Game 67 lineups: Nats at Blue Jays

TORONTO - The Nationals' unfamiliarity with Rogers Centre cost them during Friday night's 6-5 loss. Perhaps now that they've experienced this unique ballpark a little bit, they won't be victimized by it in the second game of their weekend series with the Blue Jays.

Scherzer-Arm-Whip-Gray-Sidebar.jpgIt doesn't hurt, of course, to have Max Scherzer on the mound. The ace has made four prior starts here in his career, and all he's done is go 3-0 with a 1.98 ERA, 32 strikeouts and only five walks. And this was the Detroit version of Scherzer, a very good pitcher but not as great as the Washington version of Scherzer has been the last three-plus seasons.

Speaking of pitchers who have improved over the years, Marco Estrada starts for Toronto today. You may or may not remember him as a member of the Nationals' original 2005 draft class who appeared in 15 games (mostly as a reliever) in 2008-09 and posted a 7.20 ERA before getting claimed off waivers by the Brewers. Well, all these years later Estrada has developed into a reliable major league starter, owner of a 4.12 ERA in 263 career games, a 2.64 ERA in 10 career postseason games and $49,066,000 in career earnings.

The Nats lineup has a different look to it today. Matt Adams, as expected, is not playing after taking a pitch off his left index finger. So Daniel Murphy is going to make his season debut in the field, but at first base instead of second base. That allows Adam Eaton to serve as DH and take some wear and tear off his knee and ankle, and it allows Michael A. Taylor to play center field and give the club a better defensive alignment for today's game.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Where: Rogers Centre
Gametime: 4:07 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 1500 AM, MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 72 degrees, wind 9 mph out to center field

NATIONALS
DH Adam Eaton
SS Trea Turner
RF Bryce Harper
3B Anthony Rendon
1B Daniel Murphy
LF Juan Soto
CF Michael A. Taylor
2B Wilmer Difo
C Pedro Severino

RHP Max Scherzer

BLUE JAYS
RF Curtis Granderson
1B Justin Smoak
3B Yangervis Solarte
LF Teoscar Hernández
DH Kendry Morales
CF Kevin Pillar
SS Aledmys Díaz
C Luke Maile
2B Devon Travis

RHP Marco Estrada




Adams' finger in splint, X-rays inconclusive (Nats...
On Adams' swollen finger and Eaton's quick out in ...
 

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