Nationals vs. Marlins: Probable Pitching Matchups for the 7/26-7/29 Series
Marlins Park, Miami
Stephen Strasburg (6-7, 3.90 ERA) vs. Dan Straily (4-4, 4.02 ERA)
Thursday, 7:10 PM EDT
Stephen Strasburg is ready to move on from his last start. A poor outing against the Atlanta Braves, in which he returned from six weeks on the DL to allow six runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings, turned even uglier after a “confrontation” with Max Scherzer in the dugout. While only a few heated words were exchanged, the incident was caught on camera. The press had a field day. Yes, Strasburg and the Nationals are ready to move on.
Dan Straily is the veteran of the Marlins rotation. With a career mark of 41-34 and coming off of a strong start versus the Nationals, the 29-year old looks to continue his recent success Thursday with Washington. Straily’s five-game suspension in June for throwing at San Francisco Giants’ Buster Posey has left no marks on the veteran hurler. Matt Wieters is a .750 career hitter off Straily. Wilmer Difo and Adam Eaton are both hitting .667 against him in 2018. The Nationals know how to get to the right-hander and need to do so repeatedly to back up Strasburg.
Max Scherzer (13-5, 2.43 ERA) vs. Pablo Lopez (2-1, 5.09 ERA)
Friday, 7:10 PM EDT
After clocking his 13th win against the Atlanta Braves last Sunday, Max Scherzer is set to continue his winning ways Friday night against the Marlins. Having been victimized by a poor to non-existent offense in the majority of his latest starts, the 6-2 win versus the Braves should put the right-hander in a good mindset. As any Nats fan knows: a happy Max Scherzer is a happy Nationals ballclub.
Pablo Lopez is the first of the two rookie starters the Marlins are sending to the mound versus the Nationals in Miami. The 22-year old right hander throws a lot of strikes. In his last start, only the fourth in his big league career, Lopez recorded six K’s in six innings. Batters tend to be aggressive early in the counts with Lopez, hoping to jump on his 95.5 mph four-seam fastball before he gets more creative with his pitch choice. Matt Adams, Michael A. Taylor and Trea Turner have all hit very well against the Venezuelan native and will need to do so again.
Gio Gonzalez (6-7, 3.94 ERA) vs. Trevor Richards (3-5, 4.41 ERA)
Saturday, 7:10 PM EDT
Gio Gonzalez is looking to rebound from a rough outing last Monday night. Allowing five runs on six hits and five walks in 5.2 IP, Gonzalez never had control of the game. While his stuff has been wild as of late, the Nationals know he can do better.
Rookie right hander Trevor Richards is making steady strides into becoming a reliable major league starting pitcher. Equipped with a 92 mph four-seam fastball, Richards must have command of his changeups to have a successful start. He showed just such skill in his last start in which he threw a strong 6 2/3 innings, allowing only one run to the Tampa Bay Rays. Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams have had success against the 25-year old in Richards lone appearance against the Nationals.
Jeremy Hellickson (4-1, 3.44 ERA) vs. José Ureña (2-10, 4.63 ERA)
Sunday, 1:10 PM EDT
Although Jeremy Hellickson received a no-decision in his last start, his outing was strong. Keeping the Milwaukee Brewers scoreless into the fifth inning, he threw 79 pitches (55 for strikes). If the right-hander can stretch his pitch count into the 90’s, the game should go well for the Nationals.
Following a stellar campaign in 2017 (14-7, 3.82 ERA), the Marlins Opening Day pitcher José Ureña has come crashing back down to earth in 2018. Allowing five runs and only going four innings in each of his last two starts, there is concern that his stint on the 10-day DL for shoulder impingement didn’t solve his issues. Nevertheless, his two-seam fastball still averages 95.7mph. Michael A. Taylor (a .400 career hitter against Ureña) and Anthony Rendon (3-for-3 in 2018) should be eager for another chance at Miami’s 26-year old right hander.
