Opposite dugout: Braves are hoping to avoid 100-loss season

Manager: Brian Snitker (1st season)

Record: 56-90

Last 10 games: 3-7

Who to watch: 1B Freddie Freeman (.296/.393/.556 with 30 HR, 78 RBIs, CF Ender Inciarte (.288, 15 SB), RF Nick Markakis (84 RBIs), LF Matt Kemp (31 HR, 99 RBIs), RHP Mike Foltynewicz (8-5, 4.41 ERA), RHP Jim Johnson (15 saves, 3.02 ERA)

Season series vs. Nationals: 2-13

Pitching probables:

Sept. 16: RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP John Gant, 7:35 p.m., MASN
Sept. 17: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. TBA, 1:05 p.m., FOX
Sept. 18: RHP Joe Ross vs. RHP Mike Foltynewicz, 1:35 p.m., MASN

Inside the Braves:

There's not much for the Braves to play for anymore, not in a lost season where they'll hope to avoid the ignominy of losing 100 games. The Braves are closing out their 20 seasons at Turner Field before moving into new digs in the Atlanta suburbs next season. But there are still guys playing for jobs, either with the Braves or elsewhere, next season. And teams with nothing to lose - even when they've lost 13 of 15 games this season to the Nationals - can be dangerous.

As bad as the Braves have played against Washington this season, first baseman Freddie Freeman has been rock-solid. He's a career .325/.392/.487 hitter against the Nats with 12 homers and 54 RBIs in 100 games. Freeman carries a 35-game on-base streak into Friday's opener. Center fielder Ender Inciarte had his hitting streak snapped at 18 games on Sept. 9, but he's still batting .311 in September. Left fielder Matt Kemp hit his 30th homer on Sept. 9, the first time he's gotten to that plateau since he slugged a career-high 39 in 2011 with the Dodgers. After starting his major league career slowly, shortstop Dansby Swanson has upped his average to .300 with a .324 September, though he's only totaled five extra-base hits overall. Not too bad for a guy who was the first overall pick by the Diamondbacks in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt, then traded to Atlanta. The Braves don't hit for much power, though - they've got 108 homers, ranked last in the majors.

Pitching has been a problem, too - and not just because the 3.29 runs per game the offense provides also ranks next-to-last in the bigs. The Braves have used 28 pitchers this season and their season-long struggle to find the right rotation mix will continue into their final 2016 series against Washington. Righty John Gant starts the opener and it'll be his first career start versus the Nats (though he pitched an inning in relief against them on April 6, allowing a hit and striking out a batter). Gant hasn't won since June 17, and is 0-2 in four starts since then. Saturday's starter is listed as TBD, but don't be surprised if the Braves go with recently acquired righty Josh Collmenter, who was released by the D-backs in early August and then signed with the Cubs before being dealt to the Braves. Righty Mike Foltynewicz, Sunday's starter, is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two career starts against Washington. He's won four straight decisions over his past eight starts, but is coming off a no-decision on Sept. 12 against Miami in which he was tagged for five runs on 11 hits in just 3 2/3 innings.

If the Braves can get a lead to the ninth inning, they'll call on ex-Oriole Jim Johnson, who has 15 saves in 18 tries, along with a 3.02 ERA and 1.16 WHIP.