We have arrived at last at the final homestand of the season. Three more games to wrap up what undeniably has been a season most everyone around here wants to forget. But first, there are three games to play against a team that very much needs to win as many of these as it can.
The Red Sox enter play tied with the red-hot Mariners for the second wild card berth in the American League, two games behind the Yankees, one game ahead of the Blue Jays. There are all kinds of scenarios that could play out over the next 72 hours, but right now Boston has everything at stake and the Nationals have an opportunity to make a real impact on the race.
Josh Rogers is the starter for tonight's opener, and he'll be trying to contain a Red Sox lineup that features Kyle Schwarber batting second and starting in left field. He should get a nice ovation from the crowd tonight, which never got a chance to thank him for his incredible June home run barrage.
The Nationals lineup against Boston left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez includes Josh Bell, not Ryan Zimmerman at first base. I would fully expect Zimmerman to get a pinch-hit appearance at some point, and to start at least one of this weekend's remaining games. Keibert Ruiz will bat fifth, bumped ahead of Yadiel Hernandez. And Jordy Mercer gets a rare start at second base over Luis GarcÃa.
Update: Hernandez actually was scratched from the lineup late this afternoon. Andrew Stevenson is now starting in left field and batting eighth.
BOSTON RED SOX at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 67 degrees, wind 4 mph in from center field
NATIONALS
CF Lane Thomas
SS Alcides Escobar
RF Juan Soto
1B Josh Bell
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Jordy Mercer
3B Carter Kieboom
LF Andrew Stevenson
LHP Josh Rogers
RED SOX
2B Enrique Hernández
LF Kyle Schwarber
SS Xander Bogaerts
3B Rafael Devers
RF J.D. Martinez
CF Hunter Renfroe
1B Bobby Dalbec
C Christian Vázquez
LHP Eduardo Rodriguez