Game 64 lineups: Nats at Braves

ATLANTA – The Nationals need a stopper and they need one badly. Or do they need more offense and need that badly?

They could use both as they try to snap this six-game losing streak and escape Atlanta with at least one win today.

Trevor Williams will attempt to be the stopper. The right-hander is 2-4 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.335 WHIP in his first 12 starts. He has completed five innings in all but two of his outings, with one being cut short due the rain-prompted suspension of the Nats' May 13 game against the Mets.

This is his first time facing the Braves in 2023, but he is 1-1 with a 3.28 ERA and 1.150 WHIP in eight career appearances (four starts) against Atlanta.

The offense has a tough task in trying to get going against Bryce Elder. The 24-year-old right-hander leads the National League with a 2.26 ERA, while posting a 4-0 record and 1.144 WHIP over his first 12 starts.

He is trying to bounce back from a rough outing this week in which he gave up four runs and two home runs to the Mets. Elder made three starts against the Nats last year, going 2-0 with a 1.77 ERA and 0.934 WHIP.

The forecast is calling for a chance of thunderstorms throughout the afternoon, so hopefully we either play ball or aren’t waiting around too long. The Braves did sit through a two-hour-plus rain delay without any rain on Tuesday, only to start the game and have it finally start raining. 

Please, let us not do that today. The Nationals come back here for the last series of the season and the two teams share a couple of mutual off-days before then.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Truist Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, MLB.com
Weather: Thunderstorms, 74 degrees, wind 6 mph in from left-center field

NATIONALS
RF Lane Thomas
2B Luis García
DH Joey Meneses
3B Jeimer Candelario
LF Corey Dickerson
C Keibert Ruiz
1B Dominic Smith
SS CJ Abrams
CF Alex Call

RHP Trevor Williams

BRAVES
RF Ronald Acuña Jr.
1B Matt Olson
3B Austin Riley
C Sean Murphy
DH Marcell Ozuna
LF Eddie Rosario
2B Ozzie Albies
SS Orlando Arcia
CF Michael Harris II

RHP Bryce Elder