Will Nats’ Harper get chance to clobber Cards?
It’s fairly straightforward stuff: When Bryce Harper fails to muscle up, the Nationals struggle to generate offense. When the opposition consciously eliminates the 2015 National League MVP from the equation, though, how does Washington respond?
Dusty Baker seeks to gain some clarity as his team opens a series vs. St. Louis tonight, with an 8:15 p.m. ET first pitch at Busch Stadium. Oddsmakers at online sports book Bovada.lv like the Nats to snap a three-game skid. The over/under figure, meanwhile, rests at 7.5 runs.
The NL East leaders come off a set in which they totaled three runs, 13 hits and 27 strikeouts vs. the Phillies. Harper, through no fault of his own, was a complete non-factor. Philadelphia steered clear of the slugger, issuing him five free passes in 13 plate appearances.
One would expect the Cardinals’ Mike Leake (0-2, 5.64 ERA) to employ a similar strategy, especially given Washington’s struggles elsewhere in the lineup. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman is 3 for 19 with seven strikeouts in the last four contests, and Daniel Murphy has “slipped” to .370 following a borderline unfathomable start. All the more reason to keep Harper and his career .357 mark in the Gateway City off the main stage, right?
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Stephen Strasburg takes the ball for the Nats in hopes of improving to 4-0 for the first time. He’s been mortal in head-to-head battles with the Redbirds, however, going 0-2 in four turns against them. The righty must fend off an attack that’s notched 45 runs and 69 hits while claiming four of six.
St. Louis’ park holds an interesting sort of spell over the Nationals. They’re just 3-20 by the Arch since the beginning of the 2008 campaign. Despite Washington’s clear edge on the rubber, we anticipate that peculiar trend to continue this evening.
FRIDAY MLB FREE PICK: CARDINALS +1.5
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