The Washington Nationals play the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, September 9 at 4:10 p.m. ET at Petco Park. Jackson Kent starts for Washington against Walker Buehler, a day after San Diego won 5-4.
| First pitch | Wednesday, September 9, 4:10 p.m. ET (1:10 PT) |
| TV | Regional coverage in both markets, MLB.TV out of market |
| Nationals starter | Jackson Kent, LHP (1-3) |
| Padres starter | Walker Buehler, RHP (8-6) |
| Records | Nationals 67-80, Padres 77-68 |
| Series | Padres lead after Tuesday’s 5-4 win |
What Time Is Nationals vs. Padres and What Channel?
4:10 p.m. ET, 1:10 in San Diego. Regional coverage in both markets and MLB.TV out of market.
San Diego Cannot Afford Slip Ups
Tuesday was closer than the Padres would have liked, a 5-4 win that took Adrian Morejon to close. Walker Buehler at 8-6 gets the ball against Jackson Kent at 1-3, and this is the sort of game a contender is expected to bank.
Washington at 67-80 has the strangest run profile in the league, with 754 runs scored, more than any National League team, and 747 allowed. The Nationals can hit. They just cannot stop anyone.
What It Means for the Race
San Diego at 77-68 is squarely in the NL wild card fight, half a game behind Arizona at 78-68 and chasing Philadelphia and Chicago for better positioning. With the Dodgers ten and a half clear in the West, the wild card is the road, and there is no margin for losing games to teams at 67-80.
Related
NL wild card standings · MLB playoff race tracker · All MLB games today
The Bottom Line
4:10 p.m. ET Wednesday at Petco Park. Buehler against Kent, with the Padres needing the series in a wild card race that is down to inches.