Washington Nationals

It’s imperative that Alvarez, 27, continue this string of performances. Given the pitching depth in the system that is nearly ready for the major leagues, this could be his best opportunity to show he can be a starter next season.

Washington won just its second game in the last 10 in the series opener.

Miles Mikolas allowed seven doubles and six runs on 12 hits over five innings Thursday night as the Nationals lost 7-3 at Philadelphia.

On Aug. 26, the Washington Nationals are celebrating their first African American Heritage Night. The organization has had Juneteenth and Negro Leagues celebrations, as well as Hispanic, Japanese and Salvadoran heritage nights.

The Nationals were 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position Tuesday, and are 3-for-46 in those situations on eight-game road trip.

“The fact I heard the doctor had to really look for it to find it is a good thing,” manager Blake Butera said.

Entering Monday, the Nationals’ bullpen had the fourth-lowest bullpen ERA, worst strikeout rate and the 10th-highest walk rate.

Losing Wood for an extended stretch would be a tremendous blow to the team’s playoff hopes.

“We’re going to continue to make the push and do everything we can to support them, and hopefully we’re playing really meaningful games late into next month, and then we’ll just see how it all shakes out,” the Nationals’ president of baseball operations said.

Griffin is 12-3 with a 3.06 ERA in 22 starts. He doesn’t overwhelm hitters with a high-velocity fastball, but instead flummoxes them with seven pitches and a tremendous cutter.

The Orioles will need to add Franklin to their 40-man roster, but that should not be an issue. The Nationals are receiving Glassey, a 25-year-old reliever in Double-A.

García’s tenure with the Nationals began in 2016, when he signed as a 16-year-old international free agent.

The Nationals will receive four right-handed pitchers.

The Nationals seem to be pressing with the trade deadline looming and knowing where they are in the National League wild-card hunt.

Griffin threw five innings, allowing six runs on nine hits, with two walks and two strikeouts.

“He’s been training to be a pro since middle school, honestly,” said Pat Skellchock, Chris Hacopian’s coach at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac.

Jake Irvin’s performance was uneven in the Nationals’ 5-4 loss. He allowed five runs on three hits with two walks and a strikeout.

COLUMN | Rebuilding teams trade valuable players because that’s what they are supposed to do. It makes sense. In some ways, it feels inevitable.

“It means a lot that I’m back up here and they believe in me,” House said. “I’m not gonna put any pressure on myself in any type of way, but I am gonna keep trying to do my thing and just trust myself.”