Game 98 lineups: Nats vs. Reds

Welcome to the unofficial second half of the 2024 season! Hope everyone enjoyed the All-Star break (was it really a break, though?) and is ready to get back to baseball. The Nationals ended the first half at 44-53 after taking two of three from the Brewers in Milwaukee. Although they are fourth in the National League East and six games out of a wild card spot, they are five games better than they were through 97 games last year.

The Nats will begin the second half like they did the first half: against the Reds.

Patrick Corbin makes the first start of the second half for Davey Martinez’s club. Through his 19 first-half starts, the left-hander went 1-9 with a 5.57 ERA. Corbin, who turns 35 today, was charged with four runs in 4 ⅓ innings against the Reds in the second game of the season, which the Nats eventually won 7-6.

Frankie Montas opposes the birthday boy for the Reds. The veteran right-hander went 4-7 with a 4.38 ERA in 17 first-half starts. He pitched six shutout innings against the Nats in an Opening Day win. But this will be a very different lineup than the one Montas faced back in March, with Joey Meneses, Joey Gallo and Eddie Rosario not in it.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. CINCINNATI REDS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, DC 87.7 (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 85 degrees, wind 7 mph out to left field

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
RF Lane Thomas
DH Jesse Winker
1B Juan Yepez
LF James Wood
2B Luis García Jr.
3B Trey Lipscomb
CF Jacob Young

LHP Patrick Corbin

REDS
2B Jonathan India
SS Elly De La Cruz
DH Jeimer Candelario
1B Spencer Steer
C Tyler Stephenson
LF Austin Slater
3B Noelvi Marte
RF Rece Hinds
CF Stuart Fairchild

RHP Frankie Montas