Game 50 lineups: Nats at Marlins

Game 50 lineups: Nats at Marlins
Well, if you're a fan of symmetry and symbolism, tonight's game is really important for the Nationals. To lose, not to win. Because if they lose, their season record will be 19-31. Yep, same as it was after 50 games last season. The difference, of course, is that one year ago they had 112 games to turn everything around and this year they have 10 games. So the chance of this 19-31 start producing the same result as the last 19-31 start are nearly impossible. Let the record show, these...
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Lineups and notes on rotation, Armstrong, offense and more

Lineups and notes on rotation, Armstrong, offense and more
Ryan Mountcastle is back in left field tonight as the Orioles continue their series against the Braves at Camden Yards. Mountcastle made his first start at first base last night in a 5-1 loss. Pat Valaika is playing first base, Andrew Velazquez is at second base and Hanser Alberto has moved to third. Austin Hays is in center field instead of Cedric Mullins. José Iglesias produced his 15th multi-hit game last night, tied with Alberto for the team lead. Iglesias is batting .375 (24-for-64)...
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Game 47 lineups: Nats at Rays

Game 47 lineups: Nats at Rays
How do the Nationals avoid a repeat of Tuesday night's lifeless, 6-1 loss to the Rays? They need to get a much better pitching performance and they need to hit. Obviously. On the mound, it's up to Austin Voth to somehow make the leap into a guy who can actually get hitters out twice in a game. We know he can do it the first time through the order. It's time for him to show he can do it the second time as well. At the plate, it's up to this lineup to not get freaked out by the Rays'...
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Orioles and Braves lineups

Orioles and Braves lineups
Ryan Mountcastle is making his first major league start at first base tonight as the Orioles continue their series against the Braves at Camden Yards. Mountcastle has been working out at first and played the position in the minors before the Orioles shifted him to left field during the 2019 season at Triple-A Norfolk. Austin Hays remains in left field and is batting ninth. Hanser Alberto returns to the lineup at second base. José Iglesias remains the No. 2 hitter. DJ Stewart is batting third...
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Game 46 lineups: Nats at Rays (Rainey to IL)

Game 46 lineups: Nats at Rays (Rainey to IL)
The Nationals' final road trip of 2020 begins tonight in St. Petersburg, Fla., where they'll face the Rays in the first of a quick two-game series. It's a rematch of last week's two-gamer in D.C., both of those games won by the Nats. But the challenge may be greater this time. For one thing, the Nationals just lost their best reliever. Tanner Rainey has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right flexor strain, a move that is retroactive to Sept. 12. Rainey had pitched very well...
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Game 45 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 45 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
When the 2020 regular season ends two weeks from today - How crazy is that? - and we try to find answers for what went wrong for the Nationals, it might be easy to point out the heartbreakers they lost to the Braves as especially low points. To be sure, there have been some really tough losses in there, a couple of blown saves by Daniel Hudson and a couple more one-run losses this week. And yet, if they can win this afternoon behind Max Scherzer, the Nationals will have split the season series...
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Game 44 lineups: Nats vs. Braves (updated, Eaton scratched)

Game 44 lineups: Nats vs. Braves (updated, Eaton scratched)
The Nationals lost another lead Friday night to the Braves, but this time persevered into extra innings and won the game 8-7 at Nats Park. Michael A. Taylor's bloop single to right field in the bottom of the 12th scored Adam Eaton with the walk-off run. Taylor's winning knock was his third career walk-off hit and first since a walk-off double on May 22, 2018, against the Padres. On Thursday night, the Nats led 5-0 after two innings before succumbing 7-6. The Nats are 4-4 against the Braves...
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Game 43 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 43 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
After a difficult night at the ballpark, the Nationals return for the second game of this four-game weekend series against the Braves, hoping for better results this time. As always, they'll have to find a way to keep Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman in the yard. The good news: Erick Fedde managed to keep Freeman in the yard last week when he faced him in Atlanta. The bad news: Acuña led off the game with a homer off him, the first of three homers Fedde surrendered in 3 2/3...
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Orioles and Yankees lineups in opener

Orioles and Yankees lineups in opener
The Orioles activated veteran right-hander Alex Cobb from the injured list leading into today's start in the opener of today's doubleheader against the Yankees in the Bronx. Cobb is the 29th man for the doubleheader. A corresponding roster move must be made after the nightcap, and it doesn't have to involve Cobb. The 40-man roster and 60-man player pools are full. Pat Valaika is playing first base and batting ninth, with Chris Davis on the bench. Davis hasn't played since the Orioles...
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Game 42 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 42 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
How do you stop a team that just scored 29 runs last night? By sending your winless No. 5 starter with an 8.26 ERA to the mound, obviously. On paper, tonight's matchup does not appear to favor the Nationals. Austin Voth is pitching, still seeking his first win in his eighth start of the season. And he's facing a Braves lineup that just set a modern National League record last night with 29 runs in a blowout win over the Marlins, a game in which they actually didn't score in either the first...
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Game 41 lineups: Nats vs. Rays

