Game 111 lineups: Nats at Braves

National don’t play winning baseball right now, nothing close to winning baseball. They come into tonight’s game in Atlanta after dropping five in a row and 23 out of a total of 32. So the focus, of course, is on individual performances, especially those that take part in the club’s long-term plans.

So tonight we have a chance to look at one of the most important building blocks again: Josiah Gray. The 23-year-old right-handed, one of the key prospects Dodgers acquired for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, impressed with his Nats debut last week with five one-round balls against Phillies.

Gray faces a tougher challenge this time around in the Braves lineup, which includes Freddie Freeman, Austin Riley and Dansby Swanson. His mission tonight: Miss a few bats and try to keep the pitch count as much as possible. Last year, he threw 71 in five sets, which was great. However, Braves tend to work with bats more than that, so don’t be surprised if going through the five frames of this field requires more fields.

Citizens do not have another consecutive day Juan Soto in their composition. Coach Davey Martinez said Soto was available to jump during the ninth set on Friday night, but it looks like his right knee is still so sore he won’t have to take a risk and let him play the whole game on the field. We will receive an update from Martinez on the status of Soto in a moment.

WASHINGTON CITIZENS AT ATLANTIC BRAVES
Where: Truist Park
Playing time: 7:20 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Chance of precipitation, 77 degrees, wind 5 mph to midfield

CITIZENS
CF Andrew Stevenson
SS Alcides Escobar
LF Yadiel Hernandez
1B Josh Bell
RF Gerardo Parra
3B Carter Kieboom
2B Luis Garca
C Riley Adams
RHP Josiah Gray

BRAVES
2B Ozzie Albies
RF Jorge Soler
1B Freddie Freeman
3B Austin Riley
SS Dansby Swanson
LF Adam Duvall
CF game Pederson
C Stephen Vogt
RHP Charlie Morton