Game 88 lineups: Nats at Giants

Jon Lester may still be finding his footing in his first season with the Nationals, but history suggests there's ample reason for the left-hander to turn in a steller start when he faces the Giants this afternoon.

Sure, Lester (2-3, 5.34 ERA) has gone six innings only twice in 13 starts this season, and his last outing saw the veteran log just 3 1/3 innings against the Padres in San Diego. But Lester has won two of his last three decisions and his career numbers against the Giants are pretty impressive.

In six career starts against San Francisco, Lester is 5-1 with a 2.00 ERA and 0.889 WHIP and only two homers allowed in 45 innings pitched. At Oracle Park he's 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.150 WHIP in three lifetime starts.

Though the current Giants own a cumulative .252/.323/.460 slash line off Lester, most of the damage has been done by Evan Longoria (15-for-60 with three homers and nine RBIs) and Buster Posey (6-for-19 with a homer and two RBIs). But both Longoria (sprained left shoulder) and Posey (left thumb injury) are on the injured list, leaving Wilmer Flores (5-for-16 with three homers and four RBIs) and Darin Ruf (3-for-5) as the biggest threats in the Giants lineup.

Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (9-3, 2.84 ERA) had his way with the Nats on June 11, tossing a complete-game shutout in a 1-0 victory, during which he allowed two hits, walked one and struck out eight. He is 5-1 with a 1.77 ERA in his last six starts and has gone at least six innings in four of those outings.

Current Nationals own a cumulative .239/.288/.377 slash line off DeSclafani, with Josh Bell going 10-for-26 with two homers and five RBIs against the righty. Gerardo Parra is 3-for-8 and Starlin Castro is 6-for-22 with a solo homer.

The Nationals had not posted a lineup about 90 minutes before gametime, likely while they wait to find out the extent of catcher Yan Gomes' oblique injury. Manager Davey Martinez said Gomes was undergoing an MRI and that the Nats had another catcher traveling to San Francisco, but that there were concerns that he might not arrive by first pitch. So stay tuned for a possible roster move.

Update: Gomes has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained oblique muscle. Reetz's contract has been selected from Rochester. To make room on the 40-man roster, left-hander Kyle Lobstein has been designated for assignment.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Where: Oracle Park
Gametime: 4:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Mostly sunny, 63 degrees, wind 15 mph out to left-center field

NATIONALS
2B Alcides Escobar
SS Trea Turner
RF Juan Soto
1B Josh Bell
3B Starlin Castro
LF Gerardo Parra
C Tres Barrera
CF VIctor Robles
LHP Jon Lester

GIANTS
CF Austin Slater
3B Wilmer Flores
RF Mike Yastrzemski
1B Darin Ruf
2B Donovan Solano
SS Brandon Crawford
C Joey Bart
LF Thairo Estrada
RHP Anthony DeSclafani