Sports

Nationals Face Off Against Pirates’ Star Pitcher in Pittsburgh Showdown

Published

1 day ago

April 14, 2025

Nationals Pirates Baseball Game Pnc Park

PITTSBURGH – The Washington Nationals are set to face a formidable challenge as they kick off a four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 14, 2025. The matchup features the highly-regarded pitcher Paul Skenes, renowned as one of the best young talents in Major League Baseball.

After struggling through a difficult three-game set in Miami over the weekend, the Nationals are looking for a turnaround at PNC Park. The team lost two out of three against the Marlins, and now faces Skenes, who has yet to pitch against them in his professional career. Only two members of the Nationals, Amed Rosario and Josh Bell, have had any previous at-bats against the rookie, further highlighting the challenge ahead.

The Nationals will be fielding a diverse lineup, which includes shortstop Nasim Nuñez and center fielder Dylan Crews, a former LSU teammate of Skenes. The team hopes to rack up enough offense to support their starting pitcher, Brad Lord, who is making just his second career start.

Lord performed well in his debut, completing three scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is expected to stretch his pitch count to around 70 this evening, and the Nationals are aiming for at least five innings from him to minimize the workload on their bullpen. If necessary, Jackson Rutledge could be called upon to cover additional innings.

The match’s dynamics could shift due to potential storm activity forecasted for the area later in the evening. With the weather prediction raising concerns, it’s possible that both teams could opt for a delayed start to prevent any jeopardization of their pitchers.

Tonight’s game will be held at PNC Park with a scheduled first pitch at 6:40 p.m. EDT. Fans can catch the action on MASN or listen via 106.7 FM radio. Weather conditions report a 72-degree day with winds blowing at 11 mph from right to left field.

Here are the starting lineups for tonight’s game:

Nationals

RF Alex Call

LF James Wood

C Keibert Ruiz

1B Nathaniel Lowe

DH Josh Bell

2B Luis García Jr.

3B Paul DeJong

CF Dylan Crews

SS Nasim Nuñez

RHP Brad Lord