Game 143 lineups: Nats at Pirates

If you thought a lighter schedule was going to help the Nationals finish out a disappointing season strong, well, that hasn't exactly played out as hoped so far this weekend. With back-to-back losses to the Pirates, the Nats are now in danger of being swept by one of the worst teams in baseball. (The Pirates, for what it's worth, haven't swept anyone in a three-game series this season.)

So if they're going to avoid this latest ignominy, the Nationals will need a much better performance today from their pitching staff. They really, really, really need Patrick Corbin to be solid. Which he was his last time out when he held the Mets to three runs in seventh innings (albeit on 11 hits while throwing 114 pitches). Given the state of the bullpen, manager Davey Martinez might have no choice but to push Corbin well beyond the 100-pitch mark again, no matter the score.

A couple of changes to today's lineup: Alex Avila is catching and Adrián Sanchez is starting at third base. After Keibert Ruiz was struck by a pitch in the head Saturday night, Riley Adams was forced to finish the game in his place. And since he also caught Friday's game, Adams gets today off, with Avila working with Corbin for the second straight time. Sanchez, meanwhile, gives Carter Kieboom a rare day off.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Where: PNC Park
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 80 degrees, wind 13 mph right field to left field

NATIONALS
CF Lane Thomas
SS Alcides Escobar
RF Juan Soto
1B Josh Bell
LF Yadiel Hernandez
2B Luis García
C Alex Avila
3B Adrián Sanchez
LHP Patrick Corbin

PIRATES
3B Ke'Bryan Hayes
SS Kevin Newman
CF Bryan Reynolds
1B Colin Moran
C Jacob Stallings
2B Wilmer Difo
LF Anthony Alford
RF Ben Gamel
RHP Bryse Wilson