Voth, Crowe to start Friday's doubleheader in Atlanta

With a doubleheader on tap Friday in Atlanta and limited pitching options at his disposal, Nationals manager Davey Martinez plans to give Austin Voth another start.

Voth will take the mound for the 4:05 p.m. opener of Friday's doubleheader against the Braves, said Martinez, who added right-hander Wil Crowe will be called up from the club's alternate training site in Fredericksburg to start the nightcap as the designated 29th man for the twinbill.

With both games limited to seven scheduled innings, Martinez isn't asking for too much from both young pitchers.

"I have confidence in Voth," he said during today's pregame Zoom session with reporters in Philadelphia. "We made him the fifth starter. He's gone through a funk. I watched his bullpen the other day. We worked on some things. Hopefully, he goes out there, and with a seven-inning game, if he can give us four or five good innings, we should be in good shape."

Four or five good innings would actually be a step up for Voth, who hasn't completed four innings since an Aug. 18 start in Atlanta in which he was tagged for five runs on nine hits. In six starts this season, he's 0-4 with a 7.99 ERA and 1.775 WHIP that is second-highest among all National League pitchers who have made at least that many starts.

Martinez didn't have many other viable alternatives to Voth, who is out of options and can't be sent to the minors without first clearing waivers. Crowe, who made his major league debut in an Aug. 22 doubleheader against the Marlins, would've been the likely choice if not for the doubleheader. The only other healthy starter on the Nationals' 40-man roster is Ben Braymer, who made his major league debut out of the bullpen last weekend but has since been sent back to the alternate camp.

Top pitching prospects Jackson Rutledge and Cade Cavalli are among the extra players working out in Fredericksburg, but both recent draft picks are inexperienced and not deemed ready for the majors so soon.

Martinez simply wants Voth, whose average fastball velocity is down to 91.7 mph this season after topping out at 94 mph last season, to trust that he can still get big league hitters out.

"I talked to him a lot about being more aggressive in the strike zone, not nitpicking so much," the manager said. "Just go after hitters. They're up there, too. They've got to bat. Their job is to try to hit. So be aggressive and make your pitches and see how far we can go."

Voth will be matched up against left-hander Tommy Milone, who makes his third start in a month against the Nationals, the first two coming before he was traded by the Orioles. Right-hander Josh Tomlin starts the nightcap against Crowe for the Braves.

Saturday's game pits Erick Fedde versus Cy Young candidate Max Fried (6-0, 1.60 ERA), and Sunday's finale sees Patrick Corbin go up against right-hander Ian Anderson.

Note: Sean Doolittle was named the Nationals' nominee for this year's Roberto Clemente Award, Major League Baseball's annual honor for the player who "best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."

Long an advocate for equal rights, particularly for the LGBTQ community, Doolittle was one of baseball's most vocal players this year during the sport's shutdown and - since play resumed - has continued to speak passionately about equal rights and racial injustice.

MLB will hold Roberto Clemente Day on Sept. 9, at which point Doolittle and his 29 fellow nominees will be recognized. The league-wide winner of this year's award will be announced during the World Series.