The Nationals return home tonight for the first game in 16 days and chances are they could not be happier to be back within the confines of a park they’re 28-18 in this season. A lost road trip behind them, the Nationals turn their sights to a homestand that includes exclusively divisional opponents and starts with the Florida Marlins.
A lot has changed since these two teams last met — particularly for the Marlins, who went through a hellacious tailspin in June that cost them their hitting coach and then their manager. But also for the Nationals who, in case you hadn’t heard, had a bit of upheaval themselves.
Tonight’s game will not only match up the Nationals’ Jordan Zimmermann in one of his final (most likely) six starts of the season against the Marlins’ Ricky Nolasco, it’ll also be a game that has the highest combined age for two managers since 1950 in Jack McKeon (80) and Davey Johnson (68).
The last time a matchup this old happen was 1959: Connie Mack against Joe McCarthy and Mack against Red Corriden, per Elias Sports Bureau.
Here are the lineups for those two elder statesmen:
Nationals:
Roger Bernadina CF
Danny Espinosa 2B
Ryan Zimmerman 3B
Michael Morse 1B
Jayson Werth RF
Laynce Nix LF
Wilson Ramos C
Ian Desmond SS
Jordan Zimmermann P
Marlins:
Emilio Bonifacio 3B
Omar Infante 2B
Greg Dobbs 1B
Hanley Ramirez SS
Logan Morrison LF
Mike Stanton RF
Mike Cameron CF
John Buck C
Ricky Nolasco P
– One other quick note, Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond will be presented with the Heart & Hustle award before tonight’s game. Desmond was selected as the Nationals winner for the honor and he’ll be up against a representative from all 29 other major league teams. The MLB-wide winner will be announced in November.
