Game 25 lineups: Nats at Royals

KANSAS CITY - Hello from beautiful Kauffman Stadium, maybe baseball's most underrated ballpark. This is only the Nationals' second trip here; they took two of three in 2013, but this is a far different Royals team they're facing now than they did back then. The defending World Series champs are off to a bit of a ragged start, but they remain an imposing foe, making this a marquee matchup for the next three days.

The Nationals are flying high after their three-game sweep in St. Louis, their rotation having posted a collective 1.08 ERA over the last five games. Gio Gonzalez started that run, and he'll be back on the mound tonight, looking to post his fifth quality start in as many tries.

Veteran right-hander Edinson Volquez starts for Kansas City, facing a Nationals lineup that includes Stephen Drew as designated hitter. Dusty Baker probably will rotate several guys through that spot during this interleague series, spreading around at-bats. Jose Lobaton, meanwhile, starts his fourth straight game behind the plate, working once again as Gonzalez's batterymate. Wilson Ramos, who returned from bereavement leave yesterday, is here and available off the bench and figures to start tomorrow night.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Where: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City
Gametime: 8:15 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 99.1 FM, XM 869, MLB.com
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 58 degrees, wind 6 mph out to right field

NATIONALS (17-7)
CF Michael A. Taylor
3B Anthony Rendon
RF Bryce Harper
1B Ryan Zimmerman
2B Daniel Murphy
LF Jayson Werth
DH Stephen Drew
C Jose Lobaton
SS Danny Espinosa

LHP Gio Gonzalez

ROYALS (13-11)
SS Alcides Escobar
CF Lorenzo Cain
1B Eric Hosmer
DH Kendrys Morales
LF Alex Gordon
C Salvador Perez
2B Omar Infante
3B Christian Colon
RF Paulo Orlando

RHP Edinson Volquez