The Phillies are currently 2.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East after losing two of three over the weekend. The gap between teams was evident with how Philadelphia performed during the series.
Now the team will be heading to Washington to face the Nationals in one of the most critical series they have had all year. With the team at a turning point on which way they are going to go, they will have to prove that they are good enough to contend in the division. In what has become a two-team race for the NL East, the Phillies will need to close the margin with plenty of baseball still left.