Game 73: Royals at Nats

The Nationals look to win another interleague series with Kansas City coming to town. Plus, an update on All-Star voting and DJ Herz's rehab.

It’s Interleague Week here at Nationals Park, where the home team already took two of three from the Mariners and now looks to do at least the same against the Royals. Kansas City currently is tied for the second-worst record in the majors at 29-43, with a minus-49 run differential and a 12-22 road record. It all makes for a good matchup on paper for the Nats. But as we’ve learned, that doesn’t usually mean what you think it means.

The Nationals will hope for some length out of Andrew Alvarez, who needed 90 pitches just to complete four-plus innings last week in San Francisco. He only gave up two runs, but the five walks he issued drove up his pitch count. He also faced traffic all night, somehow managing to strand a runner on third base in four consecutive innings.

The Royals send right-hander Mitch Spence to the mound for tonight’s series opener. Spence owns a 4.91 ERA and 1.417 WHIP over 240 career MLB innings (most of them with the Athletics) and he was called up from Triple-A Omaha despite a 6.54 ERA in 10 starts. Old friend Lane Thomas is in Kansas City’s lineup, batting leadoff tonight.

Be sure to scroll down below the lineups for some pregame news about the early state of All-Star voting and the next big step for DJ Herz in his rehab from Tommy John surgery ...

KANSAS CITY ROYALS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Partly cloudy, 76 degrees, wind 12 mph left to right

ROYALS
CF Lane Thomas
SS Bobby Witt Jr.
RF Jac Caglianone
3B Maikel Garcia
DH Starling Marte
1B Salvador Perez
2B Nick Loftin
C Carter Jensen
LF Isaac Collins

RHP Mitch Spence

NATIONALS
DH James Wood
1B Luis García Jr.
3B Curtis Mead
SS CJ Abrams
RF Dylan Crews
LF Daylen Lile
CF Jacob Young
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Nasim Nuñez

LHP Andrew Alvarez

PREGAME NOTES

Photo by Billy Sabatini / ALL-PRO REELS

ABRAMS LEADS, WOOD 7TH IN ALL-STAR VOTING

The first round of All-Star voting was released today, and it included two developments that felt like they were in direct conflict with each other: CJ Abrams has received the most votes so far at shortstop, but James Wood only ranks seventh among NL outfielders.

Abrams headlines a star-studded group of NL shortstops, narrowly leading Mookie Betts (who has played only 37 games due to injury) by a vote count of 579,796 to 567,566. Abrams leads all NL shortstops in homers (14), RBI (53), on-base percentage (.377), slugging percentage (.517) and OPS (.894). An All-Star reserve in 2024, this would be his first selection as a starter if he can hold off Betts.

Of particular note: Abrams is the only current leading vote-getter at any position in the NL who doesn’t play for either the Dodgers or Braves.

Wood arguably has an even stronger case than his teammate, entering the day leading the majors in runs (66) and leading NL outfielders in homers (20), walks (58), on-base percentage (.414) and OPS (.972). But the 23-year-old surprisingly ranks only seventh at his position with 431,607 votes, trailing Andy Pages (800,496), Ronald Acuna Jr. (693,472), Brandon Marsh (668,191), Michael Harris II (635,473), Teoscar Hernandez (507,625) and Jordan Walker (437,071).

“I don’t know what else he needs to do,” manager Blake Butera said. “I think Woody is very, very much deserving to not only be a definite All-Star Game participant, but should be in the MVP conversation as well. And anyone that’s in the MVP conversation up there at the top should, I believe, be in the All-Star Game.”

An All-Star reserve and Home Run Derby participant in 2025, Wood also seeks his first starting selection and a chance to join a select group in club history. The only Nationals to be voted into the starting lineup are Bryce Harper (2013, 2015-18), Ryan Zimmerman (2017), Daniel Murphy (2017) and Alfonso Soriano (2006). Max Scherzer started three All-Star Games in a Nats uniform, but pitchers aren’t selected by fans.

Fans have until June 25 to vote, at which point the top two vote-getters at each infield position and top six vote-getters in the outfield will advance to the second round, which determines the eventual starter. Reserves and pitchers are selected by fellow players, with MLB stepping in to ensure all 30 clubs are represented.

HERZ TO PITCH FOR FREDERICKSBURG TUESDAY

DJ Herz was back at Nationals Park today for the first time in 2026, excited to be moving closer to his return from last spring’s Tommy John surgery. Having successfully made two rehab starts in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, the left-hander is now ready to start pitching for higher-level affiliates.

Herz is scheduled to start for Single-A Fredericksburg on Tuesday, and if all goes well could pitch there again Sunday.

“I’m close,” he said. “I feel good. My stuff looks almost the same or better. I think we’re excited with the shapes and everything that’s been, (velocity) has been great. I feel healthy.”

Herz, 25, impressed two years ago as a rookie, producing a 4.19 ERA in 19 big-league starts while striking out 10.8 batters per nine innings. He was competing for a spot in the Opening Day rotation last spring but saw a drop in his velocity, and after getting optioned to Triple-A Rochester admitted he was injured. He underwent Tommy John surgery in April and began the long rehab process that is now nearing completion.

“I know everything so far, the reviews in terms of what he’s looked like coming out of this surgery, has been really, really positive,” Butera said. “I know how much work he’s put in and how long of a process this is. So he’s really excited out there.”