Facing Rays lefty Matt Moore, Xavier Nady is back in the Nationals' lineup tonight, playing left field and hitting seventh.
The veteran outfielder will look to improve his .143 average on the season.
Adam LaRoche will also get a day off, with the right-handed hitting Tyler Moore starting at first base.
LaRoche has been nursing an oblique issue for much of the season and also fouled a ball off his right foot a little over a week ago. Against a lefty, manager Davey Johnson apparently feels this is a good time to give LaRoche a breather.
Matt Moore was expected to be one of the top young pitchers in baseball this season, but he's had somewhat of a rough start, going 4-5 with a 4.16 ERA.
Tonight, he'll face a Nats lineup which has struggled recently, however.
For the Nationals:
2B Danny Espinosa
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Michael Morse
SS Ian Desmond
1B Tyler Moore
LF Xavier Nady
C Jesus Flores
P Gio Gonzalez
On the minor league level, Hagerstown Suns righty Alex Meyer has been named one of the players who will participate at the Futures Game during the All-Star festivities in July.
Meyer, a 2011 first-round pick out of Kentucky, has put up a 6-3 record with a 3.33 ERA at low Single-A this season. The 6-foot-9 righty has struck out 77 batters in 70 1/3 innings.
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