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By Left fielder Jayson Werth is out of the starting lineup for a second straight game this afternoon. Like last night, rookie Michael A. Taylor will start in Werth's place in left field and bat eighth. Taylor was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in the 2-1 loss to the Marlins. Taylor, who struggles with discipline at the plate, has now struck out 24 times in just 62 at-bats.
He also had a bit of trouble last night in his first start in left when he misplayed a sharp ground ball down the line off the bat of Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto into a triple. Realmuto scored easily moments later on an RBI single from Ichiro Suzuki.
Right-hander Max Scherzer hopes to change his recent hard luck in his first career start against the Marlins. Despite a National League-leading 1.26 ERA, Scherzer is only 1-3, having lost his previous two starts. The Nationals have only scored 13 runs for Scherzer in his five starts this season. The 30-year-old has not lost three straight since May 2010.
The Nationals will get their second look this season at Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler. It didn't go so well the first time around, as Koehler held the Nats scoreless through 7 1/3 innings in an 8-0 shutout loss on April 25.
For the Marlins:
2B Dee Gordon
3B Martin Prado
RF Giancarlo Stanton
CF Marcell Ozuna
1B Justin Bour
C J.T. Realmuto
LF Ichiro Suzuki
SS Adeiny Hechavarria
RHP Tom Koehler
For the Nationals:
CF Denard Span
SS Ian Desmond
3B Yunel Escobar
RF Bryce Harper
1B Ryan Zimmerman
C Wilson Ramos
2B Danny Espinosa
LF Michael A. Taylor
RHP Max Scherzer
