Photo by Marlene Koenig for TalkNats
Both the Nationals and Dodgers could have set up their rotations differently with days-off. The Nationals even inserted A.J. Cole back in the rotation yesterday pushing back both Gio Gonzalez and Scherzer until after Monday’s day-off.
The Nationals are now listing Scherzer as the Tuesday starter and Gio Gonzalez on Wednesday giving him an extra 3 days. Gonzalez has not looked the same since he threw 121 pitches in an outing in August. The extra days off for Gio were hinted at earlier. Some pitchers are receiving extra rest and Max Scherzer wants to be “fatigued”? Go figure.
While the Nationals have dropped the first two games in this Dodgers series, it is not surprising given the pitching match-ups with the Dodgers pitching their #3 and #4 pitchers and the Nationals with their #7 and #8 pitchers if you consider Erick Fedde the #6 pitcher. So far, the Nationals bullpen in this season series against the Dodgers are now unscored upon in 17 2/3 innings.
Tonight the Nationals have Stephen Strasburg going, and he is the hottest pitcher in the Majors. The Dodgers have another lefty pitching tonight with Ryu on the mound.
Dusty Baker will use the same Friday position players again tonight and will just change up the middle of the order moving Anthony Rendon up to the 3-hole and moving Zimmerman to the 5-hole.
As we reported this morning, Bryce Harper was talking live BP indoors and away from prying eyes, and he surprised everyone this afternoon when he stepped onto the field and took live BP. Harper reportedly hit 3 bombs to the upper reaches in rightfield and right-centerfield.
“[I’m] a little off, but not because of the knee,” Harper said in a self-assessment that his timing is off.
There are players in the everyday line-up that wish their timing was as “on” as Bryce’s.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals
Stadium: Nationals Park
1st Pitch: 8:08 pm EDT
TV: ESPN national broadcast, MLB.TV
Nats Radio: 106.7 FM The Fan; SiriusXM® Sirius 219 XM 185 (Internet 869)
Line-ups subject to change (without notice):
Here's how we're lining up for Sunday Night ⚾️. pic.twitter.com/MNeQpCDOcC
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 17, 2017
