Game 110: Nats at Braves

The Nationals open their biggest road trip in years with a four-game weekend series in Atlanta, featuring Jake Irvin's return from the IL

ATLANTA – Hello from Truist Park in unincorporated Cobb County, where tonight the Nationals begin their biggest road trip in … well, it’s been a while. With four games here against the Braves and then four games in Philadelphia against the Phillies, this trip could make or break the 2026 season. How big is this one? ESPN has picked up tonight’s game for a full national broadcast. (Note: That means you won’t be able to watch on Nationals TV.)

This could be a week filled with news, but the news coming into tonight’s series opener is the return of Jake Irvin from the 60-day IL. It was just more than two months ago when Irvin tossed five no-hit innings right here in this ballpark before departing with a shoulder injury. It took longer than originally anticipated, but the right-hander is finally back and ready to go. Blake Butera admitted he won’t be pushing Irvin too far in his first start, so don’t look for more than probably 80 pitches or so. But if he can pick up where he left off, that would be a boon to the Nats rotation.

The first-place Braves are starting right-hander Grant Holmes, who just so happened to be on the mound for that same May 23 game against Irvin. He went five innings allowing two runs, each of them a solo homer (one from Dylan Crews, one from Jorbit Vivas). The Nationals had chances to do more in that game but went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Sounds like a familiar problem.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Truist Park
Gametime: 7:15 p.m. EDT
TV: ESPN
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Clear, 87 degrees, wind 8 mph out to left

NATIONALS
RF James Wood
1B Luis García Jr.
CF Dylan Crews
SS CJ Abrams
LF Daylen Lile
C Keibert Ruiz
DH José Tena
3B Jorbit Vivas
2B Nasim Nuñez

RHP Jake Irvin

BRAVES
C Drake Baldwin
RF Ronald Acuña Jr.
1B Matt Olson
CF Michael Harris II
2B Ozzie Albies
3B Mauricio Dubón
DH Dominic Smith
LF Mike Yastrzemski
SS Jim Jarvis

RHP Grant Holmes