Isaac Paredes and the Tampa Bay Rays (40-41) host C.J. Abrams and the Washington Nationals (38-42) on Friday in the first of a three-game MLB series at Tropicana Field.
The Nationals were brushed aside by the Padres earlier this week. The series loss puts them four games under .500 and 15 games out of the division lead in the N.L. East.
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, won two out of three games versus Seattle in their most recent series. The Rays are one game under .500 and 3.5 games back in the A.L. Wild Card standings.
Below, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about the upcoming Rays vs Nationals game, including injury report, starting pitchers, key hitters and where to watch.
Tampa Bay Rays vs Washington Nationals: Date and First-Pitch Time
This epic MLB battle between the Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals will take place on Friday, June 28, 2024, at 6:50 pm ET or 3:50 pm PT, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
| Date: | Friday, June 28, 2024 |
| First-Pitch Time: | 6:50 pm ET/ 3:50 pm PT |
| Venue: | Tropicana Field |
| Location: | St. Petersburg, Florida |
How to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs Washington Nationals online - TV Channels and Live Streams
Fans in the USA can catch all the actions of this high-voltage MLB matchup between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Washington Nationals live on MLB.tv and FuboTV Streaming Platform.
Additionally, local fans can enjoy this MLB matchup between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Washington Nationals by tuning into local TV Channels - Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN 2) and Bally Sports Sun (BSSUN).
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Tampa Bay Rays vs Washington Nationals Team News
Tampa Bay Rays
Zach Eflin (3-5) will take the mound for the Rays in what will be his 15th start of the season. The 30-year-old right-hander has an ERA of 4.20, a 10.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a WHIP of 1.143 in 14 games this season. He last pitched on Saturday, when he gave up four earned runs and allowed five hits in seven innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Isaac Paredes paces the Rays with 12 home runs and runs batted in, driving in 41. Yandy Diaz's .275 batting average leads his team. Randy Arozarena is slashing .189 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 37 walks.
Rays injury report
| Player | Position | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| J. Springs | Starting pitcher | Elbow | 60-Day Injured List |
| B. Lowe | Second baseman | Toe | Day-to-day |
| S. McClanahan | Starting pitcher | Elbow | 60-Day Injured List |
| D. Rasmussen | Starting pitcher | Elbow | 60-Day Injured List |
| J. Caminero | Shortstop | Quadriceps | 7-Day Injured List |
| J. Aranda | First baseman | Oblique | 7-Day Injured List |
| J. Waguespack | Relief pitcher | Shoulder | 60-Day Injured List |
| O. Basabe | Shortstop | Wrist | 7-Day Injured List |
| L. Raley | Left fielder | Shoulder | Day-to-day |
Washington Nationals
Mitchell Parker (5-3 with a 3.30 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 73 2/3 innings pitched) will toe the rubber for the visitors on Friday. In his last appearance, the rookie southpaw allowed four runs on six hits with eight strikeouts in six innings versus Colorado.
C.J. Abrams paces the Nationals with 12 home runs and has put up a team-best batting average of .280. Jesse Winker is slashing .265 with 11 doubles, nine home runs and 41 walks. He has 66 hits and an OBP of .381 to go with a slugging percentage of .418 this season.
Nationals injury report
| Player | Position | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| M. Thompson | Relief pitcher | Elbow | 60-Day Injured List |
| A. Call | Right fielder | Hip | 60-Day Injured List |
| J. Irvin | Starting pitcher | Undisclosed | 60-Day Injured List |
Head-to-Head Records
Here's the result of the last five meetups between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Washington Nationals in the MLB:
| Date | Match |
|---|---|
| 04/05/2023 | Washington Nationals 2-7 Tampa Bay Rays |
| 04/05/2023 | Washington Nationals 6-10 Tampa Bay Rays |
| 04/04/2023 | Washington Nationals 2-6 Tampa Bay Rays |
| 07/01/2021 | Washington Nationals 15-6 Tampa Bay Rays |
| 06/30/2021 | Washington Nationals 4-3 Tampa Bay Rays |