Game 36 lineups: Nats at Padres

SAN DIEGO - It's about 70 degrees, without a cloud in the sky, a gentle breeze coming off the bay ... yes, this is a tough assignment for the next three night, but someone had to do it. The Nationals open their second West Coast trip in three weeks tonight, beginning here in San Diego and continuing this weekend in Arizona. Having already visited Los Angeles and San Francisco in late April, they'll have played all of their games in the Pacific Time Zone for 2018 by mid-May, an odd scheduling quirk.

On the heels of a 7-3 homestand that helped propel them back over the .500 mark, the Nats now try to keep the positive vibes going against a Padres club that was no-hit by four Dodgers pitchers Friday night in Monterrey,but then bounced back to win the final two games of that special series in Mexico.

It's San Diego's own Stephen Strasburg on the mound for the series opener, making only his fourth career start at Petco Park. In those three previous starts (2013, 2015, 2017) Strasburg is 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA. Tyson Ross, Joe's older brother, starts for San Diego. The right-hander, who has dealt with a number of serious arm injuries, is off to a strong start this season, with a 3.28 ERA in six outings.

One roster move for the Nationals: Shawn Kelley has been activated off the disabled list after throwing a 1-2-3 inning of relief yesterday for Single-A Potomac. They optioned outfielder Rafael Bautista to Triple-A Syracuse, leaving them with an eight-man bullpen for now.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at SAN DIEGO PADRES
Where: Petco Park
Gametime: 10:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 63 degrees, wind 6 mph out to right field

NATIONALS
RF Bryce Harper
SS Trea Turner
3B Anthony Rendon
1B Matt Adams
LF Howie Kendrick
C Matt Wieters
CF Michael A. Taylor
RHP Stephen Strasburg
2B Wilmer Difo

PADRES
RF Travis Jankowski
1B Eric Hosmer
LF Franchy Cordero
C Raffy Lopez
3B Chase Headley
2B Jose Pirela
SS Freddy Galvis
CF Manuel Margot
RHP Tyson Ross