Tight back keeps Wieters out of lineup again (Nats lose 7-2)

MILWAUKEE - Matt Wieters is out of the Nationals lineup for the third straight day, though the veteran catcher said it's not because of the foul ball he took off his right knee Thursday night but rather a tight back that has been bothering him for a little while.

"The knee's fine," Wieters said. "Just bruises. No problem coming into play. I've been having a little bit of a tight back to go with it, so it's kind of more just trying to get it completely freed up and loosened up before we get back there. I'll be ready to go tomorrow."

Wieters was struck in the right knee by a foul ball in the eighth inning of Thursday's loss to the Brewers. That prompted the Nationals to promote Raudy Read from Double-A Harrisburg on Friday to ensure they had at least two fully healthy catchers, with Jose Lobaton starting but Pedro Severino not permitted to be recalled from Triple-A Syracuse until he spent 10 days in the minors (he'll be eligible Monday).

Lobaton started both Friday and Saturday's games, though Wieters did catch the final two innings after a pinch-hitter was used for Lobaton in the top of the eighth. He said he made it through that brief stint with no problems but didn't feel the need to push himself to play today, given the Nationals' 15-game lead division lead.

"I think we have the luxury of trying to get it right," he said. "I've never had that luxury, where you go into September and you have a lead where you can make sure your body feels as good as it can feel at this point in the year. We'll get it there and be ready to go tomorrow."

Wieters is on pace to start 115 games this season, which would be his highest total since 2013 with the Orioles. He said in the bigger picture he has felt strong and has plenty left in the tank for the season's final month and beyond.

"Dusty (Baker) has done a great job of giving me off-days when I've needed it this year," he said. "The body feels good. Just a little bit of a tight back that we'll try to get completely freed up today and then be ready to go tomorrow."

Wieters is batting only .238 with a .653 OPS, but those numbers jump to .283 and .759 with runners in scoring position. His 49 RBIs rank 10th among all major league catchers, and his defensive performance rates 11th, according to Fangraphs.

Lobaton, meanwhile, is hitless in his last nine at-bats and enters today's game batting .151 with a .493 OPS that is lowest among all major league hitters with at least 140 plate appearances.

Update: Three innings into this game, one Brewers hitter has been able to get to Edwin Jackson. That was Domingo Santana, who hammered a hanging slider to left field in the bottom of the first for a solo homer. Otherwise, Jackson has been strong, needing 41 pitches to complete three innings. Unfortunately, the Nats got nothing against Brewers starter Brent Suter despite putting a man (Trea Turner) in scoring position in both the first and third innings. Suter was pulled after three innings and 43 pitches, though, in his first game back from the DL. So now the Nats will get six innings against Milwaukee's bullpen.

Update II: Santana has Jackson's number today. Actually, the Brewers as a whole seem to have Jackson's number this season. Santana has two homers in two at-bats today, including a two-run shot to left in the bottom of the fourth. That came shortly after Neil Walker and Ryan Braun hit back-to-back doubles. All of which makes this a 4-0 game after four. Which means that 12 of the 25 runs Jackson has now allowed with the Nationals have come in only nine innings against Milwaukee.

Update III: Jackson wound up allowing only five hits today. But all five went for extra bases, leading to five runs (one of them unearned because of Lobaton's passed ball). The Nats lineup, meanwhile, has done zilch against three Brewers pitchers in six innings so far. They're down 5-0 in a frustrating game.

Update IV: That's the game. Nats lose 7-2 after Austin Adams gave up two runs in the bottom of the eighth and Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth. They lose the weekend series, 3-1, and lose the season series, 4-3.