It is an absolutely spectacular Saturday afternoon in the nation’s capital. I don’t know what we did to deserve this sustained fine weather in late-August, but eternal thanks to whomever is responsible for it. Now, can the home team make it worthwhile for everyone who comes to Nationals Park for this game?

The Nats are mired in a six-game losing streak, one that has featured several frustrating losses, but perhaps none as frustrating as Friday night’s series opener against the Rays. Despite totaling 12 hits and four walks, they scored only one run because they went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Obviously, that won’t cut it in any situation. They have to be better today against right-hander Ryan Pepiot and the Tampa Bay bullpen.

Speaking of people who need to be better, Jake Irvin desperately needs a bounceback performance. It’s too late to salvage this month (0-4, 9.55 ERA) but perhaps the right-hander can at least end it on a high note and head into September feeling better about himself.

And the Nationals need someone in the rotation to step up and finish the season strong, because they just announced their most significant injury in a while: MacKenzie Gore has been placed on the 15-day IL with left shoulder inflammation. We’ll find out more shortly, so please check back for the full article before today’s game, but clearly this is not good news, especially at this late point in the season. Mason Thompson was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to take Gore’s roster spot for now.

TAMPA BAY RAYS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 4:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Sunny, 76 degrees, wind 6 mph in from left field

The Nationals’ nightmare in New York is over … at least until they go back to Queens in three weeks. But for now, they get to enjoy a six-game homestand, starting with three games against the Rays to start this holiday weekend.

Mitchell Parker will take the mound for the series opener after the Nats chose not to use yesterday’s off-day to skip his spot in the rotation and give him some extra time to work on some things. The struggling lefty is 7-14 with a 6.01 ERA on the season and the Nats are winless in his five August starts as he’s pitched to a 12.00 ERA this month. He’ll need to get back on track tonight to give his team a chance and start making a case for his rotation spot next year.

Adrian Houser makes the start for the Rays. Since coming over in a trade with the White Sox at the deadline, the right-hander is 1-2 with a 5.32 ERA over his four starts with Tampa Bay and he’s given up four or more runs in three of those outings. So this might be a good opportunity for the Nats' offense to get back on track.

And the Nationals made an expected roster move official this afternoon, placing Drew Millas on the injured list with a fractured and dislocated finger and selecting the contract of catcher C.J. Stubbs from Triple-A Rochester.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. TAMPA BAY RAYS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, DC 87.7 (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly clear, 76 degrees, wind 11 mph from left to right field

The business side of baseball reared up and bit reliever Roansy Contreras earlier today with news that the Orioles designated him for assignment to make room for right-hander Shawn Dubin.

Contreras finally got the call this week and made his Orioles debut last night, tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings behind opener Dietrich Enns. He’s out of minor league options and would need to pass through waivers before the Orioles could outright him.

“Those are tough decisions,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino. “There was a lot of time spent on that, trying to figure out what the right thing to do was. We’ve got a lot of smart people who are looking at a lot of different type of information and trying to make the best decision they can.

“The coach in me wants him to get claimed because we want our players to play in the major leagues and get opportunities. The Baltimore Oriole in me wants him to get through and go unclaimed and be back in the fold for us.”

Dubin will be in the bullpen today.

The Orioles will switch to a six-man rotation after Tyler Wells is placed on the expanded roster next month.

Wells will become part of a unit that includes Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, Tomoyuki Sugano and Cade Povich. The Orioles chose to start Wells rather than move him to the bullpen.

“If everybody can stay healthy, that would be great,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino.

“It’s good. It gives Dean an extra day, it gives Tomo an extra day. Nobody will pitch on regular rest the rest of the year.”

Bradish responded favorably to his first start beyond an injury rehab assignment last night since June 2024.

NEW YORK – In order for the Nationals to escape The Bronx with at least one win, they’ll need timely hitting and shutdown pitching. It may be too much to ask for both at this point, but either one should give them a decent shot to beat the Yankees this afternoon.

Getting timely hitting might be tough against Yankees starter Max Fried. The All-Star left-hander is 13-5 with a 3.14 ERA over 26 starts in his first season in New York. And he’s coming off an outing in which he shut out the Red Sox over six innings with seven strikeouts. The longtime Brave is 8-5 with a 3.97 ERA in 19 career games (18 starts) against the Nats.

