Dodgers Lineup vs Nationals: Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman Out

The Los Angeles Dodgers begin a three-game series with the Washington Nationals on Friday night at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers, losers of six of their last nine games, got a much-needed win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night thanks to a walk-off, two-run double by Teoscar Hernández.

LA avoided being swept by St. Louis, and will hope to continue that momentum into Friday's series opener against the Nationals.

“We needed it,” manager Dave Roberts said after Thursday's game. “Obviously for seven innings, it didn’t look good at all. Then we found a way to scratch one across. But a win’s a win, however it looks.”

As for the Nationals, they are 5-2 over their last seven games and trying to stay alive in the National League wild-card race, currently 7.5 games back of the third and final spot.

The Dodgers and Nationals met early in the season from April 3-5, with LA sweeping the three-game set.

Dodgers vs Nationals Pitching Matchup on Friday

It's a battle of left-handers on Friday night, as Blake Snell is taking the mound for the Dodgers against Jackson Kent of the Nationals.

Snell has made four starts since returning from midseason elbow surgery, going 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA and 31 strikeouts over 23 innings.

He's given the Dodgers' starting rotation a massive boost, and will look to keep it going against Washington.

As for Kent, he made his MLB debut on Aug. 12 against the Chicago Cubs, and now has four career MLB starts under his belt. Overall, he's 1-2 with a 5.59 ERA and 17 strikeouts across 19.1 innings.

The left-hander is coming off the best start of his MLB career against the Miami Marlins, as he pitched seven innings of one-run ball with three strikeouts.

Dodgers Starting Lineup

Tommy Edman, CF
Mookie Betts, SS
Teoscar Hernández, LF
Will Smith, C
Max Muncy, 3B
Miguel Rojas, 2B
Alex Call, DH
Kyle Tucker, RF
Kiké Hernández, 1B

Shohei Ohtani, who missed Thursday's game as he battles injuries to his knee, biceps and neck, remains out of the lineup.

“At the end of the day, he wants to be in there,” Roberts said before Thursday's game. “But I’m not going to just put him in there because of the name on the back of his jersey.”

For now, the Dodgers have been adamant he won't need to go on the injured list.

“I think it’s just really hard to say, ‘Hey, we’re gonna knock something out in X amount of days,’” general manager Brandon Gomes said to reporters on Thursday. “But l think not having Shohei in the lineup for 10 days, or whatever it would be, is something that we would prefer not to do, and it really hasn’t even been something that we’ve discussed.”

Freddie Freeman is also out, with Kiké Hernández playing first base.

How to Watch Dodgers vs Nationals on Friday

First pitch for Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals on Friday, Sept. 4 is 7:10 p.m. PT/10:10 p.m. ET.

The game will be broadcast on SportsNet LA and in the MLB app.

The game will be broadcast on the radio on AM570 (in English) and KTNQ 1020 AM (in Spanish).

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