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Washington Nationals’ lineup for today’s series opener with the Atlanta Braves...

Washington and Atlanta play the first game of today’s doubleheader at 1:05 PM EDT this afternoon with Jefry Rodriguez on the mound against Max Fried in Nationals Park.

By Patrick Reddington
MLB: Cincinnati Reds at Washington Nationals Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Washington’s won five of twelve against Atlanta so far this season, taking one of three from the Braves in SunTrust Park in the first series of 2018 (April 2-4), two of three in D.C. a week later, (April 9-11) and one of three in late May/early June (May 31-June 2), salvaging the series finale after they’d dropped the first two in the Braves’ home, then the NL East rivals split the two games that they played in the nation’s capital (July 20th and 22nd) with a rainout in the second game of that series rescheduled for this afternoon as part of a doubleheader that’s turned this into a four-game set in Nationals Park.

This afternoon’s matchup has 25-year-old Nats’ right-hander Jefry Rodriguez on the mound in his sixth major league appearance and fourth start after he signed out of the Dominican Republic for $75K in 2012, against 24-year-old Braves’ left-hander Max Fried, who’s making his 19th appearance and ninth start in his second season in the majors after he was drafted by San Diego in the first round of the 2012 Draft and traded to Atlanta in the deal that sent Justin Upton to the Padres in December of 2014.

Rodriguez threw 4 2⁄3 scoreless against the Braves in his MLB debut back on June 3rd, when he came on in relief of Jeremy Hellickson one out into the game in Atlanta when the veteran right-hander injured his hamstring covering first base on a ground ball.

In three starts in the majors, Rodriguez has given up 17 hits, 10 walks, and 15 earned runs in 14 innings, over which opposing hitters have put up a .304/.426/.643 line against him.

Fried, who attended high school with former Nationals’ prospect Lucas Giolito, at Harvard-Westlake in LA, is (1-2) in four starts, with a 2.75 ERA, 13 walks, 25 Ks, and a .219/.358/.281 line against in 19 2⁄3 IP this season, with losses in his last two starts and a scoreless relief outing last time on the mound before this afternoon’s matchup.

HERE’S THE NATS’ LINEUP FOR THE 1ST OF TWO WITH THE BRAVES TODAY:

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