MINNEAPOLIS – Hello from Target Field, where they fly pennants honoring the 1924, 1925 and 1933 Washington Senators, just as they do at Nationals Park. I’ll let you all decide on your own which franchise you believe has the right to claim those titles, or perhaps you believe both do. It does make for a fun debate, though.
The Nationals are in town to face the Twins this weekend, hoping to build off their series win over the Reds. To get this one off on the right foot, they’ll need MacKenzie Gore to get himself back on track after his worst start of the season. Gore was roughed up by the Padres on Sunday to the tune of eight runs and eight hits in only 2 1/3 innings, his worst outing as a member of the Nats. A return to form would certainly be nice.
The lineup is facing an unknown opponent in Zebby Matthews, a 25-year-old right-hander with a career 6.53 ERA despite 11 strikeouts per nine innings. The key stat, it would appear: Opponents are batting a ridiculous .406 and slugging .531 off Matthews’ four-seam fastball, a pitch he throws 44 percent of the time. The Nationals typically are a good fastball-hitting team. You’d like to think this should be a favorable matchup for them.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MINNESOTA TWINS
Where: Target Field
Gametime: 8:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 84 degrees, wind 8 mph out to left field
NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
LF James Wood
2B Luis García Jr.
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe
3B Brady House
RF Daylen Lile
C Riley Adams
CF Jacob Young
LHP MacKenzie Gore
TWINS
Lineup TBA
RHP Zebby Matthews