Nationals Look to Bounce Back Against Braves in Atlanta

ATLANTA – Just a short drive from Downtown Atlanta, the Nationals are gearing up for their first matchup against the Braves this 2025 season. After a challenging 1-5 homestand, the Nationals are eager to improve their 7-12 road record and turn the tide in their favor.

Manager Davey Martinez is counting on a strong performance from Jake Irvin, as the team seeks its first quality start since last Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Guardians. Irvin, with a record of 2-1 and an ERA of 3.94 with a WHIP of 1.146 across eight starts, is promising. Last season, he was excellent against the Braves, boasting a 2-0 record, a mere 1.16 ERA, a 0.900 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts over four starts. In his exits at Truist Park, he maintained a 1.59 ERA, a 1.059 WHIP, and racked up 13 strikeouts over two appearances.

In the offense department, the Nationals aim to ignite their bats against Grant Holmes after a lackluster weekend where they managed just three runs against the Cardinals. Holmes, in his second year in the majors, is 2-3 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.246 WHIP over eight appearances (including seven starts). His recent outing against the Reds saw him give up four runs over 5 1/3 innings, and he’s been susceptible to home runs this season. The Nationals will seek to exploit this in their first encounter with Holmes.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at ATLANTA BRAVES
Stadium: Truist Park
First Pitch: 7:15 p.m. EDT
Broadcast: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: The Team 980, DC 87.7 (Spanish), MLB.com
Conditions: Partly cloudy, 73°F, wind 7 mph blowing in from left-center field

NATIONALS LINEUP:
SS: CJ Abrams
LF: James Wood
1B: Nathaniel Lowe
C: Keibert Ruiz
2B: Luis García Jr.
DH: Josh Bell
RF: Dylan Crews
3B: José Tena
CF: Jacob Young

RHP: Jake Irvin

BRAVES LINEUP:
LF: Alex Verdugo
3B: Austin Riley
1B: Matt Olson
DH: Marcell Ozuna
CF: Michael Harris II
C: Sean Murphy
2B: Ozzie Albies
RF: Eli White
SS: Nick Allen

RHP: Grant Holmes.