Game 59 lineups: Nats vs. Orioles (updated)

The Nationals return home from a successful nine-game West Coast road swing through San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles with a 7-2 record. But instead of the scheduled off-day, they've got a makeup game against the Orioles, the result of a postponement from May 11.

Technically, this will be their third series against the Orioles this season - the second season in a row that has happened thanks to inclement weather. The two-game series at Camden Yards from May 8-9 counts as one series and the single games on May 10 and today each count as a series. The Nationals are 1-2 against the Orioles so far this season.

The Nats have some history against Orioles right-hander Alec Asher (2-2, 3.62 ERA), who has a career 1-1 record and 3.75 ERA in three games (two starts) against them. Asher made a one-inning relief appearance against the Nats on May 10, allowing a run on a hit with a walk and three strikeouts. He lost to the Nationals on Sept. 16, 2015 in D.C. and beat them on Sept. 8, 2016, turning in six innings of shutout two-hit ball.

Current Nationals are slashing .258/.273/.516 off Asher in an admittedly small sample size. Michael A. Taylor is 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs.

Ross-Throws-White-Sidebar.jpgRighty Joe Ross (2-2, 7.34 ERA) will oppose Asher, trying to again rediscover his form from the past two seasons before injury. Ross has made one career appearance against the Orioles, tossing 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief on Sept. 24, 2015. Current Orioles are 1-for-9 lifetime against Ross, with Rubén Tejada owning the only hit.

Second baseman Daniel Murphy, first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and third baseman Anthony Rendon are not in tonight's starting lineup, with Wilmer Difo at second, Adam Lind at first and Stephen Drew at third base.

Manager Dusty Baker said that all three were planned days off, and that he'd clued the players affected yesterday.

"Try to get some fresh bodies in there," Baker said. "I told them yesterday, guys that were going to be off. Guys that have been playing a lot, guys that are a bit older. This game here, it was supposed to be an off-day."

BALTIMORE ORIOLES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where:
Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM,
Weather: Partly cloudy, 73 degrees, wind 7 mph from left field

NATIONALS (38-20)
SS Trea Turner
2B Wilmer Difo
RF Bryce Harper
1B Adam Lind
C Matt Wieters
3B Stephen Drew
CF Michael A. Taylor
LF Brian Goodwin
RHP Joe Ross

ORIOLES (31-26)
RF Seth Smith
2B Jonathan Schoop
1B Mark Trumbo
3B Chris Davis
LF Trey Mancini
CF Joey Rickard
C Caleb Joseph
SS J.J. Hardy
RHP Alec Asher




Baker on recoveries of Werth, Blanton and Solís
After 7-2 West Coast trip, no break for jet-lagged...
 

By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.masnsports.com/