MIAMI – Hello from outside downtown Miami, where the Nationals continue their inconvenient road trip up and down the North American East Coast. After starting north to Williamsport and New York, they headed to South Beach before going back north of the border to Toronto.
Rack up those miles.
The Nats have been playing great ball lately, winning nine of their last 12 games. But now they return to a place where they haven’t won a whole lot to face a team they have yet to beat this season. The Nats are 0-6 against the Marlins this year, including going 0-3 here in May. They are 4-21 against the Fish dating back to last year and are 2-10 at loanDepot Park since the beginning of last season.
Joan Adon will make his fourth start since rejoining the Nats rotation. He’s 1-0 with a 7.62 ERA and 1.154 WHIP over his last three. Amazingly though, the Nationals have won all three of those starts despite some rough performances over his last two. Adon is 0-2 with a 10.57 ERA and 1.826 WHIP in two career starts against the Marlins, both of which have come in Miami.
Left-hander Braxton Garrett starts for the home squad. He’s 7-4 with a 3.94 ERA and 1.172 in 25 games (24 starts) this season. The 26-year-old has been pitching well lately to the tune of a 2.57 ERA over his last five starts. Garrett gave up just one and four hits over six innings while striking out eight in a win over the Nats in D.C. back in June.