The Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves are set to conclude their weekend series on Sunday in Atlanta. Currently, the Nationals sit in fourth place in the NL East, trailing the second-place Braves by ten games. The matchup features Nationals’ left-handed pitcher DJ Herz (2-6, 4.15) going against Braves’ righty Reynaldo Lopez (7-4, 2.05). Fans can expect the first pitch at 12:05 p.m. EST.
DJ Herz Takes the Mound for the Nationals
The Washington Nationals are navigating through the 2024 season with a roster that emphasizes youth and potential. After their World Series triumph in 2019, they have struggled to find their footing, and it appears they may miss the playoffs again this year. Coming into Atlanta after a series win against the Rockies, the Nationals faced setbacks in the first two games of their current series, including a 4-2 defeat on Saturday. Notably, third baseman Jose Tena delivered a strong performance, going 3-for-4 with a home run to account for both Nationals runs.
In the series finale, rookie DJ Herz will take the mound for the Nationals. With a season record of 2-6 in 13 starts, he has posted two quality starts. Herz has an ERA of 4.15 and a WHIP of 1.32, allowing 59 hits across 60.2 innings pitched. He has struck out 75 batters while issuing 21 walks and allowing 10 home runs. In his latest outing, a 3-1 loss to the Rockies, Herz pitched 5.2 innings, giving up six hits and two runs while striking out seven.
Key Injuries: RP Derek Law, SP Trevor Williams, and SP Cade Cavalli are sidelined.
Reynaldo Lopez Aims for Dominance
The Atlanta Braves have recently regained their footing in the playoff race after a brief slump, overtaking the Mets in the standings. While it seems unlikely they will maintain their streak of NL East Division titles, the Braves are positioning themselves for another postseason appearance. They welcomed the Nationals after securing two wins against the first-place Philadelphia Phillies earlier this week. The Braves achieved victories in the first two games against the Nationals by a narrow margin, and on Saturday, they claimed a 4-2 win, highlighted by a game-tying double from Matt Olson followed by a go-ahead RBI single from Travis d’Arnaud.
As they seek to cap off the series with a win, the Braves will depend on right-hander Reynaldo Lopez. This will be his second start after returning from the injured list. Lopez has compiled a 7-4 record this season with an impressive ERA of 2.05 and a WHIP of 1.19 over 20 starts, including 10 quality starts. He has allowed only 93 hits in 109.2 innings, with 38 walks and 112 strikeouts, surrendering just seven home runs. In his return from the IL against the Phillies, Lopez was effective, pitching five innings, allowing five hits and one run while fanning 10 batters.
Key Injuries: 2B Ozzie Albies, SP Huascar Ynoa, and RP Tyler Matzek are out.
Betting Insights for Nationals vs. Braves
So far this season, the Nationals have performed well against the Braves, winning six of their eight encounters. Last year, however, the Braves dominated the series, largely due to their powerful batting lineup. While the Braves haven’t displayed the same level of power this season, they have shown improvement over the past two weeks, even with third baseman Austin Riley sidelined due to injury. The return of Michael Harris II has been a positive influence, contributing to the Braves’ four wins in their last five games. On the other hand, the Nationals have struggled, losing four of Herz’s last five starts. Meanwhile, Lopez’s strong performance against the Phillies indicates that the Braves are gearing up for a crucial stretch as they chase playoff positioning.
