Game 5 lineups: Nats at Blue Jays

TORONTO – The Nationals have done some things well through their first four games, but not enough things well. Which is why they enter tonight’s contest with a 1-3 record, in search of a win before things really turn upside down on them. Their best path to making that happen? More offense.

Though they’ve actually hit for power so far, with eight homers through four games (fifth most in the majors), they’re not scoring runs the old fashioned way. They’re batting just .121 (4-for-33) with runners in scoring position (fifth worst in the majors). So while the big swings have been nice, a few more clutch hits would be even nicer.

They’ll try to solve that problem tonight against Blue Jays ace José Berríos, who had a rough one on Opening Day. The Orioles got to the right-hander for six runs and nine hits (three of them homers) in five innings.

Trevor Williams makes his season debut as the Nats’ fifth starter. The veteran hopes to prove last year was no fluke, when he finished with a 2.03 ERA and 1.035 WHIP in 13 starts despite missing more than three months with an elbow strain. Williams’ task: Keep the ball down in the zone and keep Toronto’s hitters from getting the ball in the air.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Where:
Rogers Centre

Gametime: 7:07 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
C Keibert Ruiz
1B Nathaniel Lowe
DH Josh Bell
2B Luis García Jr.
3B Paul DeJong
RF Alex Call
CF Jacob Young

RHP Trevor Williams

BLUE JAYS
SS Bo Bichette
1B Vladimir Guerrereo Jr.
LF Anthony Santander
2B Andrés Giménez
C Alejndro Kirk
CF George Springer
DH Will Wagner
3B Ernie Clement
RF Alan Roden

RHP José Berríos




Abrams and Wood share home run swing, and same bat
 

By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.masnsports.com/