Today we get Gio Gonzalez pitching in the friendly confines of Nats Park against the Twins and Kyle Gibson for a scheduled 7:05pm first pitch. Weather could be a factor today we have been told and of note the Harrisburg Senators and Lucas Gioltio are scheduled to play in Bowie against the Baysox in Double-A action which could also be affected by the DC weather.
This Nats/Twins matchup will bring in many old-timer Nats fans who kept an allegiance to that 1960’s team that the Griffith family relocated to Minnesota as the real “Senators” team that featured Harmon Killebrew, Bobby Allison, Jim Lemon, Billy Gardner, Jim Kaat and Camilo Pasqual as well as others.
This 2016 version of the old Senators features a Twins team that is young and has an improved Joe Mauer as well as old friend Kurt Suzuki (batting .167). Top prospect Byron Buxton continues to struggle as he is batting .162. Miguel Sano is one to watch as he tries to get on track.
The scouting report on the righty Kyle Gibson is that he is a sinkerballer that the hitters will see 42% of the time and 18% 4-seamers at 92-93mph. He will mix in a slider as his main breaking pitch and the occassional changeup and a few curveballs. Note to lefty batters is Gibson changes his mix and throws 25% changeups to the lefty batters and only 10% sliders. Harper and Murphy will see mostly fastballs and changeups and a couple of sliders.
Here are the Nats stats vs Kyle Gibson which is very limited:
Here are the Twins against Gio Gonzalez:
Line-up (Subject to change without notice):
- Michael Taylor CF
- Anthony Rendon 3B
- Bryce Harper RF
- Ryan Zimmerman 1B
- Daniel Murphy 2B
- Jayson Werth LF
- Danny Espinosa SS
- Jose Lobaton C
- Gio Gonzalez LHP
