Washington Nationals: 5 Things To Watch Against Arizona
After splitting a two-game series against the Los Angeles Angels, the Washington Nationals will continue their road trip with a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Washington Nationals (57-37) had mixed results in their last series against the Los Angeles Angels, by splitting two games in Anaheim.
They scored a meager four runs and were shut out for just the second time this year in the series finale. The dearth of runs scored by them was a surprise, considering they swept the Cincinnati Reds in four games in the previous series and totaled 35 runs.
The Nationals are still in a good position with the second-best record in the National League, leading the NL East by 11 games over the Atlanta Braves and are 5-1 since the All-Star break. They took two of three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier in the year at Nationals Park and will look to continue the trend of playing good baseball in the desert.
The Diamondbacks (55-40) stumbled after the break, by getting swept by the Atlanta Braves in three games, but rebounded by winning two of three games against the Reds. It’s going to take a Herculean effort for them to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers, as they trail them by 10 ½ games in the NL West.
However, the team occupies the top Wild Card spot in the Senior Circuit.
They made major news a couple of days ago, by acquiring outfielder J.D. Martinez from the Detroit Tigers for three minor-league infielders. Martinez had an auspicious debut with his new team, as he was hit on the wrist in his first game.
It’s possible that he will play in this series facing the Nats depending on the health of his wrist.
Here are the pitching matchups for the series:
Tonight: Max Scherzer (11-5, 2.01 ERA) vs. Zack Godley (3-4, 3.09) – broadcast 9:40 p.m. ET, broadcast on MASN2
Tomorrow: Tanner Roark (7-6, 4.98) vs. TBD – broadcast 8:10 p.m. ET, broadcast on MASN2
Sunday: Stephen Strasburg (10-3, 3.31) vs. Robbie Ray (9-4, 2.97) – broadcast 4:10 p.m. ET, broadcast on MASN2
Scherzer has been masterful on the mound in 2017. The supremely talented right-hander has dominated opposing teams, and his starts have become must see for people who love seeing a starting pitcher carve through opposing hitters with great ease. He leads the NL in ERA, strikeouts, ERA+, FIP, WHIP, and SO/9.
The Nationals ace is a tough matchup for the opposition, as he throws all of the pitches in his arsenal for strikes and can rack up a plethora of strikeouts in the process. There are 12 starts this season that he has fanned at least 10 batters, including reaching double-digit K’s in each of his last three outings.
Scherzer is a difference-maker on the mound for the Nationals and rarely has a bad start. In just two of his 19 starts has the righty yielded more than three runs.
The ace has performed very well in his career against the Diamondbacks, as indicated by his 2.41 ERA in six starts facing them.
He’s also thrown the ball well in Chase Field, by posting a 3.85 ERA, striking out 139 batters and issuing 45 walks in 25 games (21 games started) in the ballpark.
Scherzer is phenomenal in every facet of pitching, and it’s wonderful seeing someone be a master at their craft.
Pollock plays an important role for the Diamondbacks, by setting the table for the lineup hitting leadoff and providing Gold Glove caliber defense in center field.
The team didn’t have him for nearly two months as he was sidelined in the middle of May with a groin injury and returned at the beginning of July. Pollock’s absence didn’t derail the club as they played remarkably well while he was on the disabled list, by going 31-14.
This doesn’t mean the Diamondbacks are a better team without him; it shows they’re a resilient team and can adapt to losing a key player on the roster.
Pollock has struggled since returning, as he’s accumulated just a .216 batting average with just one RBI in 11 games. This wasn’t a major surprise, given his long time being sidelined. It will take some time before he gets back to being the hitter he was pre-injury.
In 18 career games against the Nationals, his numbers aren’t impressive. The outfielder has a .246 average and .561 OPS with seven RBIs and just two extra-base hits. He went two-for-13 in the series against them earlier this season.
The versatile player is coming along slowly and as the calendar moves forward his level of play will improve.
The Nats have a bevy of phenomenal hitters in their lineup and Rendon is certainly one of them. He was solid for the team last year, by accumulating a .270 average and .797 OPS with 20 homers and 85 RBI.
However, the third baseman has kicked things into another gear in 2017. Rendon is hitting a robust .318 in 305 at-bats with 22 doubles, 20 home runs, 64 RBI and a stellar 1.017 OPS.
The big difference for Rendon this season is his keen eye at the plate. The infielder has walked 54 times and struck out just 50 times, which has led to a career-high .423 on-base percentage.
If Rendon keeps this pace up until season’s end, it will mark the first time in his career that he compiles an OBP over .400 and have a higher number of walks than strikeouts.
The prowess at the plate shown by Rendon isn’t a surprise, considering he finished fifth in the NL MVP voting in 2014 with 66 extra-base hits, 83 RBI, an OPS+ of 125 and led the league with 111 runs scored.
In 26 games against the Diamondbacks, he has a .330 average with nine extra-base hits.
Rendon also thrives hitting at Chase Field, by having a .355 batting average and .889 OPS in eight career games.
The Diamondbacks have a potent offense capable of scoring runs in bunches and Lamb is a reason that’s possible.
The power-hitting man at the hot corner is crushing everything in sight with a .915 OPS in 91 games, including 22 home runs, 76 RBIs, a solid 127 OPS+ and a respectable .274 batting average.
He flashed power last season for the D-backs with 29 homers and 91 RBIs, but only posted a .249 average.
The uptick in average from last year to the current season is an indication that Lamb is making the necessary adjustments against opposing pitchers.
He is prone to striking out as he has whiffed 102 times already, but that’s alright given the type of production he provides in the lineup.
Lamb has primarily hit fourth in the batting order in 2017, but recently Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo has tinkered with the lineup and moved the third baseman up to third in the order. It’s only a couple of games, but the lineup switch paid huge dividends in the team’s last game against the Reds, as he hit two home runs and tallied six RBIs.
Lamb has handled the Nats well in his 16 games against them, by hitting .275 with six homers, nine RBIs, and a 1.044 OPS.
Harper is a significant reason the Nationals are on their way to winning another division title. He is one of the faces of Major League Baseball, given his skills on the diamond and youth with him just 24-years-old.
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The terrific outfielder is having another MVP-worthy campaign in 2017.
He has accumulated a .337 batting average in 86 games with 79 runs scored, 22 doubles, 24 home runs, and 73 RBI. The young star leads the NL with a .632 slugging percentage and a 1.074 OPS.
Harper did struggle in the batter’s box last year as he posted a .243 average and .814 OPS. However, the minute average didn’t sap away his power as he still crushed 24 homers and tallied 86 RBIs.
It’s relatively rare that Harper will look overmatched in an at bat, and if the opposing pitcher makes a mistake, he will make them pay for it. He is a star in the nation’s capital and makes the Nationals an exciting team to watch daily.
In his career, the dynamic outfielder has achieved success facing the Diamondbacks.
In 24 career games, he boasts a .325 average, .434 on-base percentage and .897 OPS with nine extra-base hits, nine RBIs and 17 runs scored.
However, Chase Field is a ballpark that he’s endured some struggles.
In 10 career games, Harper has a .235 average and .790 OPS with only one home run and six RBIs.
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The upcoming series against the Diamondbacks is one the Nationals enter as the better team, and I expect they will take two of the three games in the desert.