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The Nationals have lost 11 of their last 13 series, including each of their last four. That’s how you wind up falling from two games under .500 to 21 games under .500 in a relatively brief amount of time. Suffice it to say, there’s a lot of work to be done just to reverse course and get this ship floating again. The road continues tonight with the opener of a three-game series against a Reds team that is smack dab in the middle of the National League Wild Card race and just took a series from the Mets at Citi Field.
Jake Irvin makes his first start of the second half, having been given seven days off since his last outing in the first-half finale. The right-hander has been OK so far this month, posting a 3.71 ERA, but he’s still looking to recapture the more consistently effective form he displayed earlier this year and for a large chunk of last year. He faced the Reds twice last season, and though he took no-decision in each case, he did pitch well (five runs in 12 innings).
Brady Singer has not faced the Nationals since 2023, when he was still pitching for the Royals. The 28-year-old right-hander has allowed three runs or fewer in 10 of his last 11 starts.
CINCINNATI REDS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 84 degrees, wind 7 mph in from center field
REDS
CF TJ Friedl
2B Matt McLain
SS Elly De La Cruz
LF Austin Hays
DH Gavin Lux
1B Spencer Steer
3B Noelvi Marte
RF Jake Fraley
C Jose Trevino
RHP Brady Singer
NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe
3B Brady House
RF Daylen Lile
2B Amed Rosario
C Riley Adams
CF Jacob Young
RHP Jake Irvin
