Game 31 lineups: Nats vs. Mets

The Nationals are finally back home after a long West Coast trip that included some legitimate highs and some awful lows, all of it coming together for a 4-5 record. Now they need to see if they can start playing better at home, which has been quite a challenge in 2022.

Last time we saw them in D.C., the Nats were closing out a 10-game homestand with an eight-game losing streak. Overall, they’re a wretched 3-11 at Nationals Park this season. And the challenge doesn’t get any easier this week when the Mets and Astros come to town.

This is already New York’s second trip here. The first one, if you’ll recall, didn’t go well. The Mets won the first three games of the season-opening series before the Nationals rallied late to win the finale. The opener saw Patrick Corbin take the first of his five losses, though the lefty did toss four scoreless innings before falling apart in the fifth and allowing two runs.

Corbin has looked much better of late, pitching well in three of his last four starts, including a complete-game loss to the Rockies at Coors Field six days ago. Perhaps not coincidentally, Riley Adams was behind the plate for all three of those strong starts. So even though he started Sunday in Anaheim, Adams will start tonight and work with Corbin again.

The lineup will try to produce some runs against Mets starter Carlos Carrasco, who held them to one run and two hits in 5 2/3 innings during that early April series here. (UPDATE: The Nats made a late lineup change, scratching Alcides Escobar for unspecified reasons. Dee Strange-Gordon will now start at shortstop and bat seventh.)

The Nationals made a change to their bullpen today, calling up right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. (who had an 0.63 ERA at Triple-A) and optioned Andres Machado to Rochester. To make room on the 40-man roster for Edwards, they transferred Mason Thompson to the 60-day injured list.

NEW YORK METS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 68 degrees, wind 8 mph in from center field

NATIONALS
2B César Hernández
RF Juan Soto
1B Josh Bell
DH Nelson Cruz
LF Yadiel Hernandez
3B Maikel Franco
SS Alcides Escobar Dee Strange-Gordon
C Riley Adams
CF Victor Robles

LHP Patrick Corbin

METS
CF Brandon Nimmo
LF Mark Canha
SS Francisco Lindor
1B Pete Alonso
DH J.D. Davis
RF Starling Marte
3B Eduardo Escobar
2B Jeff McNeil
C James McCann

RHP Carlos Carrasco