Game 117 lineups: Nats vs. Athletics

The Nationals are back home after a successful 4-3 road trip to Cincinnati and Philadelphia. Now they welcome the Athletics, who own the worst record in the majors at 33-82.

The Nats themselves are at 50-66, only five games back of their final 2022 record. They’ll have a chance to surpass that mark on this nine-game homestand.

Joan Adon, recently added as the sixth man in this rotation, will make his second start since rejoining the Nats last week. If you didn’t hear by now, he took a perfect game into the sixth inning before giving up a two-out single Saturday against the Reds. He finished with a quality start and seven strikeouts, earning him more opportunities to pitch at the major league level.

Veteran right-hander Paul Blackburn starts for the A’s in the opener. The 29-year-old is 2-5 with a 4.35 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 12 games (11 starts) this year. He has been strong over his last three starts, pitching to a 1.56 ERA over 17 ⅓ innings including six shutout innings in his last outing against the Giants.

Blackburn has never faced the Nationals, nor has he faced any current Nats hitters. Same goes for Adon against the A’s.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 84 degrees, wind 5 mph in from left field

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
RF Lane Thomas
DH Joey Meneses
C Keibert Ruiz
1B Dominic Smith
3B Ildemaro Vargas
LF Stone Garrett
2B Jake Alu
CF Alex Call

RHP Joan Adon

ATHLETICS
CF Esteury Ruiz
LF JJ Bleday
2B Zack Gelof
1B Seth Brown
3B Jordan Diaz
DH Tyler Soderstrom
C Shea Langeliers
RF Lawrence Butler
SS Nick Allen

RHP Paul Blackburn