Getting shutdown pitching, on the other hand, may be a real possibility with Cade Cavalli starting on the mound. The right-hander has turned in back-to-back quality starts against the Phillies coming into today. And he has a very nice 2.82 ERA over his first four starts since returning to the majors. The key for Cavalli will be limiting the longball and slugging against this dangerous Yankees lineup.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at NEW YORK YANKEES
Where: Yankee Stadium
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB Network (out-of-market only), MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, DC 87.7 (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 73 degrees, wind 11 mph out to right field

NATIONALS
LF James Wood
SS CJ Abrams
DH Riley Adams
2B Luis García Jr.
RF Dylan Crews
1B Andrés Chaparro
C Drew Millas
3B Brady House
CF Jacob Young

The Orioles summoned right-hander Roansy Contreras from Triple-A Norfolk today and placed him on the taxi squad.

The visit will last more than 24 hours.

Interim manager Tony Mansolino needs a starter for Wednesday night and said Contreras is going to pitch “a good amount.” The exact role is undetermined, but another roster move is lurking.

Contreras could start or work in bulk relief behind an opener.

“A lot will kind of depend on how we go through today,” Mansolino said.

NEW YORK – The Nationals need to flush away the first eight innings of last night’s 10-5 loss to the Yankees and really try to build momentum off the ninth, when they scored all of their runs, thanks to swinging at strikes and patient at-bats. Jacob Young’s first grand slam didn’t hurt either.

Now that the initial shock of playing at Yankee Stadium has passed, the young Nats can focus on just playing baseball. They’ve proven that when they can string together good ABs they can go toe-to-toe with anyone.

Their next task is defending American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil. The 27-year-old right-hander missed most of the year with a lat strain and only returned to the major leagues this month. In his four starts, he’s 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA and 1.684 WHIP. He’s been prone to walks in his career, leading the majors last year with 77 and having already issued 13 in just 19 innings this season. So the Nats really need to be patient against him.

MacKenzie Gore takes the mound for the visiting side, and you know he’s looking forward to facing this Yankees lineup in a tough environment. The lefty is 5-12 with a 4.11 ERA and 1.349 WHIP over his 26 starts. Gore held the Yankees to two runs on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts when he faced them in D.C. last year as part of his strong stretch to finish the season. Hopefully, tonight kickstarts a similar stretch to end this campaign.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at NEW YORK YANKEES
Where: Yankee Stadium
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, DC 87.7 (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 76 degrees, wind 9 mph out to right field

NEW YORK – Greetings from the Big Apple! No, we are not in Queens, the Nationals’ usual stomping grounds when they visit New York. (Actually, thankful for that because of all of the U.S. Open tennis traffic that will be going to and from the area surrounding Citi Field). Instead, we are in The Bronx, where the Nats begin a three-game series against the Yankees. And the Nats have actually had success at Yankee Stadium, where they are 7-6 all-time, and against the Bombers, against whom they are 15-14 all-time.

The Yankees are in a tight battle for playoff position, currently sitting 5 ½ games behind the Blue Jays in the American League East. And after dropping three of four at home to the hated-rival Red Sox, they are a half-game behind Boston for the first AL Wild Card spot and half-game ahead of Seattle for the third one. But despite their weekend woes against the Red Sox, the Yankees are winners of eight of their last 12.

As for the Nationals, my colleague Mark Zuckerman pointed out after yesterday’s loss to the Phillies that they have gone 7-2 in games started by Brad Lord, MacKenzie Gore and Cade Cavalli while going 1-7 in games started by Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker over the last 2 ½ weeks. So luckily for them, those first three pitchers are the ones scheduled to start these three games.

Lord gets the ball tonight, bringing his 4-6 record and 3.46 ERA to the hill. The right-hander was charged with four runs in 5 ⅓ innings in his last start against the Mets, but three of the four runs came in the sixth inning. Since returning to the rotation, Lord is 2-1 with a 3.45 ERA and the Nats are 5-1 in his six starts.

In a battle of right-handed rookies, Cam Schlittler goes for the Yankees. He’s 1-2 with a 3.22 ERA in his seven starts and has not allowed more than three earned runs in an outing. In his last time out, he shut out the Rays over 6 ⅔ innings of one-hit ball with two walks and eight strikeouts.

