Photo by Lynn G. for TalkNats
The last time Max Scherzer pitched he had to drive in one of the two runs that scored for him. He departed after the 6th inning with a 2-1 lead. Scherzer did his part — his teammates did not do theirs. So goes the season of Max Scherzer and the Washington Nationals. On the days the multiple Cy Young winner pitches, the team record is a horrific 2 wins and 10 losses and most of that is based on the lack of run support which is about 2 runs a game if you take out the 12-run game and the 5-run game which are the only two he has won.
Clearly frustration has set in because Max said that after his last start. Besides throwing a complete game shutout, what else does the Nats ace have to do to win a game? He can only control what he can control. Baseball is a team sport.
“It’s frustrating. You reflect on the things you could have done to help the club more,” Scherzer said.
The only other thing Scherzer could do is drive in two runs instead of one and pitch a shutout. Today, manager Dave Martinez is going for more thump in his lineup with Gerardo Parra in rightfield and Matt Adams at first base to go up against the Reds righty Sonny Gray. Trea Turner is back at leadoff and Kurt Suzuki is catching. Martinez is sitting Adam Eaton today who has a good track record against Gray with a .429 average for all of their time in the American League but today Martinez is mixing it up a little after sitting Victor Robles yesterday.
The team has a day-off tomorrow before a two-game series at home against the White Sox and then they travel for a four-game series against the Padres and then they travel to Chicago for another two game series against the White Sox before another day-off on Wednesday June 12th. The starting pitching could certainly use the rest, and the bullpen has been taxed the past two days after short outings from Patrick Corbin (2 2/3 innings) and Erick Fedde (four innings).
With this rubber game of the series, the winner of today’s game seals the series win. The Nationals really could use the win to inch closer to the .500 mark and get Max Scherzer into the win column.
Washington Nationals vs. Cincinnati Reds
Stadium: Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati, Ohio
1st Pitch: 1:10 pm EDT
TV: MASN2; FOX Sports Ohio, MLB App out-of-market
Nats Radio: 106.7 The Fan and via the MLB app
Line-ups subject to change without notice:
