Washington Nationals Series Preview: Nats vs. Rockies (8/7-8/9)

Jul 4, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) throws to the San Francisco Giants during the third inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Yohan Flande (2-1, 3.54) vs. Stephen Strasburg (5-5, 5.16) – 7:05 PM, MASN

Due to the numerous injuries to this Rockies’ rotation including Kyle Kendrick (shoulder injury), Colorado has had to call on Flande to make a couple of starts recently. In those two games, Flande gave up three runs in ten innings of work, struck out seven batters, and walked three.

The 29-year-old left-hander has been mainly a reliever this season. In eight relief outings, he is 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA, has struck out ten batters, and walked five. Flande is a three-pitch pitcher. He has an average fastball of 90 miles per hour (according to Fangraphs) to go with his slider and changeup.

The one thing that is interesting about this start for Flande is that the Rockies used him in extra innings on Wednesday to get a win against the Seattle Mariners. Since he hasn’t thrown more than five innings in any of his starts, this should be a game where the Nats see a lot of the Rockies’ bullpen.

Saturday will mark the return of Stephen Strasburg to the rotation for the first time since July 4. The 27-year-old right-hander has missed over a month due to an oblique injury. Strasburg made two rehab starts in triple-A Syracuse. In one of those starts on Monday, he struck out 11 batters in 5.2 innings of work.

Before Strasburg went on the disabled list, he was looking as dominant as ever. In his last three starts on the big league level, he had given up two runs on nine hits, struck out 18, and walked four in 15.2 innings. If Strasburg can stay healthy and pitch to that caliber, he could definitely be the missing piece to the Nationals’ rotation.

In five career starts against the Rockies, Strasburg is 2-3 with a 3.09 ERA, but he has won two of his last three outings against them. LeMahieu is 4-for-9 with a home run and two RBI’s against Strasburg.

Advantage: If Flande does get the start for the Rockies in this one, I don’t expect him to go long in this game since the Nationals have done a good job of late in terms of working up the pitch count. If they can get capitalize in those situations, it will be a short night for him. Washington has been a great first inning team (as has Colorado) and this will be a game where Strasburg comes out and gets the win after his team spots him a couple runs early.

Next: Sunday's Matchup