Washington Nationals: 5 To Watch Against Arizona
By Chris Lacey
Bryce Harper
Harper began the season strong and has been a force in the Nats’ lineup since Opening Day. The outfielder is hitting a crisp .391 in 25 games with nine homers, 26 RBI, a 1.281 OPS and leads the NL with 32 runs scored.
He is getting on base at a high rate, as indicated by his league-leading .500 on-base percentage. He has a keen eye at the plate and is putting together solid at-bats.
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However, Harper did strikeout six times against the Mets over the weekend. He seems to press when facing them, but it’s not something to be concerned about.
The unusual aspect about Harper’s first month was that he walked (22 times) more than he struck out (20 times).The struggles Harper endured in 2016 have vanished as his approach at the plate is reminiscent of the MVP campaign in 2015.
In his career, the stellar outfielder has thrived facing the Diamondbacks. In 21 career games, he boasts a .338 average, .430 on-base percentage and .923 OPS with nine extra-base hits, eight RBI and 14 runs scored.
The Washington Nationals are a better team when he is performing at peak level, and it’s not a surprise they have the best record in the Majors through the first month.
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This upcoming series against the Diamondbacks will present another challenge for the Nats. The D-backs are a quality team, who’ve shown the ability to comeback numerous times this year and it should be an exciting series to watch.