It’s Scherzday, so you know what that means as Max Scherzer takes the mound tonight to keep the success of the past week moving forward. This is the last series of the season in Atlanta, and the Braves seem to be headed towards their first NL East crown since 2013 when they had a brief stay at the top. Before that, you would have to go back to the Bobby Cox years and 2005 and prior when they dominated the NL East. What Braves fans don’t want to tell you is that they only advanced one time past the NLDS in their last 9-trips to the post-season. Sure, they razz Nats fans all the time about the Nats lack of success in the post-season, but the Braves track record is worse. Since the Braves arrived in Atlanta 52-years ago, they have only one World Series title to show for it and a whole lot of failure.
There is a message the Nats could send to the Braves that the Nats have not rolled over and died and like they did to the Cubs this past week and the Phillies, there is some more respectability on the line tonight for the Washington Nationals as they try to show the baseball world that Max Scherzer is the best pitcher in the Nationals League. On top of that, there is the head-to-head matchup between Juan Soto and Ronald Acuña Jr. for the Rookie of the Year.
Manager Dave Martinez has to decide on his lineup card if he wants to go with youth or experience tonight as it was the youngsters in that 25-and-younger group who made the game into a real game last night. Victor Robles showed his value on defense last night with two spectacular plays with the glove and arm. Catcher Spencer Kieboom bashed 2 home runs in his last two starts, and once again has shown that he can handle the catching duties behind the plate. Trea Turner continues to show that he is a prime time player this week with more late inning heroics, and Juan Soto certainly is the best teenage baseball player in the world.
The Braves are pitching Kevin Gausman tonight. The Nationals have a long history against him when he pitched for Baltimore and catcher Matt Wieters has all the intel on him as you would expect from his former catcher. Speaking of the Orioles, here is a salacious read on the team from Baltimore written by former Orioles beat writer Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Here is the opening paragraph: “The Baltimore Orioles, beset for years by dysfunction, are now in a state of confusion.” If you ever think for a minute that the state of affairs are troubling in Washington baseball, just be glad you are not an Orioles fan.
Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves
Stadium: SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Georgia
1st Pitch: 7:35 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:
- Adam Eaton RF
- Trea Turner SS
- Bryce Harper CF
- Anthony Rendon 3B
- Juan Soto LF
- Ryan Zimmerman 1B
- Matt Wieters C
- Wilmer Difo 2B
- Max Scherzer RHP
