Washington Nationals’ lineup for series opener with the Philadelphia Phillies...

Washington’s Nationals have dropped six of 10 games against the Philadelphia Phillies this season, including three of six at home in the nation’s capital, where the NL East rivals start another three-game set tonight.

Coming off a 2-5 road trip through Chicago and St. Louis, the Nats returned to Washington, D.C. this past weekend and dropped 2 of 3 to the Miami Marlins, leaving themselves 7.5 out in the division and 6.5 back of the second Wild Card spot with 37 games to play in 2018.

The Phillies have lost six of their last 10 as well coming into the series. After dropping three of five to the New York Mets over the weekend, with the first-place Atlanta Braves losing all four of their games with the Colorado Rockies, the Phils are just 1.0 game out of first place.

Nationals’ outfielder Adam Eaton told reporters after Sunday’s 12-1 loss to the Fish that it’s now or never for the Nats if they have any hope of making it back to the postseason, with Fangraphs.com’s Playoff Odds for Washington down to 12.6% after Monday night’s games.

“A good week or two, a sweep of two teams that are ahead of us, can get us right back in the ballgame. But we’ve got to do it now,” Eaton said, as quoted by MASN’s Mark Zuckerman.

In 54 games since returning from an early-season ankle injury and surgery in early June, Eaton has done what he can to try to get the Nationals back in the race, putting up a .290/.371/.360 line in 212 plate appearances, with seven doubles and two home runs.

Eaton’s back atop the lineup for tonight’s game in Nationals Park.

Have you already given up hope? Would a sweep of the Phillies change things for you? If you have given up hope of a return to the postseason, what will keep you watching for the rest of the season?

HERE’S THE NATIONALS’ LINEUP FOR THE 1ST OF 3 WITH THE PHILLIES: