Washington Nationals: What to watch as they visit Freddie Freeman and the Braves
Fresh off of their sweep in Cincinnati, the Washington Nationals visit Freddie Freeman and the Atlanta Braves. We have you covered on what to watch for.
For the Washington Nationals, 2018 could not have started much better. It would have been nice to open the season in front of the home crowd, but they drew the perfect road opponent for Opening Day.
After spending spring training in West Palm Beach, the Nats played their first meaningful baseball of the year at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
Although the Reds may not be the most exciting opponent, Cincinnati was the perfect venue to begin the season in. As baseball’s oldest professional franchise, the Reds have a rich history.
Opening Day is exciting in every major league city, but especially in Cincinnati. The Reds begin every season at home, and the city treats it as a holiday. Their festivities are highlighted by a parade, but the entire day is a celebration.
In addition to a fascinating venue, Cincinnati is the perfect place to begin the year because the Reds are a rebuilding team. This allows the Nats to get settled into the new season and build some confidence.
The Nats took full advantage of their lucky draw, sweeping the Reds in three games.
Now, the Nats travel to Atlanta to face the Braves.
Like the Nats, the Braves won their first series. They began the year by hosting the Philadelphia Phillies, who they beat two games to one.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at what to watch in what should be an exciting divisional matchup.
Adam Eaton’s incredible start
After getting off to a phenomenal start last April, Adam Eaton‘s season came to an abrupt end at the hands of a torn ACL. Now, he is back and picking up right where he left off.
In Eaton’s first at-bat of the year, leading off on Opening Day, he singled into right field. After one at-bat, he was on pace to hit 1.000. He has not quite maintained this pace, but he is not far from it.
Through three games, Eaton is batting .615 with two homers, seven runs scored, and five RBI. For Bryce Harper, a top-five player in the league, this would be incredible. For Eaton, a guy who has not played in nearly a year and is returning from major knee surgery, this is unreal.
It is still early, but Eaton’s knee has passed every test thus far. He is not quite at full strength, but he is running well on the bases and in the outfield. He also started all three games in Cincinnati.
While Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Taylor, Howie Kendrick, and Matt Wieters received off-days, Eaton was a mainstay in the lineup.
Now, the Nats travel to Atlanta. SunTrust Park earned the reputation of being a launching pad in its inaugural season last year, so Eaton could gain an additional advantage. The ball does not carry well at Great American Ball Park early in the season, yet Eaton still raked. Now, he will be hitting in a hitter’s park.
Just seeing Eaton in the lineup was a pleasure for Nats fans, but seeing him play as well as he did in Cincinnati was unforgettable. Don’t be surprised to see him get a day off in Atlanta, but he should continue to rake.
Freddie Freeman: Nats killer
For various reasons, certain players hit better against certain teams. Freddie Freeman is an elite first baseman and hits well against every team in the league, but he hits exceptionally well against the Nats.
In 115 games, Freeman has slashed .326/.394/.536 with 17 homers and 71 RBI. His .326 batting average is far and away his highest against any team that he has played at least 45 games against.
Unsurprisingly, Freeman has gotten off to a solid start in 2018. Gabe Kapler may be a rookie manager, but it does not take a genius to know not to give Freeman much to hit.
In three games against the Phillies, Freeman went 3-for-9 with a homer, a double, and seven walks. Yes, you read that right; he had almost as many walks as at-bats. And when the Phillies did not give him a free pass, he made them pay.
Dave Martinez was Joe Maddon‘s bench coach with the Cubs in 2016, when they walked Harper 13 times in four games. Could he do something similar with Freeman this series? Only time will tell.
The Nats also have their fourth and fifth starters scheduled to pitch in Atlanta, which could play a role in Martinez’s decision. And with Tyler Flowers out with an oblique injury, Freeman does not have much protection in the lineup.
Don’t be surprised to see the Nats issue some free passes to Freeman.
Pitching matchups
Now that the first series are in the books, each team is into the back-end of their rotation. In the first game of the series, Tanner Roark will be opposed by lefty Sean Newcomb.
You cannot read too much into one game, but it will be interesting to see how Roark performs in his first start of the year. After being one of the most reliable pitchers in the league for a few years, he had a down year last year and got roughed up a bit this spring.
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SunTrust Park is a tough place to pitch, but fans will be quick to get on Roark if he struggles.
A.J. Cole will get the nod for the Nats in game two. This will be his first start as a permanent member of the rotation, but a poor outing could be the beginning of the end for his time as a starter.
Jeremy Hellickson has impressed this spring and could take Cole’s spot in the rotation if he struggles.
As of Sunday night, the Braves have not yet announced starters for games two and three. They only have four starting pitchers on the active roster, but do not need a fifth starter until April 10 because of their scattered off-days.
There is a report that Anibal Sanchez will be called up before Monday’s game, but he will likely join the bullpen until a fifth starter is needed. If this is the case, Julio Teheran will oppose Cole.
In game three, the Nats will send Max Scherzer to the mound for his second start of the young season. He was brilliant on Opening Day, striking out 10 Reds in six shutout innings. Look for him to pick up right where he left off.
You can expect a few homers on Wednesday, since the first pitch is scheduled for 12:10. The ball always carries well at SunTrust Park, but especially during the day.
Both the Nats and the Braves are entering this series with winning records, which should make for an exciting divisional matchup. If the Nats are able to keep Freddie Freeman in check, they should be in good shape.