Washington Nationals: Predicting the home team all-stars
By Blake Finney
Max Scherzer seems a lock for the team
This is probably the easiest decision when we predict who’s going to make the cut from the Washington Nationals. Despite his incredible career, Max Scherzer is on course to shatter some of his career bests in the 11th year of his career.
He’s been to the All-Star game in five straight seasons now, two with the Detroit Tigers, and three with the Nats.
He should easily succeed in making it a sixth straight appearance. But the interesting question is, will he start the game in front of his home crowd?
He did so last season and appears the be the clear front-runner to do so again this time around. With his main competition Clayton Kershaw currently injured and having no timetable to return, Scherzer has the upper hand. And that’s still the case if the Dodgers ace returns on time too.
Take a deep breath here. He leads the National League in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, batting average against, on base percentage against and K/9. Yes, all of them.
Right now, there are only two things that can prevent him from starting the game. Pitching a few days before, but it’s doubtful the Nats will let that happen. Leaving injury as the only way that he will realistically not be starting this game.
It’s going to be quite an atmosphere if Mad Max throws that first pitch in his home ballpark.