Nationals Look to Clinch Series Win in Sunday Rubber Game Against Diamondbacks

Setting the Stage at Nationals Park

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals meet Sunday afternoon in a series-deciding rubber game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., capping a three-game set that has been split evenly through the first two contests. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET, with the game airing on Nationals.TV, Dbacks.TV, and MLB.TV.

Arizona arrives in the nation's capital at 55-50 on the season — a club that entered the weekend sitting second in the NL West and firmly in the thick of postseason contention. Washington, meanwhile, stands at 53-52, occupying third place in the NL East but riding a wave of recent momentum that has them just above the .500 mark at home.

How the Series Got Here: A Split Through Two Games

The series opened Friday in Arizona's favor. All-Star Eduardo Rodríguez bounced back from what had been his worst outing of the season, and catcher Gabriel Moreno delivered the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly as the Diamondbacks edged the Nationals 3-2 to take Game 1. It was a methodical, low-scoring affair that underscored Arizona's ability to grind out road wins.

Saturday told a very different story. The Nationals struck back decisively, defeating Arizona 5-3 in front of an announced crowd of 30,032 at Nationals Park. Shortstop CJ Abrams was the offensive catalyst, going 3-for-4 with a double, a solo home run, three RBI, and a run scored in an all-around dominant performance. On the mound, Foster Griffin was effective enough, earning his 12th win of the season after limiting Arizona to three runs over 6.2 innings. That victory evened the series at one game apiece and set up Sunday's winner-take-all finale.

With the split in hand, Washington also claimed a 3-2 edge in the full 2026 season series against Arizona heading into the rubber game — a small but meaningful psychological edge as both clubs fight to close out the series on top.

The Pitching Matchup: Experience vs. Freshness

Sunday's pitching duel presents a compelling contrast in profiles. Arizona will send left-hander Kohl Drake to the mound. Drake carries a pristine 1.80 ERA and a 0-0 record, but those numbers come with a significant caveat: he was recalled from Triple-A Reno on July 21, and Sunday marks his first major-league start since that promotion. He is, by any measure, an unproven commodity at this level, and Washington's lineup will be looking to exploit any early nerves or command issues from the young southpaw.

Washington counters with veteran right-hander Miles Mikolas, whose 2026 campaign has been a frustrating one. Mikolas is 3-7 with a 5.60 ERA, numbers that suggest a pitcher who has struggled to consistently miss bats or limit damage. Despite his experience and durability, Mikolas enters Sunday's start as the more demonstrably vulnerable arm — an observation that likely informs why Arizona is installed as the road favorite despite Washington's home-field advantage and recent series momentum.

Key Hitters: Abrams, García, Marte, and Moreno Lead the Way

On Washington's side, the offensive case begins and ends with CJ Abrams, who has compiled 111 hits and 79 RBI on the season. His Saturday heroics were not an anomaly — Abrams has been a consistent, high-contact, high-production presence in the middle of the Nationals' order all year. Alongside him, Luis García Jr. has been a steady power threat, batting .275 with 21 home runs and 70 RBI, giving Washington a dangerous one-two punch at the heart of the lineup.

For the Diamondbacks, catcher Gabriel Moreno has been quietly one of the NL's most productive backstops in 2026, hitting .311 with 84 hits and 39 RBI. Second baseman Ketel Marte anchors the offense with 18 home runs, 103 hits, and 60 RBI, making him Arizona's most reliable run-producer. Both offenses carry enough firepower to make Sunday's finale competitive from the opening pitch.

One situational wrinkle that analysts have flagged is Washington's strong track record against left-handed starting pitching this season. The Nationals have reportedly posted a notably high slugging percentage in those matchups, a split that could spell trouble for the rookie Drake if he struggles to establish his fastball command early. Arizona's road offensive numbers have also been a concern, adding another layer to the matchup advantage that Washington theoretically holds.

What's at Stake for Both Clubs

For the Nationals, Sunday's game carries a cluster of meaningful milestones. A victory would give Washington its 20th series win of the 2026 season, its seventh home series win, and its third consecutive series victory — a notable run of sustained success for a club that not long ago was widely viewed as still in a rebuilding phase. The Nationals have also been exceptional in rubber games specifically, posting an impressive 12-5 record in series-deciding contests this year, a sign that this team has the mental fortitude to close out series.

Arizona, for its part, is not without urgency. The Diamondbacks, sitting at 55-50 and competing for playoff positioning in the NL West, cannot afford to cede ground by dropping a winnable road series. Despite entering as 1.5-run favorites, they face a Washington club that is playing its best baseball of recent weeks, in a park where the home offense has shown it can erupt. For Arizona, a road series win would represent a valuable confidence booster heading into a stretch of games against NL Central competition.

Following Sunday's finale, Arizona travels to Pittsburgh for a three-game set beginning Monday, while Washington welcomes the Toronto Blue Jays to Nationals Park. Both teams face busy schedules in the days ahead, making Sunday's rubber game not just a series-decider but a potential momentum-setter for the coming week.

What remains unclear

• The final score and outcome of Sunday's July 26 game are not yet available — first pitch was at 1:35 p.m. ET and the game had not concluded at the time of research.
• Kohl Drake's complete MLB track record and full scouting profile beyond his ERA are not fully established given his limited big-league experience.
• Injury reports for both rosters heading into Sunday have not been fully detailed in the sources consulted.
• Bullpen availability and potential pitching changes for either team are unknown.
• Whether Arizona's 55-50 record reflects their pre-game or post-Saturday record requires confirmation — minor discrepancies appear across sources (some list them at 55-49).

What happens next

The outcome of Sunday's rubber game will send both teams in separate directions. Arizona heads to Pittsburgh for a three-game series against the Pirates beginning Monday, with Merrill Kelly lined up to start the opener. Washington pivots immediately to a three-game home set against the Toronto Blue Jays starting Monday night, with left-hander Andrew Alvarez (2-3, 4.22 ERA) slated to start Game 1 of that series. Both teams' schedules remain demanding through early August, meaning momentum from Sunday's result could carry significant weight.