The last two teams standing will battle for the KPSL World Championship. It will be the Washington Nationals, led by Jeff Bathurst taking on the Philadelphia Phillies, led by Sam Sweet.

Between the two managers, they have a combined eight championships to their resume. Bathurst had three in the first seven years of the existence of the KPSL, then he left on top. He returned to 2024 with the expansion Nationals and managed to make his way to the playoffs. Meanwhile, Sweet has appeared in the championship 14 times in 24 seasons.

While impressive, Sweet is the LeBron James of the KPSL. He is the “Evil Empire” and it’s a by any means necessary process that he lands back into the dance for a second straight year. But there is no fleecing of other franchises or controversy on his way to the big game, or is there?

Then there is Bathurst. He quietly goes about his business and is very strategic in building this team. It is impressive what he has done and in his 2^nd year back, looking to make a statement and put his name on the trophy once again.

In the head-to-head series during the regular season, the Nationals won 5 games to 3, but it’s a different game when the trophy is on the line. With a little help from Copilot, we take a dive into both teams and also predict who will come out on top when the smoke clears.

Ladies and gentlemen, here is the KPSL Championship Preview:

Team Overview

Washington Nationals

Record: 50-38 (Kirby Puckett Strat League)

Strengths: Balanced attack, strong pitching, power hitting.

Key Batters

·       • Seiya Suzuki: .294 AVG, .457 SLG, .382 OBP, 10 HR, 79 H, 37 R, 34 RBI. Consistent threat when he comes to the plate.

·       • Jurickson Profar: 17 HR, 50 RBI, 50 R. Team leader in home runs and RBIs.

·       • Matt Chapman: 14 HR, 72 H, 45 RBI. Provides power and run production.

·       • Tyler O’Neill: .283 AVG, .613 SLG, .382 OBP, 12 HR in limited AB. Slugging threat.

Key Pitchers

·       • Dylan Cease: 17 GS, 108.3 IP, 2.82 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 118 K. Ace of the staff.

·       • Cristopher Sanchez: 18 GS, 102 IP, 4.41 ERA.

·       • Nick Lodolo: 11 GS, 62.7 IP, 4.60 ERA.

Team Totals: Batting Average: .240 | Home Runs: 121 | Runs: 710 | ERA: 3.61 | WHIP: 1.32 | Wins: 50

Philadelphia Phillies

Record: 45-43 (Kirby Puckett Strat League)

Strengths: Power hitting, strikeout pitching, veteran leadership.

Key Batters

·       • Bryce Harper: .275 AVG, .518 SLG, .343 OBP, 19 HR, 84 H, 62 R, 61 RBI. Team leader in power and run production.

·       • Francisco Lindor: 24 HR, 80 H, 59 RBI. Provides middle-of-the-order pop.

·       • Brandon Marsh: .284 AVG, .525 SLG, 15 HR.

·       • Jacob Stallings: .301 AVG, .544 SLG, .411 OBP.

Key Pitchers

·       • Aaron Nola: 17 GS, 116.7 IP, 2.85 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 146 K, 11 W. Staff ace.

·       • Ranger Suarez: 15 GS, 88 IP, 5.22 ERA.

·       • Kyle Gibson: 14 GS, 92.7 IP, 4.76 ERA.

Team Totals: Batting Average: .251 | Home Runs: 129 | Runs: 734 | ERA: 4.75 | WHIP: 1.32 | Wins: 45

Statistical Comparison

Series Prediction

Based on the combination of strong pitching and balanced offense, the Nationals are favored in a best-of-seven series. Their ability to limit runs (ERA 3.61 vs. Phillies’ 4.75) and their deeper rotation give them the edge, even though the Phillies have more power and slightly better offensive numbers.

Prediction: Nationals win the series in 5 or 6 games.

X-Factors

·       • Nationals: If Dylan Cease dominates and the lineup continues to produce, they’ll be tough to beat.

·       • Phillies: If Bryce Harper and Francisco Lindor get hot, and Aaron Nola pitches at his best, the Phillies could push the series longer.