Game 84 lineups: Red Sox at Nats

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

July 03, 2018, 11:16am

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After homering twice in the last four games, Bryce Harper returns to the cleanup spot for tonight's Nationals game against the Red Sox. Harper is still mired in a slump, batting .183 in his past 27 games, but he's slashing .300/.419/.577 in 123 career games in the four-hole. Harper previously hit cleanup this year on June 19 and 20 against the Orioles at Nationals Park.

Left fielder Juan Soto is hitting second and second baseman Daniel Murphy is batting fifth, one night after his first home run of the season.

The Nationals have never faced Red Sox left-hander Brian Johnson, who is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in three career interleague games, two of them starts. Johnson has made 21 relief appearances this season, but he's 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in a pair of spot starts.

Right-hander Tanner Roark starts for the Nationals, and is coming off one of his best efforts of the season. He allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits over six innings in a loss at Philadelphia on Thursday.

BOSTON RED SOX AT WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 1500 AM, MLB.com
Weather: 92 degrees, mostly sunny, wind 4 mph from right field

RED SOX

CF Mookie Betts
LF Andrew Benintendi
RF J.D. Martinez
1B Mitch Moreland
SS Xander Bogaerts
3B Rafael Devers
2B Eduardo NÃºÃ±ez
C Sandy Leon
LHP Brian Johnson

NATIONALS

SS Trea Turner
LF Juan Soto
3B Anthony Rendon
RF Bryce Harper
2B Daniel Murphy
1B Mark Reynolds
CF Michael A. Taylor
C Pedro Severino
RHP Tanner Roark