Nats send Scherzer to silence Phillies
There’s no question that Max Scherzer is missing fewer bats this year. Tonight, though, Washington’s veteran hurler has the perfect opportunity to get right.
Scherzer’s Nationals host the Phillies in the opener of a three-game series, with a 7:05 p.m. ET first pitch in the nation’s capital. Oddsmakers at online sports book Bovada.lv list the National League East leaders as 1.5-run favorites. The over/under figure sits at seven runs.
Dusty Baker’s club totes the senior circuit’s best record (14-4), but its ace continues to look surprisingly ordinary. Scherzer (2-1, 4.32 ERA) allowed a season-high five runs over five innings while striking out only three in last Tuesday’s 5-1 loss at Miami. He’s also failed to fan more than seven in any of his first four starts.
Thankfully, Philadelphia (9-10) possesses a habit of essentially rolling out the red carpet. Scherzer boasts 37 punchouts in 37 frames vs. the Phils since joining Washington in 2015, compiling a 4-0 record with a 1.46 ERA in five assignments. Arguably the visitors’ three most dangerous hitters – Ryan Howard, Maikel Franco and Freddy Galvis – have struggled mightily in said meetings, going a combined 5 for 42.
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Pete Mackanin hopes to counter with his own dynamic righty. Vince Velasquez (2-1, 0.93) racked up a sparkling 16 Ks in a 3-0 shutout of San Diego several weeks ago. The Mets, however, just touched him up for five runs in 5 2/3 innings. Whether Velasquez even entertains the notion of challenging Bryce Harper (.323/.405/.855) remains open for debate.
Something that’s unmistakably clear: The Nats want their ninth straight triumph at home. Between Harper’s always-imposing presence and second baseman Daniel Murphy’s MLB-leading .397 average, Scherzer should delight in being the beneficiary.
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