Game 83: Nats at Orioles

The Nationals try to shake off a disastrous series against the Phillies this weekend in Baltimore

BALTIMORE – Good afternoon from Camden Yards, where the Nationals and Orioles renew their rivalry over the next three days. The Nats can only hope the results don’t resemble their last three nights against another rival.

Perhaps a fresh start in a new venue against a new opponent will help. It would also help if the lineup could put up some big numbers and sustain that throughout the game, if Andrew Alvarez could provide quality and length and the bullpen doesn’t have to pitch much or protect a lead of five or fewer runs. Wishful thinking, yes.

It will be interesting to see how Blake Butera handles Alvarez tonight. He’s been held to roughly four innings per start to date, but given the state of the bullpen you’d think this might be a night to let him go farther if he’s pitching well enough to merit it. We’ll see.

CJ Abrams is back in the lineup, batting in his usual cleanup spot. The Nats managed to score plenty of runs against the Phillies despite Abrams’ absence for two games and James Wood’s recent slump. They’d love to get both of their likely All-Stars going again tonight and set a really positive tone from the outset.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Where: Camden Yards
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Chance of rain early, 84 degrees, 6 mph out to right

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

LHP Andrew Alvarez

ORIOLES
LF Taylor Ward
SS Gunnar Henderson
1B Pete Alonso
DH Coby Mayo
RF Tyler O’Neill
C Samuel Basallo
CF Leody Taveras
2B Jackson Holliday
3B Blaze Alexander

LHP Trevor Rogers