The Nationals have not scored in five games this month, including four times in the last nine outings.
The team batting average fell to .238 after the Nationals were shut out 3-0 at home on Wednesday by the Baltimore Orioles, who have the worst record in the majors.
So Washington manager Dave Martinez switched up his lineup again Thursday against the Orioles, moving slumping Bryce Harper to leadoff and putting rookie outfielder Juan Soto in the cleanup spot for the first time in 28 big league games.
Harper entered Thursday’s game hitting .209 with a league-high 19 homers with 53 walks and 72 strikeouts.
But the previous 15 games, he had five walks and 21 strikeouts. In the previous 30 games, Harper had 12 walks and 43 strikeouts and was batting .177.
“Take your walks,” Martinez said of his message to Harper.
The manager hopes that will be the case with Harper in the leadoff spot.
The Nationals were 8-1 in the first nine games this season in which Harper hit leadoff.
Soto is hitting .326 with six homers in his first 89 big league at-bats.
Martinez said he stayed at Nationals Park late into the night early Thursday talking to bench coach Chip Hale, hitting coach Kevin Long and others about a possible new lineup.
“We all stayed for quite a while after the game. I like the lineup today. I really do,” Martinez said before the Nationals faced Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman on Thursday.
Nationals infielder Daniel Murphy was not in the starting lineup on a rest day, according to Martinez. He is hitting .107 in eight games since coming off the disabled list. Catcher Matt Wieters (hamstring), on the disabled list since May 11 with a hamstring strain, is progressing well, Martinez said.
Among pitchers, Martinez said he expects injured hurlers Brandon Kintzler and Jeremy Hellickson (right hamstring sprain) to make minor league rehab appearances before returning to the Nationals.
Hellickson (2-0, 2.28 in nine starts) has been on the disabled list since June 5 and reliever Kintzler (1-2, 4.45 in 31 games) has been on the DL since June 10 with a right forearm flexor strain.
Max Scherzer was on the mound Thursday for the Nationals (39-33), who entered the game 3 ½ games back of the first-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.