You know how catchers don’t tend to start day games after catching the night game? Well, that’s not happening for Drake Baldwin. Nick Allen gets the start at second base, meaning that between him and Nacho Alvarez Jr., that’s a really rough bottom of the order. (Not that the Braves necessarily have better options, or that it matters.) Nick Allen hasn’t started a game at second base since April 2023, and he shifted to shortstop in that game anyway. If he finishes this game at the keystone, it’ll be the first
full game he plays there since August 2022.
The Nationals continue to shuffle things with a familiar cast of characters. James Wood will DH and hit leadoff, which you may be surprised to learn he’s already done in 36 games this season. Dylan Crews gets a rare start hitting fifth, and then neither Jorge Alfaro nor Paul DeJong have hit in their respective spots yet this season.
