The Nationals and their fan base await some positive Stephen Strasburg news, and in the meantime the end of the regular season moves forward. The Nationals are one game from matching their 2015 win total of 83 games. With 23 games left, the Nationals will be looking to see who steps up down the stretch here as everyone expects a few spots are up for grabs on the post-season roster like the ones Tyler Moore and Ryan Mattheus grabbed back in 2012.
Today’s game puts two rookie 24-year-olds on the mound in A.J. Cole and Alec Asher of the Phillies. Asher makes his first start this season returning from his June suspension after he tested positive for Dehydrochlormethyl testosterone which is considered an anabolic steroid.
Overall, Asher had a combined 2.30 ERA in 2016 with 8 starts at Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Last season, Asher had 7 starts las for the Phillies, with a 9.31 ERA.
Asher is a sinkerball pitcher, and he throws it at 92mph and will throw the four-seam fastball as well as his slider as his primary pitches. He will mix in his changeup and a few curveballs. His changeup has been his best pitch, but the Phillies think he has improved his sinkerball.
A.J. Cole wants to build on his last start when he pitched a one-run gem against the New York Mets in six innings of work.
We expect Dusty Baker to rest some players, and we will update the line-up accordingly.
Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies
Stadium: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
1st Pitch: 7:05 pm EDT
TV: MASN, CSN-Phil, MLB Network, MLB.TV
Line-ups (subject to change without notice):
- Trea Turner CF
- Jayson Werth LF
- Daniel Murphy 2B
- Bryce Harper RF
- Anthony Rendon 3B
- Rtwn Zimmerman 1B
- Danny Espinosa SS
- Jose Lobaton C
- A.J. Cole RHP
