Game 26 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks

By Mark Zuckerman

Nationals

May 02, 2017, 11:03am

Comments

After the most impressive offensive week and month in their history, the Nationals start anew tonight when they host the Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game series. This is a good Arizona club that comes to town with the National League's second-ranked offense and second-ranked pitching staff.

One of those pitchers is Taijuan Walker, who takes the mound tonight. The young right-hander and former top Mariners prospect has opened the season 3-1 with a 3.94 ERA, having struck out 33 batters in 29 2/3 innings, but he has not faced a lineup like the one he'll face tonight.

Tanner Roark starts for the Nationals, looking to contain Paul Goldschmidt, Jake Lamb, Yasmany TomÃ¡s and the rest of the Diamondbacks' potent lineup. Keep in mind the Nats technically will only have 24 available players tonight, with the newly recalled A.J. Cole forced to serve the final three games of his suspension from the end of last season.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, XM 188/869, MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 73 degrees, wind 17 mph out to right field

NATIONALS (17-8)
SS Trea Turner
LF Jayson Werth
RF Bryce Harper
1B Ryan Zimmerman
2B Daniel Murphy
3B Anthony Rendon
CF Michael A. Taylor
C Jose Lobaton
RHP Tanner Roark

DIAMONDBACKS (16-11)
CF A.J. Pollock
RF Chris Owings
1B Paul Goldschmidt
3B Jake Lamb
LF Yasmany TomÃ¡s
2B Brandon Drury
C Chris Herrmann
SS Nick Ahmed
RHP Taijuan Walker