Game 124 lineups: Nats at Marlins

After a run of games against contending clubs, the Nationals tonight open a three-game series against the club that currently occupies the basement of the National League East, right below them. The Marlins, like the Nats, are rebuilding, though in their case it feels more like a perpetual rebuild.

But like the Nationals, the Marlins have some intriguing young players, especially on their pitching staff. And tonight we'll see one of them in Jesús Luzardo, the former Nats prospect who went to the Athletics in the July 2017 trade for Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson and now finds himself pitching in his hometown of Miami after he was traded for Starling Marte.

Manager Davey Martinez is using a right-handed-heavy lineup against Luzardo, including Lane Thomas in the leadoff spot again, Ryan Zimmerman batting cleanup and Tres Barrera catching and batting seventh. He'll send Erick Fedde to the mound, the right-hander looking to build off a decent start last week against the Blue Jays, when he allowed three runs in five innings and emerged with his fifth win of the season.

The ever-changing Nationals bullpen has two more new faces today: Sam Clay and Patrick Murphy. Clay, as you know, was on the big league roster most of the season before getting sent down earlier this month to work on his command. Murphy is a newcomer, having recently been claimed off waivers from Toronto. To clear roster space for the two, the Nats optioned Gabe Klobosits to Triple-A Rochester while Jefry Rodriguez was designated for assignment. Rodriguez, who was out of options, will need to clear waivers before he can be outrighted to Rochester.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MIAMI MARLINS
Where: loanDepot Park
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
CF Lane Thomas
SS Alcides Escobar
RF Juan Soto
1B Ryan Zimmerman
3B Carter Kieboom
LF Yadiel Hernandez
C Tres Barrera
2B Luis García
RHP Erick Fedde

MARLINS
SS Miguel Rojas
2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.
LF Lewis Brinson
RF Jesús Sánchez
3B Brian Anderson
1B Jorge Alfaro
CF Bryan De La Cruz
C Alex Jackson
LHP Jesús Luzardo