GameThread, 4/13/2022: Braves vs. Nationals

After back-to-back routs, with each team taking a game, the Braves and Nationals conclude their series with an afternoon contest that pits Josiah Gray against Max Fried, in a battle of two hurlers whose first-start-of-2022 results were notably worse than their peripherals.

The Braves will leave Ozzie Albies in the leadoff spot despite Gray throwing with his right hand. Lefty-hitting Eddie Rosario and Alex Dickerson return to the lineup, and Manny Piña will start at catcher given the day-game-after-a-night-game thing. Four members of this lineup (Albies, Adam Duvall, Austin Riley, and Dansby Swanson) caught Gray in back-to-back starts last year; Albies and Riley took him deep. This is the seventh different Braves lineup in seven games.

Almost the entire Nats position player roster has faced Fried, aside from backups Yasel Antuna and Mike Ford. They’ve moved Maikel Franco up to the fifth spot, and Nelson Cruz is back in the lineup after missing yesterday’s game.

First pitch should be right around 12:20 pm ET, see you then.