Opposite dugout: Struggling Reds interrupt homestand for makeup game in D.C.

Manager: Bryan Price (3rd season)

Record: 63-92

Last 10 games: 2-8

Who to watch: 1B Joey Votto (.318/.464/.556 with 29 HR, 78 RBIs), 3B Todd Frazier (35 HR, 88 RBIs), RF Jay Bruce (26 HR, 84 RBIs), LHP Brandon Finnegan (1-1, 4.97 ERA), RHP Aroldis Chapman (1.71 ERA, 32 saves)

Season series vs. Nationals: 5-0

Pitching probables:

Sept. 28: LHP Brandon Finnegan vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 3:05 p.m., MASN

Inside the Reds:

Instead of enjoying a scheduled off-day to start the final week of the regular season, the Reds will interrupt a homestand to travel to Washington, D.C., where they will squeeze in a game that was rained out on July 8. Cincinnati's chances at the postseason have long since disappeared. The Reds are reeling, losers of seven straight and eight of 10.

Cincinnati rests in the National League Central basement, is 29 games under .500 and is probably at the end of the tenure of Bryan Price as manager. The Reds do only one thing exceedingly well - steal bases. They lead the majors with 131 thefts. And even that's not happening lately, as speedy center fielder Billy Hamilton is out for the season with a bum shoulder.

Still, the Reds are in position to sweep the season series between the Nationals, having taken each of the previous five games between the clubs. And a team that has little to play for except pride would dearly love to make it a clean sweep. They haven't played very well in September, but teams that are out of contention can sometimes be dangerous.

First baseman Joey Votto has reached base in 44 straight games, a career high, and is four games shy of tying Pete Rose's franchise record. The Reds are one of three major league clubs with four players who have hit 19 or more homers. Shortstop Eugenio Suarez has hit in 10 of 11 games, going 12-for-42 in that span. Closer Aroldis Chapman - he of the triple-digit fastball - is the first pitcher in major league history with four consecutive seasons of at least 30 saves and 100 strikeouts.

Left-hander Brandon Finnegan, who was the 14th pick in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of TCU and wound up pitching in the World Series with the Royals a few months later, will make the start for the Reds, his first career appearance against the Nationals. Finnegan was part of the haul Cincinnati received in the trade that sent ace Johnny Cueto to K.C. He's got a 6.30 ERA in two starts since being recalled from Triple-A, pitching well once and getting shelled once. Both of his starts have lasted five innings. Before being summoned, he was 0-5 with a 5.65 ERA in 19 games (15 starts) in the minors in 2015. Despite the unsightly numbers, foes aren't banging Finnegan around - he's got a .202/.297/.411 slash line against this season. On the road, the numbers are only marginally worse, a .205/.284/.507 line. Finnegan's problem has been the home run ball; he's surrendered seven homers in only 37 innings. But he's tough with runners on base (.216 average against) and with runners in scoring position (.138). He's mostly a fastball/slider pitcher.