Game 160 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

It has not been an encouraging finish to what had been looking like an encouraging season for the Nationals. They’ve lost nine of their last 10 and now would need to sweep the Phillies this weekend just to get to 72 wins and surpass last year’s total. The odds of that happening? Probably not great, especially with Philadelphia still trying to catch the Dodgers for home field advantage in the National League playoffs. Los Angeles leads by one game entering tonight, but the Phillies hold the tiebreaker.

Patrick Corbin made his final start for the Nats on Thursday, and tonight Trevor Williams is making what may or may not be his final start. The right-hander’s contract expires, but given how well he pitched (when healthy) there’s a case to be made for bringing him back on a modest deal, either as No. 5 starter or a long reliever. First things first, he needs to do to the Phillies what he’s done to so many other lineups this year and keep them in the ballpark and off the scoreboard.

The Nationals are really struggling to score runs right now, and the challenge tonight doesn’t get any easier against Ranger Suárez. The lefty owns a 3.15 ERA and 1.157 WHIP this season. He faced the Nats only once this year, way back on April 6, and allowed two runs over six innings to earn the win.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 88.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Rain, 74 degrees, wind 14 mph in from right field

NATIONALS
RF Dylan Crews
LF James Wood
1B Juan Yepez
C Keibert Ruiz
DH Stone Garrett
2B Luis García Jr.
3B Ildemaro Vargas
CF Jacob Young
SS Nasim Nuñez

RHP Trevor Williams

PHILLIES
DH Kyle Schwarber
SS Trea Turner
1B Bryce Harper
RF Nick Castellanos
3B Alec Bohm
2B Bryson Stott
C J.T. Realmuto
CF Brandon Marsh
LF Austin Hays

LHP Ranger Suárez