pushed him into the rotation as of late. He’s been steady outside of one blowup start to begin June, and while his arsenal isn’t as electric as it normally is in single-inning spurts, he’s been able to consistently work 4-5 innings. No known starter for Game 2 could result in a longer leash for Jax, as they need to preserve their bullpen arms.

WSH: RHP Miles Mikolas (2-5, 5.29 ERA)

Mikolas is coming off the heels of his best start in 2026 by far and looks more like a reliable arm every time he takes the mound. He’s consistently utilized an opener, a pattern that could continue on Saturday, but trust in the veteran continues to grow. An uptick in velocity and much improved pitch movement and command has walked him back from the brink of DFA territory, with his next appearance being another important test.

Tampa Bay has yet to list a starter for Saturday afternoon’s contest, with their bullpen depth likely to get tested. How far Jax goes in Game 1 could alter how their coaching staff approaches the game, with a short outing from the righty giving Washington a matchup advantage with a tired Rays’ bullpen.

WSH: LHP Andrew Alvarez (1-0, 3.49 ERA)

TBR: RHP Nick Martinez (6-2, 2.60 ERA)

The Nats have to like what they’ve seen from Alvarez since entering the rotation, despite not being a guy who can work into the later innings. He often just goes 4.0 innings before handing it off to the bullpen, but the innings he’s giving them have been more than good enough. Cutting down the baserunners will be crucial against a team in the Rays who are proficient at small ball as well.

Martinez had been tinkered with as a starter for a couple of years, but, as they always seem to do, the Rays’ pitching lab has fully unlocked the 35-year-old. He’s pitching to his lowest ERA as a starter across 14 games, but his last 4 starts have begun to show cracks in his armor. He currently sports a 6.61 ERA in June, and hitters are taking advantage of his lack of strikeout stuff, an area the Nats have thrived.