The Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles both needed a chance to recalibrate after tough stretches.
Both teams had the day off Monday before beginning a two-game set Tuesday night in Baltimore.
The Orioles are back home following a 5-5 road trip that ended with Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay.
“The games we won, we played really well,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said, “and the games we lost, we could have done a lot of better things.”
The Nationals wrapped up a 5-5 homestand with a 6-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. Three of their past four games have gone 10 innings, so the day off came at a good time for Washington.
Being competitive has been one of the Nationals’ traits despite rough patches this season.
“I think we’ve done a really good job all year of fighting to the end there, especially in the ninth inning, by just passing it back, whether it’s a walk or a hit,” center fielder Jacob Young said. “Right there (Sunday), we were one swing away from walking them off three times in a row. If you give yourselves a chance, you’ve got to feel pretty good there.”
Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander launched his 35th home run of the season Sunday. That gives him four homers in 10 games this month.
The road trip proved taxing at times on Baltimore, so Monday’s break should provide a good reset. The Orioles were limited with available relievers in the series finale against the Rays.
Reliever Craig Kimbrel had another uneven outing in the loss to Tampa Bay.
“Overall, there’s times my stuff has played and gotten me through some things,” Kimbrel said. “But all in all, my consistency has just been really terrible, and when you’re inconsistent, you put guys on base and things happen.”
On Tuesday, lefty Trevor Rogers (2-10, 4.71 ERA) will make his third start for the Orioles since he was acquired at the trade deadline from the Miami Marlins. He has gone 0-1 in his first two outings — both on the road — with his new team.
Rogers suffered two losses earlier this year to Washington despite, in the second meeting, holding the Nationals to two runs on six hits in seven innings.
Washington’s CJ Abrams homered off Rogers, but the other longball he allowed to the Nationals was to Lane Thomas, who now plays for the Cleveland Guardians.
In 10 career starts vs. Washington, Rogers is 3-4 with a 3.35 ERA. With the exception of Philadelphia, he has logged more innings (48 1/3) against the Nationals than any other team in his career.
Right-hander Jake Irvin (8-10, 3.76) gets the call for the Nationals. He’s 1-4 in his last six outings but has gone at least five innings in the four most recent stints. In two August starts he’s allowed nine runs in 10 2/3 total innings, including matching his career worst by surrendering three home runs Wednesday to San Francisco.
In Irvin’s two seasons in the big leagues, he has never faced the Orioles.
The Nationals hope to have Abrams, the shortstop, back in action. He has been out of the starting lineup for the past three games as he deals with back spasms.
The Nationals and Orioles split two games in early May, with Washington winning 3-0 before visiting Baltimore got revenge the next day with a 7-6, 12-inning decision.
Since the All-Star break, the Nationals have played only six road games, splitting those.
–Field Level Media
