Game 102: Nats at Rockies
Carson Palmquist will open for Miles Mikolas as the Nationals try to make it two in a row at Coors Field
DENVER – The Nationals won Monday night’s series opener through methods both typical (three home runs) and atypical (4 2/3 hitless innings of relief) from this 2026 squad. Which of those two methods are they more likely to put on display again tonight at Coors Field.
Common sense says they’re more likely to keep scoring runs like that. And they’ll hope to keep the pressure on the Rockies pitching staff, facing an opponent tonight who has been around a while and has struggled this season but is best remembered by Nats fans for a singular moment of glory three years ago. Michael Lorenzen, you may recall, threw a no-hitter Aug. 9, 2023 as a member of the Phillies. The right-hander did that against a very different Nationals lineup – only CJ Abrams and Keibert Ruiz remain from that night’s game – so it probably means little at this point. But it’s surely still on at least Lorenzen’s mind, right?
The Nats get Miles Mikolas back from his five-game suspension, but the veteran right-hander won’t actually start this game. It will be Carson Palmquist serving as the opener, and it’s anybody’s guess whether the lefty goes one inning, two innings, three innings or more before handing the ball to Mikolas. Based on how we’ve seen Blake Butera manage him, Palmquist will probably be allowed to continue as long as he’s effective.
Butera also has another fresh bullpen arm available to him tonight: Eddy Yean. The team recalled the rookie right-hander from Triple-A Rochester, exactly 15 days after his impressive debut (and immediate demotion). The corresponding move: Justin Lawrence was designated for assignment, the right-hander having allowed three runs over 6 1/3 innings, striking out six but walking seven.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at COLORADO ROCKIES
Where: Coors Field
Gametime: 8:40 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Partly cloudy, 92 degrees, wind 12 mph out to left
NATIONALS
RF James Wood
1B Luis García Jr.
DH José Tena
SS CJ Abrams
3B Curtis Mead
LF Daylen Lile
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Nasim Nuñez
CF Jacob Young
LHP Carson Palmquist
ROCKIES
LF Jake McCarthy
CF Cole Carrigg
C Hunter Goodman
2B Willi Castro
1B TJ Rumfield
3B Kyle Karros
DH Mickey Moniak
RF Troy Johnston
SS Ezequiel Tovar
RHP Michael Lorenzen
Home run No. 23 of the season and No. 3 over the last 3 days for CJ Abrams. Nats once again jump out to a quick lead on the road, up 2-0 in the first.
Second time tonight the Nats have had a runner out at the plate on the contact play. And this one turned into a double play when Nasim Nunez rounded first and got into a rundown of his own.