Game 41 lineups: Nats vs. Rays
The 2020 regular season, believe it or not, is now two-thirds complete. There are only 20 games left for the Nationals to try to climb their way back into the expanded postseason, and the odds remain awfully slim. At 15-25, they're currently five games behind the .500 Marlins and Giants for the eighth and final berth in the National League field. To get to .500, the Nats would need to go 15-5 the rest of the way. Maybe they'd get in a game or two under .500, but you get the idea. It's going...
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Game 40 lineups: Nats vs. Rays (García scratched)

Game 40 lineups: Nats vs. Rays (García scratched)
After what felt like the longest road trip ever - but in reality was only 10 days and 11 games - the Nationals return home tonight to open a five-game homestand. And they're facing stiff competition right out of the gate in the exceptional Rays. Owners of the American League's best record at 28-13, Tampa Bay has quietly put together an outstanding team, even if many of the names don't jump right out at you. The Rays don't hit for a ton of power, but they get on base and they score runs. So...
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Game 38 lineups: Nats at Braves (Kieboom recalled)

Game 38 lineups: Nats at Braves (Kieboom recalled)
Friday's doubleheader took a lot out of the Nationals, who over the course of 14 innings of baseball used eight pitchers, gave up 16 runs on 18 hits and eight walks, allowed seven homers and threw 259 pitches. So, what do they have left in the tank for tonight's game in Atlanta? Well, they've got Erick Fedde starting, and they've got to hope he can provide some quality innings so Davey Martinez can hold off on his bullpen as long as possible. Fedde was pretty good in his first five starts,...
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Game 37 lineups: Nats at Braves

Game 37 lineups: Nats at Braves
In the second game of the Nationals' doubleheader against the Braves, right-hander Wil Crowe will make his second major league start, looking to help the Nats stop a week-long skid. With the 7-1 loss in the opener, the Nats have lost a season-high seven games in a row, their longest losing streak since June 18-25, 2016. On Aug. 22, despite allowing only two earned runs, Crowe took a 5-3 loss to the Marlins in the second game of a doubleheader. He tossed 3 2/3 innings, scattering six hits,...
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Game 36 lineups: Nats at Braves (Soto scratched)

Game 36 lineups: Nats at Braves (Soto scratched)
If you thought the first two legs of the Nationals' road trip were tough, look at what they still must contend with now to wrap up this long and painful trek up and down the East Coast. After losing two of three in Boston and all four in Philadelphia, they now have four games in three days in Atlanta, starting with today's doubleheader at Truist Park. After needing 6 2/3 innings out of six relievers in Thursday's heartbreaking loss, Davey Martinez would love to be sending two starters to the...
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Game 35 lineups: Nats at Phillies

Game 35 lineups: Nats at Phillies
If you thought this road trip was brutal enough already for the fading Nationals, consider what still awaits: four games in three days against the Braves, starting with Friday's doubleheader in unincorporated Atlanta. So given what's still to come, today's series finale in Philadelphia would sure be a nice game to win, wouldn't it? It's going to take a complete reversal of recent events for the Nationals to do it. They've got to string together hits, especially early, against Zach Eflin....
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Game 34 lineups: Nats at Phillies

Game 34 lineups: Nats at Phillies
Another day, another chance for the Nationals to flip the script and beat the Phillies, something they've been unable to do in four tries so far this season. None of those previous four games, however, had Max Scherzer on the mound. Tonight's does. Scherzer gets the ball on the heels of a dominant outing at Fenway Park last Friday, when he allowed one run over six innings, striking out 11 without issuing a walk. He will need to be at his best tonight to hold down the Phillies lineup and give...
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Game 33 lineups: Nats at Phillies

Game 33 lineups: Nats at Phillies
As we've seen, there are two major issues plaguing the Nationals right now: starting pitchers who dig them into early holes and a lineup that isn't consistently producing beyond Trea Turner and Juan Soto. Tonight, we'll find out if they can reverse both trends and emerge victorious in Philadelphia. The good news: Patrick Corbin has been pitching well, and he pitched well against these same Phillies last week in D.C. For six innings, the left-hander allowed only a solo homer to Rhys Hoskins....
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Game 32 lineups: Nats at Phillies

Game 32 lineups: Nats at Phillies
The Nationals continue their 11-game road trip in Philadelphia tonight as they open a four-game set against the Phillies. The Nats went 1-2 in Boston and 0-2 last week against the Phillies in D.C., and are now 6-6 on the road. Tonight's pitching matchup features right-hander Erick Fedde (1-2, 3.57 ERA) opposing the Phillies right-hander Spencer Howard (0-1, 6.17). Last week against the Phillies, Fedde took the loss in an 8-3 setback, giving up four runs on seven hits over five innings with one...
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Orioles and Blue Jays lineups

Orioles and Blue Jays lineups
Mason Williams is starting in center field today as the Orioles try to break a four-game losing streak. Cedric Mullins is on the bench today in Buffalo. And José Iglesias is the designated hitter, with Andrew Velazquez playing shortstop. Ryan Mountcastle stays in left field. Jorge López is making his first start with the Orioles. Left-handed hitters are slashing .310/.373/.536 against him in 63 career games. López has made three appearances against the Blue Jays and allowed six runs...
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