Game 104 lineups: Nats vs. Cubs

At the end of an emotional 36-hour stretch for a completely gutted Nationals roster was this perhaps unexpected fact: The Nats not only beat the Cubs on Friday night, they also picked up a game on everyone in front of them in the National League East. They're now 6 1/2 games back of the Mets.

No, the front office isn't suddenly regretting their decision to trade away eight veterans in the first step of an acknowledged franchise rebuild, but the guys who do take the field every night the rest of the way are still going to be trying to win games. And that goes for manager Davey Martinez, too, who while understanding he's going to be looking at a lot of younger and inexperienced players also isn't about to give up on his "Go 1-0 today" mantra.

So, the Nationals will try to win another game tonight. They'll send Joe Ross to the mound, hoping the right-hander continues his strong return from a brief stint on the injured list and continues to establish himself as an important member of the rotation the rest of this season and into the future.

They'll also try to score some runs off Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks, one of the few veterans still remaining on that roster after their own sell-off Thursday and Friday.

And the remade Nats bullpen will have another new face tonight: Mason Thompson, the right-hander acquired from the Padres for Daniel Hudson, who was added to the 26-man roster. Thompson, 23, has four games of big league experience this summer, allowing one run over three total innings for San Diego.

CHICAGO CUBS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 81 degrees, wind 7 mph out to left field

NATIONALS
CF Victor Robles
RF Juan Soto
1B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Yadiel Hernandez
SS Luis García
C Tres Barrera
3B Carter Kieboom
2B Adrián Sanchez
RHP Joe Ross

CUBS
CF Rafael Ortega
C Willson Contreras
LF Ian Happ
1B Patrick Wisdom
3B David Bote
Rf Jason Heyward
2B Sergio Alcántara
SS Andrew Romine
RHP Kyle Hendricks