Game 144 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

We’ve reached the final three weeks of the season, which means the Nationals are looking at a week of home games, then a week of road games, then one last week of home games before heading out for the winter. There are a bunch of contenders on the schedule, though, including two more games with the Braves, who come to town tonight.

Atlanta is right in the thick of the race for the final wild card berth with the Mets (who the Nats face next week at Citi Field), trailing by one game entering tonight’s opener. If the Braves make it, they’ll do so on the strength of their pitching (which has been excellent) and not their hitting (which has not, in large part due to injuries).

Among their best starters, of course, is Reynaldo López, who gets the ball tonight. The former Nationals prospect has a 2.04 ERA and more than a strikeout per inning in 23 starts, and he’s pitched well against the Nats twice already this season (three runs over 12 innings). A lineup that didn’t do much Sunday against Pirates flamethrower Jared Jones faces another stiff test tonight.

Don’t overlook what MacKenzie Gore has done against the Braves, though. The young lefty has made three head-to-head starts this season, and he allowed one earned run in each of them. He’s on a roll here down the stretch as well, with three straight outings of two runs or less allowed in six innings, with an outstanding 19-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio to boot.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 88.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 80 degrees, wind 6 mph in from left field

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
C Keibert Ruiz
DH Andrés Chaparro
3B José Tena
2B Luis García Jr.
RF Dylan Crews
1B Joey Gallo
CF Jacob Young

LHP MacKenzie Gore

BRAVES
CF Michael Harris II
RF Jorge Soler
DH Marcell Ozuna
1B Matt Olson
LF Ramón Laureano
C Sean Murphy
3B Gio Urshela
SS Orlando Arcia
2B Luke Williams

RHP Reynaldo López