Game 82 lineups: Nats vs. Marlins

Good morning from Nationals Park, which is something we can’t often say. We can say it today, though, because it’s July 4th, and that means morning baseball on South Capitol Street. As has been the case every year since 2012 (except for 2020) the Nats are playing an 11:05 a.m. home game on Independence Day, an annual tradition that has become quite popular with fans (if not necessarily players who don’t love having to report to the ballpark so early in the morning for the first time since spring training).

The Nationals desperately need a win right now. They’ve been ransacked by the Marlins, losing 10 of 11 to them this season, including the first three games of this series. They were one strike away from winning Sunday. They still managed to lose in extra innings.

Patrick Corbin gets the ball for his first July 4 assignment as a National. He’s coming off his best start of the season, probably his best start in three years, having notched 12 strikeouts over eight innings against the Pirates. The lefty has felt much better about the quality of his stuff in recent outings. Now he needs to prove he can be effective on a consistent basis again.

The Nats will be facing a lefty starter for the third time in four days, in this case Braxton Garrett. The 24-year-old has spent parts of the last three seasons in the big leagues. He’s made only one career appearance against the Nationals, getting roughed up for five runs in 2 2/3 innings in September 2020. He also has surrendered 16 hits over his last 9 1/3 innings, though he has struck out 12 during that same time.

MIAMI MARLINS vs. WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 11:05 a.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB Network (outside D.C. market), MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Sunny, 81 degrees, wind 4 mph in from center field

NATIONALS
RF Lane Thomas
1B Josh Bell 
DH Nelson Cruz 
LF Yadiel Hernandez
3B Maikel Franco 
2B Ehire Adrianza 
SS Luis García 
C Tres Barrera 
CF Victor Robles

LHP Patrick Corbin

MARLINS
SS Miguel Rojas 
1B Jesús Aguilar 
3B Brian Anderson 
RF Bryan De La Cruz 
C Nick Fortes 
DH Jacob Stallings 
CF Jesús Sánchez 
2B Luke Williams 
LF Billy Hamilton 

LHP Braxton Garrett