Game 32 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

The Nationals need to score runs tonight. This does not qualify as some sort of huge revelation. It's simply the truth. Over their last eight games, the Nats have scored an average of 3.4 runs on 7.5 hits. Which isn't great, but it's even worse when you consider they exploded for 11 runs on 10 hits during Friday night's win at Yankee Stadium. Throw that outlier from the mix, and you get an average of 2.3 runs on 7.1 hits during this stretch.

So the mission tonight is clear: Score, and score early. On one hand, that could be a challenge against Zack Wheeler, who since signing a $118 million contract with the Phillies last year has gone 7-4 with a 2.88 ERA and 1.087 WHIP in 18 starts. On the other hand, the Nationals have enjoyed a lot of success against Wheeler during his career, most of that coming while he was with the Mets. Trea Turner is 9-for-28 with a homer. Victor Robles is 5-for-16 with a double. And Ryan Zimmerman is 9-for-30 with two homers against the veteran right-hander.

More than any individual head-to-head numbers, Davey Martinez believes it's a good idea to have as many hitters who are good vs. fastballs facing Wheeler tonight. So that has produced a different look: Andrew Stevenson will lead off and play center field, ahead of Turner, Juan Soto and Zimmerman, who will bat cleanup. Jordy Mercer also will give Josh Harrison a breather at second base, batting ninth behind Jon Lester.

Whether they hit well or not, the Nationals also need quality out of Lester, who has looked fine in his first two starts of the season. He hasn't dominated, but he's been effective, and that's really all the team expected the veteran lefty to be when they signed him. Like Wheeler against the Nats, though, Lester has struggled against some of the Phillies' biggest hitters. Bryce Harper is 4-for-13 with a homer, Jean Segura is 4-for-8 with a homer, Andrew McCutchen is 8-for-35 with two homers and J.T. Realmuto (who had to leave Tuesday night's game after taking a foul ball off his knee) is 4-for-10 with two homers.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Mostly clear, 64 degrees, wind 8 mph in from left field

NATIONALS
CF Andrew Stevenson
SS Trea Turner
RF Juan Soto
1B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Kyle Schwarber
3B Starlin Castro
C Alex Avila
LHP Jon Lester
2B Jordy Mercer

PHILLIES
LF Andrew McCutchen
2B Jean Segura
RF Bryce Harper
1B Rhys Hoskins
3B Alec Bohm
SS Didi Gregorius
C Andrew Knapp
CF Odúbel Herrera
RHP Zack Wheeler