PHOENIX — The Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks meet Saturday afternoon for the second game of their three-game series in Phoenix, with the Diamondbacks carrying a 1-0 advantage into Game 2. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. EDT. Oddsmakers list Arizona as a modest favorite at -134 with Washington getting +112, and the total is set at nine runs. This marks the second time the clubs have faced one another this season.
Washington will hand the ball to right-hander Zack Littell, who enters the start with a 5-4 record, a 5.01 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP, and has struck out 35 batters this season. Littell’s numbers reflect a body of work that has shown both length and occasional volatility, and he’ll be tasked with slowing a Diamondbacks lineup that has mixed results at home. On the mound for Arizona is left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez, who has been one of the team’s more consistent starters with a 5-1 record, a 2.24 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP while recording 52 strikeouts. Rodríguez’s recent performances have helped anchor Arizona’s rotation and he will oppose Littell in what the teams hope will set the tone for the middle game of the series.
Shows: Washington Nationals player portrait in team uniform ahead of Game 2 of the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
Arizona enters the matchup with a 33-30 overall record and a 20-13 mark at home. The Diamondbacks’ collective batting average ranks eighth in the National League at .242, a figure that underscores a lineup capable of producing when timing and health align. The club’s offensive production has been uneven lately — their last 10 games show a .205 batting average and a 4.84 ERA for their pitching staff, and the team has been outscored by 20 runs over that span. Those recent struggles have created a narrow margin for error as they look to protect their home field in the middle contest of the series.
Shows: Arizona Diamondbacks player portrait in team uniform ahead of Game 2 of the series against the Washington Nationals in Phoenix.
The Nationals come into the day with a 32-32 record overall and a strong 20-12 mark on the road, a split that highlights how Washington has often been more productive away from its home ballpark. National hitters rank third in the National League with a collective .419 slugging percentage, underlining the club’s reliance on extra-base hits to drive offense. Over their past 10 games the Nationals have a .263 batting average, a 3.84 ERA from their pitchers and they have outscored opponents by 17 runs, a stretch that provides some momentum for Littell and the Washington lineup as they attempt to even the series.
Several individual players have been central to the clubs’ early-season narratives. For Arizona, Ketel Marte has totaled 11 home runs and carries a .458 slugging percentage, leading the team in long balls. Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo has been showing signs of life at the plate recently, going 11 for 36 with a double, a homer and three RBIs over his last 10 games, a stretch that has helped Arizona generate offense in chunks. For Washington, James Wood has been a primary power threat with 15 doubles, 17 home runs and 40 RBIs on the season, while Luis Garcia has contributed in bursts, going 11 for 36 with a double, a triple, four home runs and 15 RBIs over his last 10 games.
Injury reports for both teams reflect a mix of day-to-day concerns and longer-term absences that have shaped roster construction through the early part of the season. The Diamondbacks list Ildemaro Vargas as day-to-day with a thigh issue. A number of players are on extended injured lists, including Jordan Lawlar (60-day IL, wrist), Corbin Burnes (60-day IL, elbow), Cristian Mena (60-day IL, shoulder), Carlos Santana (60-day IL, groin), A.J. Puk (60-day IL, elbow), Blake Walston (60-day IL, elbow), Andrew Saalfrank (60-day IL, shoulder) and Justin Martinez (60-day IL, elbow). Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is on the 10-day IL with a hamstring issue, and James McCann is out on the 10-day IL with a quadriceps concern.
Washington’s disabled list includes several pitchers with long-term timelines. Trevor Williams is on the 60-day IL with an elbow injury, as are Ken Waldichuk (60-day IL, forearm), Josiah Gray (60-day IL, elbow), Max Kranick (60-day IL, elbow), and DJ Herz (60-day IL, elbow). Jake Irvin is listed on the 15-day IL with a shoulder issue. Those absences have required the Nationals to rely on depth and spot-starters while managing workloads across the pitching staff. For both clubs, the list of injured players has played a significant role in roster decisions and how each team approaches the series matchup.
Saturday’s game will offer an early test of balance between Arizona’s home performance and Washington’s road strength, with two starting pitchers who present very different season-long numbers. Bettors and fans will watch how each lineup responds to the opposing starter, and whether either team’s recent form — Arizona struggling offensively over the last 10 games and Washington showing a positive run differential in the same span — carries into the afternoon in Phoenix. The winner of Game 2 will draw within reach of the series outcome as the clubs head into Sunday’s finale.