PHILADELPHIA – Three-fifths of the Nationals rotation is giving them a chance to win right now. The other two-fifths is not, and that has become a real problem.

While MacKenzie Gore, Brad Lord and Cade Cavalli have offered the organization legitimate reason for short-term and long-term encouragement with their pitching performances, Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker haven’t come close to matching their teammates’ numbers. It would be one thing if those two were at least gutting out five or six innings and keeping the score close, but even that has become a challenge.

It happened to Parker during Saturday night’s loss to the Phillies. And it happened to Irvin this afternoon during a 3-2 loss to the National League East leaders.

It certainly didn’t help matters that the Nats lineup was rendered helpless by Philadelphia left-hander Ranger Suárez, who struck out a career-high 11 batters over seven scoreless innings. But Irvin’s inability to complete even three innings made it feel like this game was much more one-sided than it actually was.

This is the recurring theme for the Nationals at this stage of the season. Over the last 2 1/2 weeks, they’ve gone 7-2 in games started by Gore, Lord and Cavalli while going 1-7 in games started by Irvin and Parker.

Colton Cowser, who’s homered in back-to-back games, is leading off today for the fifth time this season.

Jackson Holliday is on the bench.

Jeremiah Jackson is in right field and batting second. Ryan Mountcastle is at first base and Samuel Basallo is the designated hitter. Vimael Machín is at third base again.

Dylan Beavers is in left field. Over his first seven games, Beavers is hitting .500 against fastballs and has made contact with 95.7 percent.

Jackson is 14-for-34 (.412) in his last nine games.

PHILADELPHIA – Good morning from Citizens Bank Park, where the Nationals and Phillies meet for the final time this season. A win today and the Nats would take the series, no small feat. They’d also finish the season series 6-7 against the top team in the National League East. All things considered, that’s not bad at all.

The preeminent storyline today: Can Jake Irvin get himself back on track and give his team a chance? The right-hander is in a serious rut right now, going 2-5 with a 7.36 ERA over his last 10 starts, raising his season ERA from 4.18 to 5.30. Home runs and walks have killed Irvin: He’s served up 2.3 homers and issued 4.2 walks per nine innings during that stretch.

The Nationals haven’t seen Ranger Suárez at all this season, so who knows what to expect when they face the Phillies left-hander? Suárez is having a good season (9-6, 3.25 ERA, 1.168 WHIP), but the Nats did get to him last year for eight runs and 11 hits in eight innings spread over two starts. Something else to consider: If the game is close late, will the Phillies have Jhoan Duran and top lefty reliever Matt Strahm available? Each pitched in the first two games of the series, so it’s possible each is unavailable this afternoon.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 82 degrees, wind 10 mph out to center field

NATIONALS
DH James Wood
SS CJ Abrams
C Riley Adams
1B Andrés Chaparro
2B Paul DeJong
RF Dylan Crews
3B Brady House
LF Robert Hassell III
CF Jacob Young

PHILADELPHIA – One of the Nationals’ best wins of the season was made possible by Dylan Crews and Daylen Lile’s offensive and baserunning exploits in the top of the ninth, not to mention by PJ Poulin’s two perfect innings of relief to close out an unexpected, 5-4 victory. But none of that would have been possible if not for Cade Cavalli’s quality start, which underscores an important point.

Three of the Nats’ five starters are giving them a chance to win right now. The other two are not. During this nice run against the Phillies and Mets, the team has gone 5-1 in games started by either Cavalli, MacKenzie Gore or Brad Lord, but 0-2 in games started by Mitchell Parker or Jake Irvin. And guess who starts the final two games of this series?

Parker has got to give the Nationals more than he has of late. The lefty has allowed 22 earned runs over his last 16 innings, the team going 0-4 in those starts. His ERA has skyrocketed to 5.83. And when he faced these same Phillies six days ago, he didn’t even make it out of the second inning. Somehow, some way, Parker has to figure out how to at least give his team a chance tonight.

The good news: The Nats beat up on Aaron Nola the same day the Phillies were beating up on Parker. They scored six runs off the veteran right-hander, all of them coming in the third inning, to knock him out of the game. They will be looking to do the same tonight, and perhaps provide enough run support to make up for a potentially shaky start by Parker.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 6:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 80 degrees, wind 12 mph out to center field

The Orioles put rookie Brandon Young on the 15-day injured list this afternoon with a strained left hamstring and selected reliever Matt Bowman’s contract from Triple-A Norfolk. A short time later, interim manager Tony Mansolino announced that infielder Jordan Westburg was going on the 10-day IL with a sprained right ankle.

