With the August 3rd deadline looming larger by the day, the Nats hit the road and head to Atlanta. Dropping the Jays series felt like a missed opportunity, especially with this four gamer approaching. However, the Nats are road warriors and will have the chance to show that yet again in Atlanta.
With a righty on the mound, Blake Butera is going with a lefty heavy lineup. Dylan Crews is the only true right hander in the lineup, playing center field and hitting third. CJ Abrams is back at shortstop, with Nasim Nunez sliding to second and Jorbit Vivas moving to third. Keibert Ruiz is back behind the dish. After missing a lot of time with a shoulder injury, Jake Irvin is back in the fold to make one of the biggest starts of his career.
The Braves lineup features a familiar cast of characters including Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin and Ozzie Albies. One Braves mainstay who is not in the lineup is Austin Riley, who has had a difficult season. Mauricio Dubon will take his place at third. Right hander and Kenny Powers lookalike Grant Holmes is on the mound.
This is a nationally televised game where the Nats have a chance to show the world their elite offense. It is also a massive game in the Wild Card race. They need to win to stay above .500 after dropping that Jays series. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
