Nationals aim to split the rain-delayed doubleheader with Atlanta, sending MacKenzie Gore against Chris Sale. Abrams and James Wood sit; Nasim Nunez leads off, with Daylen Lile, Jacob Young and Dylan Crews in the outfield. Josh Bell DHs; Andres Chaparro at first; Riley Adams behind the plate. Braves counter with Marcell Ozuna at DH, Sandy Leon catching, and Nick Allen and Nacho Alvarez added. Washington looks to halt a skid after a Pirates series.

Atlanta heads into the final Snitker season with retirement looming and a quiet reckoning on a peak window slipping from top World Series odds to a tougher path. The Braves may break their free-agent habit to upgrade at shortstop, with Bo Bichette named the marquee target and Trevor Story emerging as a credible fallback. Nick Allen has served as the stopgap, but durability and upside concerns keep Atlanta’s shortstop plan in flux.

Braves eye Trevor Story as a potential shortstop upgrade if his opt-out after this season becomes reality. Story has posted a solid line for the Red Sox this year (.260/.744 with 23 homers, 86 RBI, 3.5 bWAR), offering power and steady defense at a premium position. Atlanta already added Ha-Seong Kim, which could temper any move unless Kim tests free agency. The chatter centers on a three-year deal in the $60-70 million range, with Story pushing for more than $25 million per season.

Kim’s early impact and health questions complicate the calculus. If Kim stays healthy and opts in, Atlanta may prefer to keep him, narrowing the Story path. If Kim tests the market, Story becomes an attractive, high-cost alternative, though the contract and opt-out dynamics will shape the Braves offseason strategy and Boston’s leverage remains a factor.

Atlanta stranded baserunners and could not convert opportunities, falling 2-1 to Philadelphia as Ranger Suarez delivered five solid innings. Bryce Elder wasn’t blown up and kept the Braves in the game, but the offense again failed to string hits together, resorting to a few small-ball chances that never fully materialized. A late Phillies rally in the eighth sealed it, and the series rolls on with Chris Sale’s return on the horizon.

Fantasy takeaway: Elder’s resilience is a sign of stability for Atlanta’s rotation, while Olson, Harris II, Acuña Jr., Albies, and Profar remain high-upside bets when the offense shows life. The Phillies still carry pop from Harper, Marsh, and Schwarber, but the Braves’ run-scoring volatility persists. Anticipate bullpen tweaks and Sale’s impact as key predictors for the next few games.

The Braves roll out a fresh lineup, with Albies batting cleanup and Ozuna in a near daily role while Murphy and Allen reclaim catching duties, shaping a tighter two-catcher dynamic against Ranger Suarez. Suarez has held most Braves hitters to meh results, making Albies, Murphy, and Ozuna the core fantasy bets in this matchup. Elder draws a tough spot for Atlanta, potentially limiting Braves upside in DFS.

Murphy and Allen back in action shore up catcher depth, but the platoon vibes persist behind the plate. Against Suarez, Braves 180-PA sample shows a .299 wOBA and .306 xwOBA, suggesting upside is concentrated in a small group. For fantasy rosters, lean on Albies and Murphy; Ozuna could help if he sticks in the lineup; Elder’s spot on the mound is a fade in DFS stacks.