Nationals vs Blue Jays: Tonight's Lineup - Game Preview
Photo credit: https://x.com/BlueJays
The Washington Nationals take on the Toronto Blue Jays tonight in game one of a three game set at Rogers Centre. Blue Jays sophomore Bowden Francis is on the bump versus Calgary Alberta native Mike Soroka. First pitch is at 7:07 PM ET on Sportsnet.
Bowden Francis will make his season debut this evening, Francis had a rough start in camp this spring but finished off strong.
He earned a win in his last game of spring training with by far his best outing versus the Rays.
Francis, who entered the game with a 9.00 earned-run average, pitched 4 1/3 innings of no-hit ball until giving up a single to Tanner Murray.
He finished his day allowing three hits, including Jonathan Aranda's solo home run in the sixth, two walks, and four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
Pitching is a form of meditation to Francis. The routines that go into pitching only expand that practice. It's something he wants to honor, not just trudge through.
As Francis has grown, so have these routines. It's been a long, consistent process to get here, but he's found something at the end of his work.
"Once you figure it out, you have to keep your core things,» Francis said. «With that said, though, you have to have some adaptability in there, too, because you don't feel the same midway through the year. Doing the same thing midway through the year might not work. It's about having a good core routine, but you have to flow after that.»
Flow. Francis keeps coming back to that. He has so much to take from these four veteran starters, but he needs to shape those lessons to himself.
It needs to work for Bowden Francis, the starting pitcher. It's time to take these lessons, every little thing, and let them flow.
Nationals starter Mike Soroka also makes his season debut today versus the Jays.
In his last Grapefruit League outing Soroka got tagged for six runs on five hits and four walks over 4.2 innings in a game against the Marlins. He struck out three.
The 27-year-old righty won't head into the regular season with much momentum, but Soroka is still locked into a rotation spot for the Nationals.
He wraps up his spring with a 7.47 ERA and 13:11 K:BB through 15.2 innings, and his breakout 2019 season with Atlanta is a long time, and multiple serious injuries, in Soroka's past.
Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup
1. SS Bo Bichette
2. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
3. DH Anthony Santander
4. 2B Andrés Giménez
5. C Alejandro Kirk
6. RF George Springer
7. LF Will Wagner
8. CF Nathan Lukes
9. LF Alan Roden
SP Bowden Francis
2. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
3. DH Anthony Santander
4. 2B Andrés Giménez
5. C Alejandro Kirk
6. RF George Springer
7. LF Will Wagner
8. CF Nathan Lukes
9. LF Alan Roden
SP Bowden Francis
| POLL | ||
MARS 31 | 91 ANSWERS Nationals vs Blue Jays: Tonight's Lineup - Game Preview Who will win tonight's matchup between the Nationals and Blue Jays? | ||
| Toronto Blue Jays | 85 | 93.4 % |
| Washington Nationals | 6 | 6.6 % |
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