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Washington Nationals’ lineup for 1st of 4 with the San Diego Padres

Davey Martinez’s club is out in San Diego, CA for four days with the Padres starting tonight at 10:10 PM ET.

By Patrick Reddington
Washington Nationals v San Diego Padres Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images

After winning four straight last week, Davey Martinez’s club dropped four in a row to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Nationals Park, and now they’re out on the road for four with the San Diego Padres and then three with the San Francisco Giants to wrap up the so-called first half of the 2021 season.

The injuries piled up as things went along last week, leaving the Nationals with a depleted roster that wasn’t able to match up with the Dodgers.

“It’s unfortunate that we have so many injuries,” Martinez said after Sunday’s loss, “... but in this game it happens, we got to keep going, we’ve got to keep battling, we’ve got to find a way. We got to kind of will it some days, so we’ll show up to San Diego tomorrow and we’ll go and compete again.”

How is the team handling all of the latest injuries, which followed a 19-9 month of June in which they worked hard to get back in the race in the NL East?

“I can tell you now that these guys are positive before the game and they want to play well,” the Nats’ fourth-year skipper said, “... and they want to pick up the guys that aren’t able to play right now, so I know they’re going to come out tomorrow and play hard again.

“We just got to keep our heads up and keep battling.”

With the missing players, are the Nationals pressing on offense again, and trying too hard to make something happen after Kyle Schwarber sparked the offense in June?

“I thought we had pretty good at bats,” Martinez said. “I mean, I know they’re playing hard.”

“I’m looking back right now at some of the at bats, some of the games, I think they’re doing fine. I really do. Like I said, we just couldn’t string a bunch of hits together, and get that one big hit we needed again tonight and we just got to forget about this now and move forward and get to San Diego and go 1-0 tomorrow.”

Having Trea Turner and Yan Gomes back in the lineup probably helps. Alcides Escobar at second and leading off? Hmm...

HERE’S THE NATIONALS’ LINEUP FOR THE 1ST OF 4 WITH THE PADRES:

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