Game 4: Nats at Phillies

Foster Griffin makes his long-awaited first major-league start and the Nationals look to keep their strong start going against their division rivals

PHILADELPHIA – Good afternoon from the City of Brotherly Love, which didn’t love the Phillies’ 1-2 opening weekend so much. D.C., on the other hand, must be positively giddy with the Nationals’ series win in Chicago to begin this new era in franchise history. Don’t let the records fool you. The task gets no easier over the next three days, and the Nats will have their hands full with the potent lineup they’re about to face at this hitter haven.

Tonight’s series opener features a really compelling storyline with Foster Griffin making his first career major-league start. The 30-year-old left-hander did pitch seven games in relief for the Royals the Blue Jays from 2020-22, but he really made a name for himself as one of the best starters in Japan the last three seasons. Now he’s back in the bigs, coming off a solid spring and hoping to become the latest pitcher to resurrect his career after a successful stint across the Pacific.

The Nationals got both of their wins over the weekend against Cubs left-handers, doing very little at the plate in the one game started by a right-hander. So they’re going to have to reverse that trend with righties Taijuan Walker and Andrew Painter on the mound for Philly the first two games of this series. Blake Butera’s lefty-heavy lineup reflects that matchup.

For those who missed the news Sunday night, the Nats optioned Andrés Chaparro to Triple-A Rochester, which cleared the way for Curtis Mead to be added to the active roster today. Mead is not in the lineup, but he could come off the bench to face a lefty reliever, or perhaps even to replace Luis García Jr. at first base for defense late in the game. Joey Wiemer, who has reached base all eight times he’s come up to bat, gets the start in center field over Jacob Young, but against the right-hander he’ll bat ninth despite his league-leading 3.333 OPS.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 6:40 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 66 degrees, wind 12 mph out to center

NATIONALS
RF James Wood
1B Luis García Jr.
3B Brady House
LF Daylen Lile
SS CJ Abrams
C Drew Millas
DH José Tena
2B Jorbit Vivas
CF Joey Wiemer

LHP Foster Griffin

PHILLIES
SS Trea Turner
DH Kyle Schwarber
1B Bryce Harper
3B Alec Bohm
RF Adolis García
2B Edmundo Sosa
LF Otto Kemp
CF Brandon Marsh
C Rafael Marchán

RHP Taijuan Walker

PREGAME NOTES

MEAD THRILLED TO BE REUNITED WITH BUTERA
When the White Sox designated Curtis Mead for assignment shortly before their season opener last week, the 25-year-old utilityman didn’t know how to react.

“It wasn’t the best timing,” he said. “It was weird watching Opening Day, and I didn’t necessarily have a team. A bizarre feeling.”

Mead, though, kept himself in shape training in Nashville while waiting to learn his DFA fate. And he got the news Saturday evening the Nationals had acquired him for minor-league catcher Boston Smith, he was thrilled. Originally a top prospect with the Rays, Mead played in Single-A for a young manager named Blake Butera and also had Michael Johns as one of his coaches.

Now, they’re all reunited in the major leagues, with Johns serving as Butera’s first bench coach for the Nationals.

“I’m certainly really thrilled with the landing spot,” Mead said, “being able to be with some of the guys I know, which is nice.”

The Nats view Mead as a jack-of-all-trades utilityman who can play both corner infield positions as well as second base. Mead’s calling card has been his right-handed bat, but he emphasized defensive improvement as he prepared for this season.

“One thing I told him is, he doesn’t need to go out there and prove to us he can play at this level,” Butera said. “We already know who he is. We know the type of person he is, the type of worker he is, the type of player he is. He’s got some familiar faces here with myself and MJ. Just happy to see Curtis again. I know he’s excited about the opportunity here.”

Mead’s addition to the roster came at the expense of Andrés Chaparro, who was optioned to Triple-A Rochester after going 2-for-6 with a double and two deep drives that were knocked down by the wind in Chicago over the weekend.

“It was really hard,” Butera said. “It’s not anything he did or didn’t do in the games he was here. It was more about opportunity and just not having a roster spot for him with this transaction. He’s going to help us again at some point this year, and he helped us win two of those first three games.”

INJURY UPDATE
Reliever Paxton Schultz (elbow soreness) has begun a rehab assignment with Rochester and threw 28 pitches over 1 2/3 innings Saturday against Jacksonville. The right-hander is scheduled to pitch again Tuesday.

Schultz, who was unavailable to pitch through most of March, was placed on the 15-day IL prior to Opening Day but had already progressed to the point where he was throwing off a mound again.