The Nationals have scored 14 runs over their last six games. It will not surprise you to learn they’ve gone 1-5 in those games. Scoring runs is good. Not scoring runs is bad. It would really help their chances tonight if they could score some runs.
The Nats will be facing a Rockies starter who has made only six big league appearances before, four of them losses, none of them wins. Right-hander Tanner Gordon is 0-4 with a 7.00 ERA, having allowed 40 batters to reach base in 27 innings, giving up seven homers in the process. A sixth-round pick of the Braves in the 2019 Draft, he throws a low-90s fastball, a slider and a changeup. This is someone the Nationals should believe they can hit tonight.
Mitchell Parker, meanwhile, starts for the home team. The rookie left-hander put together back-to-back quality starts against the Brewers and Angels, then got absolutely roughed up by the Phillies for nine runs in three-plus innings last week. That one start raised his ERA from 3.83 to 4.44. He really needs to get himself back on track tonight.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. COLORADO ROCKIES
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 88.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly clear, 73 degrees, wind 9 mph left field to right field
NATIONALS
RF Alex Call
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Luis García Jr.
3B José Tena
DH Andrés Chaparro
1B Joey Gallo
CF Jacob Young
LHP Mitchell Parker
ROCKIES
DH Charlie Blackmon
SS Ezequiel Tovar
CF Brenton Doyle
3B Ryan McMahon
2B Brendan Rodgers
1B Michael Toglia
LF Nolan Jones
RF Jordan Beck
C Drew Romo
RHP Tanner Gordon