Lovelady will start Tuesday's game against the Marlins, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
It will be the fourth opening assignment of the year for the 30-year-old, who has also been in the high-leverage mix for the Nationals with four saves and four holds. The recent return of Clayton Beeter may have pushed Lovelady into more of a middle-relief role, especially with his 1.75 WHIP being unsustainable for late-inning work.