Cincinnati Reds SWEPT by Washington Nationals 🙄 | Chatterbox Podcast, Recap, Reaction MLB Highlights

Trace Fowler and Nick Kirby will be LIVE at 9pm. The Cincinnati Reds visit the Washington Nationals on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at 12:15 p.m. ET at Nationals Park in a matinee finale to their three-game series. The Nationals (58-61, fourth in the NL East) look to complete a sweep after taking the first two contests, 5-3 on Friday and 8-2 on Saturday. The Reds (56-60, fifth in the NL Central) aim to avoid the sweep and snap a two-game skid after a recent stretch of solid play.

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Right-hander Brady Singer (5-10, 4.67 ERA, 1.43 WHIP) starts for Cincinnati. Singer has struggled at times this season, allowing runs in recent outings, and will need to keep the Nationals’ lineup in check after the Reds’ ace Chase Burns suffered his first loss in months on Saturday. Washington counters with Brad Lord (5-2, 3.81 ERA, 1.20 WHIP), who returns to a starting role after time on the injured list and a brief relief appearance. Lord’s lower ERA and better control give the home side a pitching edge on paper.

Offensively, the Nationals have shown power and timely hitting in the series. Andrés Chaparro delivered a big pinch-hit contribution Saturday, while CJ Abrams continues to lead the charge with strong numbers (around .288 average, 28 home runs, and nearly 90 RBIs). Daylen Lile and others have provided support. The Reds counter with Eugenio Suárez, who enters on a two-game home-run streak, plus contributors like Sal Stewart (25 homers), Elly De La Cruz, and JJ Bleday. Cincinnati has shown pop but has been outscored in the first two games of this series.

Both clubs sit well back in their divisions and are playing for positioning and development late in the season. The Nationals hold the season-series edge and home-field advantage, while the Reds bring recent momentum from before this series and a capable road attack. Injuries factor in: the Reds are without Spencer Steer, Hunter Greene, and others, while the Nationals miss James Wood (oblique) and several pitchers. Betting markets list the game as roughly even (around -110 both ways) with a total near 9.5 runs.

Keys for the Reds include early run support for Singer and capitalizing on any short outing from Lord, who may work as an opener. For Washington, continuing the timely hitting and bullpen strength that fueled the first two wins will be critical to the sweep. The early start on Peacock offers a classic afternoon baseball setting at Nationals Park. Expect a competitive, run-friendly contest as two mid-pack NL clubs battle for the series’ final result.