Opposite dugout: Changes are in the wind for last-place Phillies

Manager: Ryne Sandberg (3rd season)

Record: 26-48

Last 10 games: 4-6

Who to watch: 3B Maikel Franco (.311/.358/558 with 10 HR, 29 RBIs), LF Ben Revere (.292, 18 SB), 1B Ryan Howard (13 HR, 36 RBIs), RHP Aaron Harang (4-9, 3.41 ERA), RHP Jonathan Papelbon (13 saves, 1.88 ERA, 1.05 WHIP)

Season series vs. Nationals: 5-4

Pitching probables:

June 26: RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP Aaron Harang, 7:05 p.m., MASN
June 27: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. LHP Adam Morgan, 3:05 p.m., MASN
June 28: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. RHP Kevin Correia, 1:35 p.m., MASN

Inside the Phillies:

Changes are coming in the City of Brotherly Love, and there's no guarantee that the front office or 25-man roster that start the weekend series against the Nationals will be the same ones that finish it. The Phillies are on the verge of hiring respected executive Andy MacPhail to take over as team president, a change that should start a domino effect of moves that could quickly change the roster for the last-place club, whose 26 wins are the fewest in the major leagues.

Despite a mostly forgettable season, the Phillies did recently win three straight games and managed to score 11 runs in successive interleague victories over the Yankees. When rookie lefty Adam Morgan - not to be confused with the D.C. neighborhood of a similar name - beat the Cardinals in his major league debut on June 21, it marked the first victory by a Phillies starting pitcher in 25 games, a team mark for futility.

What's been the problem in Philadelphia? The better question would be: What hasn't? Phillies pitchers have allowed the most runs in the major leagues (366) and have the second-worst ERA (4.58). The .275/.344/.435 slash line they've yielded to opposing hitters is scary bad. The offense hasn't been much better. The Phillies have scored the second-fewest runs (244) in the bigs, and have the second-lowest total of homers (46), on-base percentage (.292) and slugging percentage (.358).

Those big contracts that were doled out to guys like first baseman Ryan Howard, second baseman Chase Utley and catcher Carlos Ruiz have come back to bite the Phillies, hamstringing them to the point they can't be moved. Howard at least has been somewhat productive - he at least leads the club with 13 homers and 36 RBIs - but Ruiz has morphed into a singles hitter with a .222 average and Utley just went on the disabled list with a knee problem, though the Phillies likely won't miss the .179 average that he had produced in 65 games. Third baseman Maikel Franco is one of the few bright spots, and he's got 10 homers and 29 RBIs since being recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley in mid-May.

Once MacPhail is in charge, expect two things to happen: general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. might finally be given his walking papers and the Phillies will become sellers, dealing off what talent they have in exchange for prospects. Howard is still owed about $55 million, and the Phillies are willing to eat a good chunk of that. The mass exodus could also include left-hander Cole Hamels, left fielder Ben Revere and right-handed closer Jonathan Papelbon, whose 13 saves, 1.05 WHIP and 1.88 ERA could help a contender. Opposing scouts have been closely following the Phillies, and they're expected to be among the busiest clubs heading into the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline.

Friday night starter Aaron Harang could also be on the move, but the right-hander has been one of the few consistent pitchers on a staff that could lose ace Hamels. Though his nine losses are tied for the major league lead, Harang has gone at least six innings in all but one of his 15 starts. But he hasn't won since May 14, losing six decisions since. Harang has a 2-3 record and 2.49 ERA at home, and has gone 1-1 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts against the Nationals this season. He's a savvy veteran, offering a five-pitch arsenal, though he throws an 89 mph fastball 61 percent of the time. Harang has been stingy this year, allowing foes a .229 batting average - and only .204 at Citizens Bank Park. His danger zone is the 46th through 60th pitches, where opponents slash .364/.417/.582 against him. Lifetime against the Nationals, Harang is 4-6 with a 3.15 ERA in 15 starts. He has a daunting task: facing righty Max Scherzer, who has thrown a one-hitter and no-hitter in his past two outings.

While Harang has a lengthy resume, Morgan does not. And he was an unlikely savior to stop the Phillies' embarrassing streak of starting pitching struggles, going 5 2/3 innings and allowing a run on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Before being recalled from Triple-A, Morgan had failed to post a victory in 13 starts at Lehigh Valley, going 0-6 with a 4.74 ERA. But his turn came up when the Phillies needed a starter, he succeeded and earned another opportunity. Like most young pitchers, he relies mainly on his fastball - throwing an 86-92 mph heater 62 percent of the time - and adding a slider that sits between 76-84 mph 33 percent of the time. It's his first career appearance against the Nationals.

Right-hander Kevin Correia, who signed a major league deal with the Phillies earlier this month, has a career 3-4 record and 3.22 ERA in 15 games (seven starts) in his career versus Washington. He did OK in his first two starts in the land of cheesesteaks, but was racked for five runs on eight hits over four innings in his last start on June 22 against the Yankees. The Phillies are hoping for better when he starts Sunday. Foes are slashing .328/.354/.541 against him, and the numbers are even worse with runners on base (.435) and with runners in scoring position (.400/.412/.667). Correia offers five pitches, focusing on mixing up his offerings and changing speeds, but he really doesn't throw anything above the upper 80s.