So much for Westburg’s day-to-day status.

Infielder Vimael Machín had his contract selected after spending yesterday on the 24-hour medical taxi squad, and he’s wearing No. 65. He hasn’t played in the majors since 2022 with the Athletics.

Closer Félix Bautista and catcher Gary Sánchez were transferred to the 60-day IL to create openings on the 40-man roster.

Machín will be the 63^rd player used if he gets into a game, breaking the franchise record of 62 set in 2021. He’s played in 105 games with the Tides and is batting .287/.346/.475 with 25 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 70 RBIs. He was 7-for-13 with three doubles over three games before going 0-for-5 on Sunday.

PHILADELPHIA – How about that surprising homestand? The Nationals wound up going 4-3 against the Phillies and Mets, looking pretty sharp in the process against the top two teams in the division. So what’s up next? How about a road trip to … Philadelphia and New York!

They won’t be facing the Mets again; this trip concludes at Yankee Stadium, not Citi Field. But first up, it is a rematch with the Phillies over the weekend, the Nats hoping to keep the good vibes going in a very familiar matchup.

Cade Cavalli looked great six nights ago against this same lineup, tossing seven scoreless innings on 90 pitches to earn his first major league win. It’s an entirely new challenge, though, to face the same team again, especially in back-to-back starts. Surely, the Phillies picked up on something about Cavalli in the first meeting. It’s up to the rookie right-hander (and the Nationals coaching staff) to figure out what, if any, adjustments he needs to make in the rematch.

Cavalli outdueled Taijuan Walker in that Saturday afternoon affair on South Capitol Street, and that’s who the Nationals are facing again tonight. The veteran right-hander allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings, the big blow a two-out, two-run double by James Wood in the bottom of the fifth that accounted for all of the runs scored in the 2-0 victory.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 79 degrees, wind 5 mph out to left field

Despite a blowout loss on Tuesday, the Nationals are now in position to take this series from the Mets, thanks to last night’s 5-4 win. If they can pull it off, the Nats would find themselves as winners of five of their last eight and seven of their last 12 heading into their road trip to Philadelphia and New York.

To do so, they will definitely need better starting pitching. Over their last three games, Nationals starters have completed just 13 innings while giving up 16 runs (15 earned), 19 hits and eight walks. It’s probably not a coincidence the Nats went 1-2 in those games.

Luckily, they have their ace on the mound to try to provide them with some length. MacKenzie Gore is 5-12 with a 4.04 ERA on the season, but he’s completed six innings in each of his last two starts, allowing only a combined two runs and striking out 17. He took a hard-luck no-decision in his only start against the Mets this season back in June, when he tossed six innings of two-run ball with six strikeouts and departed the game with a 4-2 lead, only to see his team lose 5-4 in 10 innings.

Sean Manaea will make just his eighth appearance (seventh start) after his year was delayed by a right oblique strain. Overall, the veteran southpaw is 1-1 with a 4.78 ERA, but he’s posted a 7.98 ERA and the Mets are 0-3 in his three August starts.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. NEW YORK METS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 4:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, DC 87.7 (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Cloudy, 73 degrees, wind 12 mph in from center field

Last night’s game did not go well at all for the Nationals, on either side of the ball. On the mound, Jake Irvin got roughed up by the Mets for six runs (five of them coming in the top of the third). At the plate, the lineup was absolutely carved up by David Peterson for the umpteenth time. Put it all together, and you’ve got a completely lackluster, 8-1 loss.

What does tonight have in store? If nothing else, it will be interesting to see how Brad Lord fares in his 12th big league start, his second against the Mets. The rookie right-hander tossed only four innings that April night during a 2-0 loss. He’s fully built up for a longer workload tonight, provided he’s effective enough to warrant remaining in the game. The good news: He has been quite effective since rejoining the rotation, posting a 2.77 ERA and 1.154 WHIP in five starts.

At the plate, the Nationals simply have to put together better at-bats than they did last night against Peterson. The problem: They’ve had very little success in two previous cracks at Kodai Senga this season, including 5 2/3 innings of one-hit ball in June. Like Peterson, Senga can be really deceptive. The onus is on the Nats’ hitters to be patient and take what’s given to them, which means hitting the ball the other way if he keeps everything down and away.

