Game 38: Twins at Nats

Minnesota native Jake Irvin takes the mound this afternoon as the Nationals try to earn their first home series win of the season

Would you believe the Nationals today have an opportunity to win a home series for the first time this season? Yep, thanks to Wednesday night’s 15-2 trouncing of the Twins, they’re now in a position to take this afternoon’s series finale and take two of three from Minnesota, something they have not done against any other club that has come to D.C. through the season’s first six weeks.

Blake Butera will hope the bats remain hot after that much-needed explosion. They’re facing a guy against whom they’ve had mixed results in Simeon Woods-Richardson. Back in 2023, the Nats scored five runs in 4 2/3 innings against the right-hander, with CJ Abrams homering. Then the following year, Woods-Richardson shut them out over 4 2/3 innings.

Jake Irvin has some history with the Twins himself, positive history. The Minnesota native has faced his hometown team twice and sports a 2.70 ERA with zero walks, having reached the seventh inning in each start. He’ll surely be motivated to face them again this afternoon, hoping to pitch the Nationals to a long-awaited home series win.

Luis García Jr. remains out of the lineup for the third straight game, but his right wrist appears to be healing and it’s possible we’ll see him off the bench today if there’s a pinch-hitting matchup that suits him.

MINNESOTA TWINS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 60 degrees, wind 5 mph in from center

TWINS
CF Byron Buxton
DH Trevor Larnach
LF Austin Martin
C Ryan Jeffers
RF Matt Wallner
2B Luke Keaschall
1B Kody Clemens
SS Brooks Lee
3B Tristan Gray

RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson

NATIONALS
RF James Wood
LF Daylen Lile
1B Curtis Mead
SS CJ Abrams
3B Brady House
DH José Tena
CF Jacob Young
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Nasim Nuñez

RHP Jake Irvin