The Washington Nationals earned a second straight series victory with their come-from-behind, walk-off win Sunday over the Phillies. They turned around another slow offensive stretch just in time to stay a game above .500 — and just in time to make a cross-country flight more tolerable. The Nationals were set to arrive in San Diego late Sunday before starting a three-game series Monday against the last-place Padres. The Nationals are two games back of the Atlanta Braves for first in the National League East, in position to continue their charge back to the top of the division they have been expected to win since the day they lost in the 2017 National League Division Series. Here are a few things to think about as the Nationals head to the West Coast for the second time in three weeks.

ON THE PADRES

The Padres will return to Petco Park on Monday after three “home games” against the Dodgers in Monterrey, Mexico. They were no-hit by a combination of Dodgers pitchers in one of those games, a fitting indication of the state of the Padres’ offense. San Diego leads the majors in strikeout rate (27.3 percent) and the National League in swinging strike percentage (12.6 percent). Both statistics play into the hands of the Nationals’ sturdy rotation: The Padres will face Stephen Strasburg, Jeremy Hellickson and Gio Gonzalez. Strasburg and Gonzalez rank in the top 15 in the National League in strikeout percentage.

The Padres’ lineup is built around established veterans Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers, but Myers is on the disabled list for the second time this season, this time dealing with an oblique strain. Hosmer is hitting .293 with a .901 OPS. Third baseman Christian Villanueva was named the National League Rookie of the Month after hitting .321 in April but has cooled off considerably in the week since.

RYANAISSANCE?

Ryan Zimmerman missed the final two games of this weekend’s series with the Phillies with what he described as “stiffness” and “soreness” after he dived awkwardly for a ball Friday night. Both Zimmerman and his manager, Dave Martinez, said the first baseman could be back in the lineup as soon as Monday. Fortunately for the Nationals, Matt Adams had been playing almost every day anyway because Martinez could not afford to keep a hot bat out of the lineup. But Adams’s résumé suggests he is far weaker against left-handed pitching than Zimmerman, and the Nationals face two lefties in their three games in San Diego.

Zimmerman could probably use a few days to reset. He is hitting .202 over the past month and .214 over the past week, threatening to break out now and then but never quite doing so. The Nationals cannot afford to lose another key bat to injury and would certainly benefit from Zimmerman returning to the offensive form he showed last year.

BULLPEN SHUFFLING?

Shawn Kelley struck out one batter in a scoreless inning in his first rehab outing in Class A Potomac on Sunday, and he was expected to be activated if all went well. The veteran righty has been out with ulnar nerve irritation since the Nationals were last on the West Coast, a problem that seems like it will continue to pop up now and then because Kelley has had two Tommy John surgeries and his elbow is worse for wear.

But because of all that injury history, Kelley cannot pitch more than one inning at a time. The Nationals’ big three at the back of the bullpen, and even lefty Sammy Solis, need as much rest as possible. Can they afford to send down someone who can eat innings, such as Trevor Gott or Wander Suero, in favor of Kelley? Do they really have a choice?

Either way, the state of the Nationals’ bullpen will remain a key element to watch. The Nationals have not had a day off in more than a week, and they won’t get one until a week from Monday, meaning those big three relievers will have no built-in rest. All three, plus Solis, were taxed in Sunday’s win. Martinez will have to be careful with all of them, and he will need all of the durable relievers he can get.

PITCHING PROBABLES

Monday: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. RHP Tyson Ross

Tuesday: RHP Jeremy Hellickson vs. LHP Clayton Richard

Wednesday: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. LHP Joey Lucchesi

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