NEW YORK METS 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: Mostly cloudy, 82 degrees, wind 8 mph in from right field

METS
SS Francisco Lindor
RF Juan Soto
LF Brandon Nimmo
1B Pete Alonso
2B Jeff McNeil
DH Mark Vientos
3B Brett Baty
CF Cedric Mullins
C Luis Torrens

BOSTON – Jordan Westburg is out of tonight’s Orioles lineup after injuring his right ankle last night in the first inning.

An update is coming later.

Samuel Basallo also is on the bench. Luis Vázquez is starting at third base. Dylan Beavers is in right field. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter.

Coby Mayo is playing first base.

Tonight marks Tomoyuki Sugano’s 24^th major league start. He’s posted a 4.13 ERA in 126 1/3 innings, and he’s only the 10^th Japanese-born pitcher to win 10 games as a rookie.

The Nationals survived the first of four consecutive series against playoff contenders from Philadelphia and New York, splitting their four-game series with the Phillies. Next up, it’s the Mets, who come to town in a bit of a tailspin, having lost 14 of their last 17 while dealing with all kinds of injuries. They did manage to win two in a row over the weekend against the Mariners, including Sunday night’s Little League Classic in Williamsport. So perhaps they’re on the mend. Either way, they can’t afford to lose this series to the Nats.

One of the surprising stalwarts of the New York rotation has been David Peterson, the veteran left-hander who has always resided at the back of the rotation but has ascended into a top starter this year, earning his first career All-Star selection. Peterson has been outstanding against the Nationals throughout his career, going 6-1 with a 2.64 ERA in 13 games (10 starts). That includes a six-hit, zero-walk shutout earlier this season at Citi Field.

Peterson’s opponent for that June 11 was Jake Irvin, who gave up four runs over five innings to take the loss. That was in stark contrast to Irvin’s April 25 start against the Mets, when he went 7 1/3 innings giving up only one run. He also dominated this lineup twice last season, memorably tossing eight innings of one-hit ball last July 4 and then also going 7 1/3 allowing only one run last September in Flushing.

Which version of Irvin shows up tonight? The Nationals would love for him to get back on track against an opponent he’s enjoyed success against more than once before.

NEW YORK METS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Chance of rain, 71 degrees, wind 9 mph in from right field

The infusion of top prospects in the Orioles’ roster is reflected in today’s lineup for the series finale in Houston.

Samuel Basallo is making his debut at designated hitter. He’s batting sixth.

Basallo is the 62^nd player to appear in a game, tying the franchise record set in 2021.

Dylan Beavers is in left field after collecting his first major league hit last night.

Colton Cowser returned from the concussion injured list this morning and he’s in center field, one spot ahead of Basallo.

What an unexpected weekend this has become. The Nationals have strung together three consecutive quality starts. And the bullpen, in spite of an ugly top of the seventh Friday night, has only been scored upon in one of eight innings so far in this series against the Phillies, leading to two wins and one other highly competitive game. And now we come to the finale, with an unlikely opportunity to win three of four from the division leaders.

That, of course, is easier said than done, for several reasons. It begins with Mitchell Parker, who takes the mound today on the heels of three straight subpar starts in which he’s allowed a total of 17 runs in only 14 1/3 innings. That stretch has raised his ERA to an unsightly 5.55. The lefty is going to have to be significantly better today against the Philly lineup, especially out of the chute in the top of the first. And even if he does his job, the Nats bullpen is going to be without closer Jose A. Ferrer, who recorded six outs Saturday and has recorded at least four outs three times in his last four appearances.

At the plate, the Nationals actually haven’t done that much this weekend, totaling seven runs in three games. Given their own pitching concerns, they probably need a big day at the plate against Aaron Nola (making his return from the injured list) to give themselves their best shot at a win.

A friendly reminder: Today’s game has an extra-early 11:35 a.m. first pitch, and it’s being televised exclusively on the Roku streaming service. It’s a joint booth calling the game, pairing up Phillies play-by-play announcer Tom McCarthy with Nats analyst Kevin Frandsen, plus the one and only Dan Kolko serving as sideline reporter.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 11:35 a.m. EDT
TV: Roku
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 93 degrees, wind 6 mph out to center field