Dodgers on Deck: September 8 at Nationals

Emmet Sheehan’s second stint in the majors gets a second turn in the Dodgers rotation. After following an opener last weekend, Sheehan starts the series opener on Friday night against the Nationals in Washington D.C.

Dating back to before he was optioned, Sheehan’s last three major league appearances have been impressive, with a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings, with 14 strikeouts, five walks, and one four-inning save. Last Saturday against the Braves, Sheehan struck out six in four innings. The only run he allowed was a home run by Ronald Acuña Jr. hit so hard that Sheehan likened it to a jet afterward.

MacKenzie Gore starts for the Nationals, the third left-handed starting pitcher the Dodgers will face in the first four games of the road trip. The 24-year-old has a 4.28 ERA in 26 starts this season, with 147 strikeouts and 55 walks in 132⅓ innings.

Gore has been up and down in his eight starts since the All-Star break, with three starts allowing five or six runs and three starts allowing zero or one run. He last pitched on August 31, then missed five days while on bereavement leave.

The Dodgers won two of three games against the Nationals when the two teams played at Dodger Stadium from May 29-31 in Los Angeles.

Game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Nationals
• Ballpark: Nationals Park, Washington D.C.
• Time: 4:05 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English); KTNQ 1020 (Spanish)