First pitch is 1:05 PM ET at Nationals Park, an early-afternoon getaway-day game with Max Meyer (5-0, 2.97 ERA) trying to keep his unblemished record intact against a Nats lefty making his first big-league start of the year.
Meyer is the only starting pitcher in MLB with 8-plus starts and zero losses, though his last outing was a wobble — 6 innings of 5-earned-run ball against the Mets on May 29 with 106 pitches and 3 walks. The Nationals counter with Andrew Alvarez, a 26-year-old lefty who has worked exclusively out of the bullpen in 5 appearances this year. Wednesday is his audition as a starter after the rotation got pulped by injuries.
Washington's rotation is a triage ward. Jake Irvin is still shut down from throwing with the shoulder, and DJ Herz, Trevor Williams, and Josiah Gray are all on the 60-day. The Marlins aren't exactly healthy on the mound either — Eury Perez, Janson Junk, Robby Snelling, and Adam Mazur are all on the shelf — which is exactly why Meyer staying upright matters so much for Miami right now.
- Day-To-DayKemp Alderman RF — Triple-A Jacksonville placed Alderman on the 7-day injured list Tuesday due to a left wrist injury, Michael Germanese of Roundtable.io reports.
- Day-To-DayThomas White SP — Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said Sunday that White is recovering from "a bit of a shoulder thing," Kyle Sielaff of Marlins.tv reports.
- 15-Day-ILJosh Ekness RP — Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Monday that Ekness is expected to miss approximately six weeks due to a right calf strain, Kyle Sielaff of Marlins.tv reports.
- 15-Day-ILJanson Junk SP — The Marlins placed Junk on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to right shin bone inflammation, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILEury Perez SP — The Marlins placed Perez on the 15-day injured list Friday, retroactive to Thursday, due to a right gracilis strain.
- 60-Day-ILGriffin Conine LF — Conine (hamstring) appears to be a week or two away from beginning a rehab assignment, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.
- 60-Day-ILAndrew Nardi RP — The Marlins transferred Nardi (ribcage) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.
- 60-Day-ILRobby Snelling SP — Snelling underwent internal brace surgery Friday to repair a torn UCL in his left elbow.
- Day-To-DayDrew Millas C — Millas was removed from Tuesday's game against the Marlins with an upper lip laceration, Kyle Williams of TheBanner.com reports.
- Day-To-DayTyler Stuart SP — no
- Day-To-DayTyler Baum DH — Baum has not pitched this year due an undisclosed injury.
- Day-To-DayTravis Sykora SP — Sykora will undergo a UCL reconstruction on his right elbow in two weeks, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
- Day-To-DayJarlin Susana RP — Susana underwent surgery last week to repair a right lat tear, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
- 15-Day-ILJake Irvin SP — Nationals manager Blake Butera said Monday that Irvin (shoulder) remains shut down from throwing, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILMax Kranick RP — The Nationals transferred Kranick (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Monday.
- 60-Day-ILDJ Herz SP — Herz (elbow) will throw to live hitters Friday at the Nationals' spring training facility in Florida, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
The vibes coming in could not be more different. Miami had dropped 5 straight before this series, including a Mets sweep that featured a 10-1 dud. Then Sandy Alcantara stabilized things Monday and Edward Cabrera-led night Tuesday produced the same 7-3 scoreline. The Nats, who took a series off the Padres last week, suddenly look like they can't get out of their own way at home.
One more thing to monitor: catcher Drew Millas left Tuesday's game with an upper lip laceration and is day-to-day. That thins an already-thin Washington bench on a quick-turn matinee. Pinnacle has this as a coin flip moneyline (-106/-104) with the total sitting at 8.5, which feels generous given Meyer's body of work and whatever Alvarez has cooking in his first start.
The pick here isn't complicated. Miami is rolling, Meyer is the better pitcher by a wide margin, and Washington is asking a reliever to navigate a lineup three times through. If the Marlins are going to make any kind of June run, this is the day they finish the job.