Game 157 lineups: Nats at Rockies

We have reached the final week of the season, which makes this the final road series of the season. The Nationals are at Coors Field for the first time since April 24, 2019. Things have changed just a bit since then. That day, Aníbal Sánchez took the loss and fell to 0-3 with a 6.00 ERA. Matt Adams was the cleanup hitter. Jake Noll batted seventh. Wilmer Difo batted ninth. Trevor Rosenthal gave up three runs on two hits, a walk, a hit batter and three wild pitches.

Now, a completely new Nats club is back in the thin air, hoping to score a bunch of runs while also preventing the Rockies from doing the same. It makes for a tough challenge for Josiah Gray in what is likely his penultimate start of the season. (He's currently on schedule to pitch Game 162 on Sunday against the Red Sox.) Gray was roughed up by Colorado in D.C. only 10 days ago, giving up five runs in 5 1/3 innings, but he's coming off a nice bounceback outing in Miami last week. Which version shows up tonight?

Gray is facing the exact same opponent from that Sept. 17 game at Nationals Park in Germán Márquez. The Nats beat up the Rockies right-hander as well that night, scoring six runs in four innings, with Lane Thomas blasting a three-run homer. They'll look to do likewise in this series opener, and keep the pressure on throughout the game, recognizing how tough it's going to be for this bullpen to hang on late.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at COLORADO ROCKIES
Where: Coors Field
Gametime: 8:40 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 82 degrees, wind 8 mph out to left field

NATIONALS
CF Lane Thomas
SS Alcides Escobar
RF Juan Soto
1B Josh Bell
LF Yadiel Hernandez
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Luis García
3B Carter Kieboom
RHP Josiah Gray

ROCKIES
LF Raimel Tapia
2B Brendan Rodgers
RF Charlie Blackmon
SS Trevor Story
1B C.J. Cron
3B Ryan McMahon
C Elias Díaz
CF Sam Hilliard
RHP Germán Márquez