The Miami Marlins head to Washington for a Friday night regular season matchup against the Nationals, with first pitch at Nationals Park set for 6:45 PM ET on August 28, 2026. Eury Pérez gets the ball for Miami against Washington's Jackson Kent in what shapes up as a battle between two young arms. With both pitching staffs relatively unproven at this level of scrutiny, the lineup construction and run support will carry serious weight in deciding which club walks away with a win in the nation's capital.

Marlins at Nationals Pitching Matchup: Eury Pérez vs. Jackson Kent

Pérez is the headliner here. The right-hander has long been regarded as one of the most talented arms Miami has developed, and every start he makes is an opportunity to remind the league what a healthy, locked-in Pérez looks like. The Marlins need him to work deep into the game, limit traffic on the bases, and give the bullpen a breather. Kent takes the hill for Washington, and this will be a test of how Miami's lineup responds to a starter they may not have a lengthy book on.

Miami Marlins Lineup at Nationals Park

• Heriberto Hernández, LF
• Agustín Ramírez, DH
• Otto Lopez, SS
• Javier Sanoja, RF
• Xavier Edwards, 2B
• Kyle Stowers, 1B
• Leo Jiménez, 3B
• Esteury Ruiz, CF
• Joe Mack, C

Washington Nationals Lineup

• CJ Abrams, SS
• Abimelec Ortiz, 1B
• Dylan Crews, RF
• Daylen Lile, LF
• Brady House, 3B
• Jorbit Vivas, 2B
• Harry Ford, C
• Andrés Chaparro, DH
• Jacob Young, CF

Keys to Watch for the Marlins

• Pérez's command: When Pérez is at his best, he attacks hitters and keeps the ball in the yard. If he establishes his stuff early, Miami controls the pace of this game from the first inning.
• Ruiz on the bases: Esteury Ruiz in the eight-hole might seem low, but get him on base and his speed becomes a factor. Washington's battery needs to keep an eye on him every time he reaches.
• Lopez and Sanoja setting the table: Otto Lopez hitting third and Javier Sanoja cleaning up behind him puts two players Miami trusts to make contact in crucial spots. Their ability to string at-bats together against an unfamiliar arm in Kent could define the middle innings.
• Mack behind the plate: Joe Mack catching Pérez is worth noting. The pitch-framing and game-calling relationship between catcher and starter matters, and Mack will need to keep Pérez comfortable and the Nationals' hitters guessing.

Prediction

This one comes down to how sharp Pérez is. If he's dealing — and there's real reason to believe he can be — Miami has enough in this lineup to scratch out the runs it needs against Kent. Nationals Park won't rattle a Marlins club that's been grinding through road games, and Washington's young lineup, while talented with names like CJ Abrams and Dylan Crews in the order, isn't without vulnerabilities. Take the Marlins to grind out a 4-2 win behind a quality outing from Pérez and timely hitting from the middle of the order.

Catch the game on Marlins.TV presented by Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia, or listen in on WQAM 104.3. Spanish-language coverage is available on WAQI 710.