Tonight marks the first series this season between the 1st place Washington Nationals (10-5) and the 3rd place NY Mets (8-8). Both teams have suffered some minor injuries that could affect their rosters this weekend.
Last night, Yoenis Cespedes injured his hamstring in the 6th inning and will be scanned today with an MRI. Besides Cespedes, the Mets have issues with Lucas Duda, Wilmer Flores, David Wright, Steven Matz, and Seth Lugo. Travis d’Arnaud is questionable also for the Mets. The Nationals have Stephen Drew, Sammy Solis and Jose Marmalejos on the DL, and questionable for tonight are Trea Turner, Daniel Murphy and Jayson Werth.
While Yoenis Cespedes is the Mets best hitter, Daniel Murphy is the Nats best hitter and both are questionable to play. They call those late summer months the “Dog Days of Summer” as they are grueling on the body, but April is feeling like a cruel April Fool’s joke on glutes, groins, gams, and the gastrocnemius. Also, Jayson Werth wants his medical issue to be referred to as his hip and not his groin.
The Nats will be without Jeremy Guthrie, Sammy Solis, and Jose Marmalejos.
— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) April 21, 2017
My response to Joe Trezza was laced with some humor (Jeremy Guthrie and Jose Marmalejos), and my quick wit caused me to forget Stephen Drew. As mentioned, Trea Turner, Murphy, and Werth are all questionable. Joe Trezza followed that up with a humorous quip, “The Mets, of course, will also be without Dan Murphy.”
The pitching match-up tonight will be between two pitchers who can control the game. Tanner Roark for the Nationals and Jacob deGrom for the Mets.
Jacob deGrom has really taken it in the past to Michael Taylor and Anthony Rendon. Both have big O-fers:
First pitch weather now is forecasted for cloudy skies and 57°F at first pitch with temperatures dropping slightly through the evening. Wind should not be a factor tonight, but the cooler weather could impact Dusty Baker‘s decisions for the Nationals line-up.
Trea Turner was reinstated from the 10-day DL, and Grant Green was Designated-For-Assignment which will bring the 40-man roster down to 39 players. Dusty Baker indicated yesterday that Jacob Turner could be added to the roster next week which would take the 40-man roster back up to the maximum limit.
Tonight, Trea Turner, Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, and Matt Wieters will all be on Dusty Baker’s bench; however, don’t expect Jayson Werth to play in this game.
Daniel Murphy is back in the line-up. Ryan Zimmerman had the second best OPS against deGrom, but he will sit and Adam Lind will play 1st base.
Washington Nationals at New York Mets
Stadium: CitiField, Queens, New York
1st Pitch: 7:10 pm EDT
TV: MASN, SNY, MLB.TV
Line-ups (subject to change without notice):
- Adam Eaton CF
- Wilmer Difo SS
- Bryce Harper RF
- Daniel Murphy 2B
- Anthony Rendon 3B
- Adam Lind 1B
- Chris Heisey LF
- Jose Lobaton C
- Tanner Roark RHP
UPDATED:
Jacob deGrom, tonight's original starter, has been pushed back w/ stiff neck. Matt Harvey starts tonight on regular rest. @Ken_Rosenthal 1st
— James Wagner (@ByJamesWagner) April 21, 2017
Here are the stats for the Nats batters against Matt Harvey:
Photo by Kevin Nibley for TalkNats
Oliver Perez comes in for Tanner Roark with 2 outs and bases loaded to face Jay Bruce and gets him to line out to Bryce Harper.
Photo by Kevin Nibley for TalkNats
