Game Preview: Nationals kick-off last road trip of the 2022 season with a visit to Atlanta

Today, the Washington Nationals kick off their last road trip of the 2022 season with a three-game series against the 2021 World Series Champions Atlanta Braves.

by The Nats Report Newsroom

Updated September 19, 2022

Atlanta, GA. - Today, the Washington Nationals kick off their last road trip of the 2022 season as they face the 2021 World Series Champions Atlanta Braves.

The Nationals will send RHP Cory Abbott to the mound to face the Atlanta Braves. Tonight's start will mark his first career start against the Atlanta Braves. Abbott is 0-2 with an ERA of 5.19. The Nationals will face RHP Kyle Wright, who is 18-5 with a 3.18 ERA on the season.

In his last start with the Nationals, Abbott pitched 3.0 innings and allowed two runs on five hits at home against Baltimore, walked three and struck out three; however, he took a no-decision in the Nationals' 4-3 loss. He has made seven appearances out of the Nationals bullpen, pitching to a 2.00 ERA (2 ER/9.0 IP) Has allowed just four hits, and recorded nine strikeouts with two walks. Abbott did not allow an earned run as a reliever from July 31 vs. St. Louis to September 4 at New York (NL).

Last night

Despite a quality start vs. the Miami Marlins by RHP Anibal Sanchez, the Nationals lost the last game against the Marlins for the 2022 season.

Anibal Sánchez threw six frames on Sunday, his second-highest inning total of the season. He allowed four hits, two runs, two walks, and one home run and recorded three strikeouts across 94 pitches.

Even the Washington Nationals manager noticed Sanchez’s appearance Sunday afternoon: “Aníbal was really good,” said manager Dave Martinez. “He fell behind a few times, but he got back into counts [and] he made pitches. He kept us in the ballgame, which was really nice.”

Game Notes

The Nationals rank third in the National League (7th in MLB) with 87 runs scored since Aug. 30. The Nationals trail only the Los Angeles Dodgers (99) and New York Mets (88) among National League clubs. Additionally, Washington paces MLB in batting average (.283) and ranks in OPS (2nd, .784), slugging percentage (3rd, .449), and on-base percentage (5th .335) over this stretch. The Nationals are 9-10 (.474) since Aug. 28, 12-15 (.444) since Aug. 18 and 15-20 (.429) since Aug. 9.
OF Lane Thomas has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games, going 20-for-56 (.357) with four doubles, one triple, two homers, eight RBI, five walks, one stolen base, and eight runs scored. In 48 games since July 23, Thomas is hitting .299/.352/.497 with 20 extra-base hits, ranking in the top 20 in the National League.
César Hernández has reached safely in 15 straight games, hitting .302/.387/.434 with two doubles, one triple, one homer, seven RBI, one hit by pitch, seven walks, and eight runs scored.
In 40 games since making his Major League debut on Aug. 2, Joey Meneses is hitting .309 with ten doubles, nine home runs, 23 RBI, eight walks, and 25 runs scored.