Gio Gonzalez (4.73 ERA) stays in the starting rotation, and tonight Gio will have to prove that he deserves to stay. Gio’s seven duds in a row is bad, and Eight Is Enough to probably push him into the bullpen or a DL stint. In the past 3 years, the Nats have had to make similar decisions with Doug Fister and Dan Haren, and it is never easy. Gio can make the decision easy on Mike Rizzo and Dusty by pitching great tonight and in turn send Lucas Giolito back to the Minors when Stephen Strasburg returns from the DL. Gio’s catcher tonight for the 2nd start in a row: Wilson Ramos
Also with lefty Brandon Finnegan pitching for the Reds, Dusty is changing his line-up to match-up against that lefty arm on the mound and resting both Bryce Harper and Ben Revere. It seems like a good idea to rest Bryce who is getting back his stroke and could enter later in the game. Revere on the other hand has reverse splits and is hitting lefties (.290) better than righties (.201).
Here are your Nats stats against Brandon Finnegan:
This is Gio Gonzalez’s stats against the Reds:
Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds
Stadium: Nationals Park, Washington, DC
1st Pitch: 7:05 pm EDT
TV: MASN, FS-O Reds, MLB.tv
Line-ups (subject to change without notice):
- Michael Taylor CF
- Jayson Werth LF
- Daniel Murphy 2B
- Wilson Ramos C
- Anthony Rendon 3B
- Ryan Zimmerman 1B
- Chris Heisey RF
- Danny Espinosa SS
- Gio Gonzalez LHP
