The Miami Marlins close out their series in the nation's capital on Sunday, August 30, when they visit Nationals Park for a 12:15 PM ET matinee against the Washington Nationals. Janson Junk gets the start for Miami against Washington's Andrew Alvarez in a regular-season matchup between two clubs with plenty of motivation to finish August on the right note. Catch the game on Peacock/NBCSN on television, on WQAM 104.3 or WAQI 710 (Spanish) in South Florida, or on WJFK 106.7 The Fan in the D.C. market.
Marlins vs. Nationals Probable Starters: Janson Junk vs. Andrew Alvarez
Junk draws the rubber-game assignment — the kind of start that defines a road trip. He takes the mound knowing a win sends Miami home with momentum. Without season-long ERA or win-loss data available at this writing, what matters most is execution on the day. Junk will need to work efficiently through a Nationals lineup that plays aggressive, station-to-station baseball at home.
On the other side, Andrew Alvarez gets the call for Washington. Alvarez is a name worth tracking as a younger arm in the Nationals rotation. Again, specific ERA numbers are not available here, so the Marlins hitters will need to do their homework early — work counts, look for fastballs in hitter's counts, and put pressure on Alvarez before he settles in.
Keys to Watch for Miami
- Junk's command early: Road starts on Sunday afternoons with a day game following a night game can expose a pitcher's stamina. Junk needs to establish his secondary pitches early and avoid the big inning that can derail a road trip finale.
- Marlins offense vs. a young starter: Washington's rotation has leaned on developing arms. Miami needs to be patient, work Alvarez deep into counts, and capitalize when he leaves pitches over the middle of the plate.
- Bullpen management: Sunday getaway games put a premium on keeping the bullpen fresh heading into the next series. If Junk can eat five-plus innings, it gives the Miami 'pen room to breathe.
- Situational hitting: Nationals Park plays fair — it is not a bandbox and it is not a pitcher's paradise. Runs are available if Miami executes with runners in scoring position.
Prediction: Marlins Win to Take the Series
Road series finales are always a grind, but Miami has the opportunity to bank a series victory and head south with a good feeling heading into the final stretch of the regular season. Junk keeps Washington off balance long enough, and the Marlins offense does just enough against a still-developing Nationals starter. Miami takes this one, 4-2.
