Reds at Nationals
The worst thing for a struggling pitching staff in the National League is a date with the Washington Nationals, and the Cincinnati Reds are not putting up much of a fight. The Reds will try to get some length out of their starter and avoid another sweep when they visit the Nationals in the finale of a three-game set on Sunday.
Cincinnati got five innings out of Luis Castillo in his major-league debut on Friday and just 1 2/3 on Saturday from Homer Bailey, who was making his ninth start since 2014 after overcoming three elbow surgeries. The Reds are 1-13 over their last 14 contests and are in danger of suffering their fourth three-game sweep in that span. Washington leads the majors with 422 runs scored and pounded on Cincinnati in an 18-3 drubbing on Saturday, highlighted by a pair of home runs from Michael Taylor and leadoff man Trea Turner's 5-for-5 effort with a pair of RBIs and four runs scored. The Reds will try to get a better starting effort out of veteran right-hander Scott Feldman on Sunday while the Nationals counter with Tanner Roark.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), MASN 2 (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Scott Feldman (5-5, 4.20 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Tanner Roark (6-4, 4.88)
Feldman turned in a quality start in two of his last three outings, including a six-inning stint at Tampa Bay on Monday in which he allowed two runs and struck out six without factoring in the decision. The 34-year-old surrendered a home run in five of his last six starts and 10 in 83 2/3 total innings. Feldman is facing Washington for the first time since June 18, 2014, when he worked five solid innings as a member of the Houston Astros.
Roark is struggling in June and is coming off his worst start in the bunch - a 2 2/3-inning stint at Miami on Monday in which he was rocked for six runs on six hits and two walks. The Illinois native did not factor in the decision in that start but took the loss in his previous two outings while yielding a total of 12 runs - nine earned - in 11 innings against Texas and Atlanta. Roark is 1-1 with a 3.41 ERA in five career starts against the Reds.
WALK-OFFS
1. Reds LHP Brandon Finnegan (shoulder) is expected to come off the disabled list and rejoin the rotation on Monday.
2. Nationals 2B Daniel Murphy recorded an extra-base hit in each of the last eight games and recorded 11 RBIs in that span.
3. Washington 1B Ryan Zimmerman is 6-for-13 with five RBIs in the last three contests.