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To begin their final series of the 2012 season, the Phillies (80-79) will travel to Washington, where they'll face the playoff-bound Nationals (96-63), who have a magic number of one, to clinch their first National League East division title. Just one win by the Nationals or a loss by the Braves will lock down Washington's division crown and Atlanta's wild card placement.  This will mark an end to the Phillies' run of five consecutive division titles, a franchise record.  Not only is the division title on the line, but the Nats are also tied with Cincinnati for the best record in the league, which would determine home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Read ahead for more about the pitching match ups as well as plenty more statistical information from this series. Monday, 7:05 PM. Kyle Kendrick (10-12, 4.08 ERA) vs. John Lannan (4-0, 4.23 ERA). The lefty Lannan earned a win against the Phils last week, when he allowed 2 earned runs...

The Phillies (56-65) return home to host the National League Central division leading Reds (74-48) in a four-game series beginning on Monday evening at Citizens Bank Park. Cincinnati is hot of late, winning 8 of their past 10 contests and 12 of their past 16 games on the road. The Phils are also getting it done lately, especially at home, where the team has been victorious in 9 of their last 13 games. The Reds lost three of four games in Philadelphia last season and were swept by the Phils in a four game series in Cincinnati late in 2011. Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups and plenty more statistical information on this series. Monday, 7:05 PM. Mike Leake (5-7, 4.29 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (6-7, 3.80 ERA). The right-handed Leake has a 3-3 record with a 3.13 ERA in 10 road starts this season. Leake, the Reds' 1st round draft choice from 2009, has a 1-1 record with a 5.16 ERA over his past 4 starts. Brian Schneider is 4-for-9 (.444 avg) with a HR in his career against...

The Nationals' efforts to take back their park have earned big time attention from the media and fans alike, but for the teams on the field it will simply be the first of several series this season against a formidable division rival. In that division, the National League East, Washington and Philadelphia have reversed roles, somewhat, as the Nationals (16-9) have steadily been considerably far back in the standings in recent years, behind the Phillies (13-13).  However, now, it is the five-time defending division champions that find themselves in 4th place 3 1/2 games behind the division leading Nats. As the clubs begin a 3-game series, the Phillies will send right-hander Kyle Kendrick , who will be making his third start in place of injured ace Cliff Lee , to the mound for the series opener.  He'll be faced by the Nationals' top hurler Stephen Strasburg , who was drafted first overall by Washington back in 2009. Last season, the Nationals won the season series a...

According to multiple reports the Phillies have signed free agent outfielder Laynce Nix to a two-year contract. The deal is pending a physical examination. Originally a 4th round draft choice of the Rangers in 2000, the 31-year-old left-handed hitting outfielder is a career .244 hitter in 9 big league seasons. Last season with the Washington Nationals, Nix posted a .250 batting average with 16 homeruns and 44 RBI in 124 games. All of Nix's homers and all but one of his RBI came against righty hurlers in 2011. Nix has posted a .187 average with 2 homeruns and 11 RBI in his career as a pinch hitter. With those numbers in mind, the best suitable plan for Nix may be a platoon in the outfield. Paired with righty hitting John Mayberry Jr.'s .306 average, 8 HR and 21 RBI against left-handed pitchers, Nix's output could fit in perfectly in left field. In his major league career, Nix has played 229 games in center field, 203 games in left field and 66 games in right field. In 15...