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The Nationals have endured three losing streaks of at least seven games this season, which is not typically a sign of a good season. This current losing streak has seen them score a total of 16 runs, only five in their last four games.
So the focus heading into this afternoon’s series finale against the Rays has got to be offense, and how this lineup can somehow find a way to generate something at the plate, especially early on in an attempt to take a lead instead of trying to play from behind yet again.
The problem: The Nats will be facing a left-hander in Ian Seymour who just tossed five scoreless innings of one-hit, eight-strikeout ball against the Guardians in his last start. Seymour, drafted in 2020 out of Virginia Tech, is exactly the type of opposing starter who has given this team fits all year long. He actually throws more changeups (34.9 percent) than fastballs (30.8 percent) and nobody has produced an extra-base hit off that changeup yet this season.
Brad Lord, meanwhile, gets the nod for the Nationals, looking to bounce back from a rare dud, in which the rookie right-hander gave up seven runs in 4 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium. Over his last two starts, Lord has seen his ERA jump from 3.26 to 3.84.
TAMPA BAY RAYS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Sunny, 76 degrees, wind 7 mph in from center field
RAYS
LF Chandler Simpson
DH Brandon Lowe
3B Junior Caminero
RF Josh Lowe
1B Bob Seymour
CF Everson Pereira
C Hunter Feduccia
2B Tristan Gray
SS Carson Williams
LHP Ian Seymour
NATIONALS
DH James Wood
SS CJ Abrams
C Riley Adams
1B Andrés Chaparro
RF Dylan Crews
2B Paul DeJong
LF Daylen Lile
3B Brady House
CF Jacob Young
RHP Brad Lord
