Erick Fedde; Photo by Marlene Koenig for TalkNats
The Washington Nationals have a series to win today against a team they should be dominating. This getaway game has Erick Fedde starting for the Nats on the same day that Stephen Strasburg had a tune-up rehab start for the Rochester Red Wings Triple-A team, and he threw a 4 1/3 inning shutout with six strikeouts on 75 pitches. Fedde has to show that he deserves to stay in the starting rotation as general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez have a decision to make.
For the Diamondbacks, they will go with righty Luke Weaver who the Nats faced in Nats Park earlier this season. Manager Davey Martinez’s lineup will also look different today with days off for Josh Bell, Josh Harrison, and Yan Gomes. The Nats will go with Ryan Zimmerman, Jordy Mercer and Alex Avila. Of course any of those players on the bench could get into the game.
Also in the lineup, Martinez will move Juan Soto back up to the 2-spot in the lineup, and insert Zim between Soto and Kyle Schwarber. Once again, the Nats starting pitcher will be batting eighth.
After this game, the Nats will have a four-game series against the Cubs. The Nats will have their rotation continue in Chicago in the current ordering with:
Monday: Jon Lester vs. Adbert Alzolay
Tuesday: Patrick Corbin vs. Zach Davies
Wednesday: Max Scherzer vs. Jake Arrieta
Thursday: Joe Ross vs. Trevor Williams
Friday: TBD vs. TBD
Having the rotation in Chicago set, it will be either Fedde or Stephen Strasburg going on Friday in the start.
“We want him to go out there and focus on today,” Martinez said of Fedde. “Make our decision tough. … We have some decisions to make.”
Martinez said that they are also considering a six-man rotation, but generally those do not make sense in the long-term. Maybe the decision that Martinez discussed could be a choice between Ross and Fedde.
Washington Nationals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Stadium: Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona
1st Pitch: 4:10 pm EDT
TV: MASN2, Bally Sports Arizona, MLB.TV
Nats Radio: 106.7 FM The Fan; SiriusXM® ( Streaming Internet 869)
Line-up subject to change (without notice):
1. Trea Turner SS
2. Juan Soto RF
3. Ryan Zimmerman 1B
4. Kyle Schwarber LF
5. Starlin Castro 3B
6. Alex Avila C
7. Jordy Mercer 2B
8. Erick Fedde RHP
9. Victor Robles CF
