Game 15 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies (Goodwin scratched)

The last thing the Nationals want to do is call today's game - on April 14, mind you - "must-win." But let's not kid ourselves here. Having lost eight of their last 10, and having fallen a full six games behind the Mets in the National League East division - seven games in the loss column - this team simply can't afford to lose a Max Scherzer start.

The Nationals needed Scherzer to halt their last losing streak (five games). Today they'll ask him to halt their current three-game skid and help get them back on track against the Rockies. Then again, there's only so much Scherzer can do if his teammates don't start hitting.

The Nats scored one run on four hits in Thursday night's loss. And they scored one run on four hits in Friday night's loss. Tough to win games like that. So they'll hope for better results this afternoon against right-hander Jon Gray, who has given up 10 runs and 20 hits in only 16 innings so far this season.

Update: And another Nats player goes down. With Anthony Rendon already out after fouling a ball off his foot Friday night, Brian Goodwin has now been scratched with a sore left wrist (believed to be suffered diving for a ball the other day). Moisés Sierra is your starting left fielder and No. 7 hitter today. On the other side, Nolan Arenado has dropped the appeal of his five-game suspension and will miss the final two games of this series. So the Nats do catch a break there. They need 'em right now.

COLORADO ROCKIES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 76 degrees, wind 15 mph out to center field

NATIONALS
SS Trea Turner
2B Wilmer Difo
RF Bryce Harper
1B Matt Adams
C Matt Wieters
CF Michael A. Taylor
LF Brian Goodwin Moisés Sierra
3B Matt Reynolds
RHP Max Scherzer

ROCKIES
2B D.J. LeMahieu
LF Gerardo Parra
CF Charlie Blackmon
RF Carlos Gonzalez
1B Ian Desmond
SS Trevor Story
3B Ryan McMahon
C Tony Wolters
RHP Jon Gray