Washington isn't at full strength either. James Wood, in the middle of an MVP-caliber season, has been out since early August with an oblique strain, and the Nationals have had to lean on the rest of the lineup to pick up the slack. They've done it — outscoring Cincinnati 13-3 across the first two games of this set — but losing a bat like that for any stretch is a real subtraction, not a footnote.
Cincinnati was actually rolling before it got to Washington, having taken 3 straight from Oakland. That win column has since gone cold against the Nationals, and it says something that a team playing .500-ish baseball can look genuinely overmatched for two straight days. Washington, meanwhile, has now won 2 in a row and gets a chance to finish off the sweep in front of its home fans.
- 10-Day-ILSpencer Steer (1B) — Steer will wear a splint for the next two weeks after being diagnosed with a partial tear of the tendon sheath in his right wrist.07/27
- 15-Day-ILHunter Greene (SP) — Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said Friday that Greene has been diagnosed with a partial UCL tear in his right elbow and will undergo surgery next week.08/07
- 15-Day-ILNick Lodolo (SP) — Lodolo (finger) will return from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesday's road game against the White Sox.08/06
- 15-Day-ILTony Santillan (RP) — Santillan (oblique) was cleared Friday to begin an expedited recovery program.08/01
- 60-Day-ILBrandon Williamson (SP) — Williamson (shoulder) will make his next rehab start at Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday.08/09
- 60-Day-ILBlake Dunn (CF) — The Reds transferred Dunn (elbow) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Thursday.08/06
- 60-Day-ILGraham Ashcraft (RP) — Ashcraft (elbow) is on a throwing program, which will have him throw from 105 feet beginning July 20 at the Reds' training facility in Arizona.07/18
- 10-Day-ILJames Wood (RF) — The Nationals placed Wood on the 10-day injured list Tuesday due to an oblique strain.08/04
- 10-Day-ILDrew Millas (C) — Milias went 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Red Sox.07/15
- 15-Day-ILConnelly Early (SP) — Early (elbow) will not be sent for an MRI after he felt some minor forearm tightness during a live batting practice session Tuesday.08/07
- 60-Day-ILRichard Lovelady (RP) — Lovelady (triceps) threw a light bullpen session Friday.08/08
- 60-Day-ILJosiah Gray (SP) — Gray (elbow) completed a bullpen session at the Nationals' spring training facility in Florida on Tuesday.08/08
- 60-Day-ILDJ Herz (SP) — Herz (elbow) will resume his rehab assignment with Single-A Fredericksburg on Saturday.08/06
- 60-Day-ILPJ Poulin (RP) — The Nationals transferred Poulin (forearm) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.08/02
- 60-Day-ILMitchell Parker (RP) — Parker underwent elbow ligament repair surgery with an internal brace Wednesday.07/30
- 60-Day-ILKen Waldichuk (RP) — Waldichuk (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure April 21 and is hopeful to return to game action at some point early in the 2027 season.06/11
Both rosters are banged up enough that neither team is playing with a full deck, which makes Sunday's finale less about who's healthier and more about who's better at scoring around it. With temperatures near 92 degrees and two shorthanded lineups swinging it, this has the look of a game that could get away from both starters fast.