On Friday, the Washington Nationals will take on the Colorado Rockies in game two of their four-game series. First pitch from Coors Field is at 8:40 p.m. ET. The Rockies are -125 moneyline favorites and the game total is set at 11 runs.
Washington (1-5 SU and 1-5 ATS) was swept by Tampa Bay after losing two of three to Atlanta. The Nationals will start southpaw Mackenzie Gore on Friday night in Denver.
Colorado (2-4 SU and 2-4 ATS) split its previous series with San Diego after losing a two-game series to Los Angeles. The Rockies will send righty José Ureña to the mound on Friday.
Washington's 2023 season has been tough to stomach for Nationals fans, with one win and a series sweep already in the books. Will the Nats show progress this season, or will it be another long string of lackluster performances in the nation's capital?
The Nationals score 2.83 runs per game (28th) and hit .233 (21st) with a .618 OPS (27th). They hit two home runs and stole one base in their first six games. The Washington pitching staff has accumulated a 5.67 ERA (25th) and a 1.43 WHIP (19th) with zero quality starts during that span.
CJ AIR-BRAMS pic.twitter.com/tkRsmuEv5x
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) April 5, 2023
There's no denying that the Nationals have one of the weakest lineups in MLB. After trading Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, and Juan Soto in consecutive seasons, that's not surprising. The future could be bright, though, with promising young players such as Keibert Ruiz, CJ Abrams, Robert Hassell, James Wood, and Elijah Green in the system. For now, Nats fans will have to watch their team go through growing pains, with Abrams, Ruiz, Dominic Smith, Joey Meneses, and Víctor Robles leading the way.
Friday's starter Gore was one of the pieces acquired from the Padres for Soto. The 24-year-old led Washington to its only win of the season, allowing one run on three hits in 5.1 innings against the Braves. He retired the first six batters he faced and took care of business with a four-run cushion to work with. The question is, after a topsy-turvy 2022 season, which version of Gore will take the field on Friday in Denver?
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