Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
They say that momentum is only as good as your next game’s pitcher, and here we are with Paolo Espino who pitched well enough to beat the Phillies until a bullpen implosion, and again last time out against the Rangers. The issue with Espino is going deep into games. He actually pitched into the sixth inning over the weekend in Texas going 5 1/3 of one run baseball.
Since Espino’s doubleheader start against Philadephia on June 17, the Nats starters have a 1.82 ERA and that includes two turns through the order for the current rotation of Espino, Josiah Gray, Jackson Tetreault, Erick Fedde, and last night’s hero, Patrick Corbin.
In fact since last night’s win, the Nats improved to get below the 20-games below .500 mark for the season. But for this to have any meaning, the Nats need to beat the bad teams and win more series. This is really about respectability and giving the fans the belief that if they attend a game that the team has a good chance to win. Finally, it is starting to feel that way.
In manager Dave Martinez‘s lineup, Lane Thomas and Maikel Franco will get the day-off. In their players are Yadiel Hernandez and Ehire Adrianza.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals
Stadium: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
1st Pitch: 1:05 pm EDT
TV: MASN; AT&T Sportsnet; MLB App (out-0f-market only)
Nats Radio: 106.7 The Fan and via the MLB app
Lineups (subject to change without notice):
Try, try again, as the Nats go for the 🧹 https://t.co/u0QB7nhnyF
— Talk Nats ⚾ (@TalkNats) June 29, 2022
