Friday night means baseball under the lights, and the Orioles are kicking off a pivotal six-game road trip tonight against the Nationals at 6:45 PM. This is the first of three games in D.C., and it’s the perfect chance for Baltimore to build some early momentum before heading to Florida to face the red-hot Rays. Let’s make it count, O’s!

Shane Baz takes the mound for the Orioles, and fans have been waiting for that breakout performance. Could tonight be the night? He’ll be up against Zack Littell, who has struggled mightily this season with a 6.94 ERA, 14 home runs allowed over just 36.1 innings, and a lack of strikeouts. The recipe is simple: be patient at the plate, draw walks, and send a few balls into the stands. A dinger-filled evening would be just what the doctor ordered.

For Baz, the key will be containing James Wood and CJ Abrams. If he can keep those two from doing damage, he’ll give the Orioles a real shot at a strong start to the series.

On the roster front, there was some speculation about a move to swap catcher Maverick Handley for an outfielder, but no changes were made. Samuel Basallo has been limited to designated hitter duties since his home plate collision on Mother’s Day, which might explain why he’s not behind the plate tonight. Hopefully, that knee is on the mend.

And in non-game news, the Nationals are introducing their new team puppy, Natty, an eight-week-old Golden Retriever-Lab mix. Here’s hoping he gets plenty of camera time—because who doesn’t love a team dog? Let’s go O’s!

Orioles Lineup:
Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
Taylor Ward (R) LF
Adley Rutschman (S) C
Pete Alonso (R) 1B
Samuel Basallo (L) DH
Tyler O’Neill (R) RF
Colton Cowser (L) CF
Coby Mayo (R) 3B
Jeremiah Jackson (R) 2B

Nationals Lineup:
James Wood (L) RF
Luis García Jr. (L) DH
Curtis Mead (R) 1B
CJ Abrams (L) SS
Daylen Lile (L) LF
Brady House (R) 3B
Jorbit Vivas (L) 2B
Drew Millas (S) C
Jacob Young (R) CF