Stephen Strasburg (top left) and Mike Leake (top, fourth from left) led the San Diego Sting into the 11-under nationals in 1999. Thomas Neal (top, second from left) and Brett Bochy (bottom left) are/were also professional ballplayers.
(Photo by Vicky Polk)
When Stephen Strasburg grew up in San Diego, he was only 2 hours from Dodgers Stadium, and he was a die-hard Padres fan and particularly Tony Gwynn. In Strasburg’s childhood neighborhood, many of his friends were Dodgers fans idolizing Mike Piazza. When you live in SoCal, you have choices, and the Dodgers won the World Series the year Strasburg was born.
Today Stras will once again face the team from up north out of the NL West that tormented his childhood team often. As always, Stras wants to return the favor and beat ’em. In the crowd today will be many of Strasburg’s family and friends who will drive up I-5 into Los Angeles County’s Elysian Park which is a neighborhood in Central Los Angeles, California, encompassing Chavez Ravine and Dodger Stadium.
Strasburg will face the Dodgers’ lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu who moved into tonight’s spot after Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts had to re-seed his rotation after Rich Hill was put on the 10-Day DL with a finger contusion.
For the Nationals, we should find out shortly about the Nationals players who have been limited recently like Anthony Rendon who has now not played in 7 1/2 games. There is also now a question on the health of reliever Matt Grace as well as when Adam Eaton will come off of the 10-day DL as he was eligible yesterday.
The Nationals could field the same line-up as yesterday that they mobilized against the lefty Kershaw if Rendon does not start, and Stephen Strasburg can hopefully replicate Max Scherzer near-flawless game plan.
Washington Nationals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Stadium: Dodgers Stadium, Chavez Ravine, California
1st Pitch: 9:10 pm EDT
TV: MASN2; MLB App out-of-market
Nats Radio: 106.7 The Fan and via the MLB app
Line-ups subject to change without notice:
