This series was supposed to be a showcase of two of the best talents in the game: Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. Harper, however, injured his knee over the weekend. It isn’t a serious injury, but its serious enough to keep him out of this series. Instead, this brief two-game set will feature Trout and the Los Angeles Angels on one-side and an injury depleted Washington Nationals team on the other.
This series will be contested from Tuesday, August 15, 2017 through Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. Wednesday's clash is being shown live on MLB Network for those outside the local TV markets.
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Pitching Matchups
The series opens with a pair of southpaws on the hill. Tyler Skaggs and Gio Gonzalez are set to make the start.
It’s been a great season for Gonzalez. The lefty had gone six consecutive seasons with an ERA+ of at least 100 before falling below that threshold last year.
This season he’s 10-5 with a 2.59 ERA and 1.138 WHIP in 149.1 innings of work. A big reason for the strong numbers is a reduced opponent BABIP. Some of that is the result of weaker contact, but some is also luck. His FIP is 3.95 and probably a better representative of how he’s pitched.
Gonzo has thrown exceptionally well in his last few starts. He allowing one runs in seven innings against the Marlins in his last start and has allowed just three runs in his last three games, spanning 22 innings. He’s walked four and given up 13 hits in those games. He’ll now face-off against the best player in the game.
Skaggs doesn’t have the resume of Gonzalez, but he’s 1-2 with a 3.63 ERA in seven starts since returning from the DL.
He’s a high upside young gun. He’s shown flashes since his rookie year in 2012 as a 20-year old. He’s coming off a great outing, going 6.1 shutout innings, allowing five hits and three walks. That came against the Mariners and was a nice bounce back from a four inning start against the A’s prior to that.
The brief series wraps on Wednesday with Ricky Nolasco pitching for the Angels. Tanner Roark gets the start for the Nationals.
Nolasco has had a big problem with the longball this year. He’s allowed 30 homers in 24 starts and is 5-12 this year with a 5.24 ERA and 1.448 WHIP. He allowed five runs in five innings in his last start.
Despite the recent struggles, the 34-year old has found success against the Nationals in his career. The longtime NL hurler is 11-7 with a 3.65 ERA in 23 career starts against Washington.
Roark was one of the game’s better pitchers the last few years, but has regressed mightily in 2017. The 30-year old is 9-7 with a 4.74 ERA and 1.397 WHIP in his 23 games. He struggled in his most recent start as well. He only allowed two runs over six frames in that game, but the Marlins walked five times as Roark’s command continued to suffer.
The game was Roark’s second straight quality start and his fourth in his last five games.
Who's Hot?
Mike Trout is always hot. Since coming off the DL after the All-Star break, he’s hit .347 with seven homers and 19 RBIs. He’s posted a .347/.480/.602 slash line in his 27 games post-injury.
Overall, Trout’s 2017 numbers—save for the time missed—have been even better than the MVP-like numbers he’s posted his entire career. He’s hit 23 homers in 74 games, six shy of his home run total from last year. He’s batting .341 with a .468 OBP and .690 slugging percentage. Both of those lead the AL league.
We all know that Trout is always a threat for the Angels, but the issue is the support around him in the lineup. Right now, he’s getting just that from C.J. Cron. Cron is batting .343 in his last 21 games with seven homers and 18 RBIs. He’s only walked four times, but has still posted a 1.072 OPS. Andrelton Simmons continues to produce at the plate, too. Simmons has always been a gold glove shortstop, but his bat is finally catching up to his glove.
In the bullpen, Yusmerio Petit has been throwing the ball well. Petit has allowed just two earned runs and 14 hits in 18 innings over nine games in the second half of the year.
For the Nationals, the bullpen was anything but hot for the first four months of the season. Ryan Madson and Brandon Kintzler have helped greatly to mitigate the damage late in the game. The duo has yet to give up a run in a Nationals’ uniform, combining for 16 innings.
At the plate, Bryce Harper is hitting well, but injured. He’s now joining Trea Turner, Adam Eaton, Jayson Werth and others on the injury list.
Daniel Murphy and Anthony Rendon are still hitting well. Ryan Zimmerman has regressed some from the first half, but is still hitting .250 with eight bombs in the second half. Wilmer Difo and Adam Lind are both swinging well, too.
Who's Not?
While a few Angels bats are coming around in support of Trout, Kole Calhoun’s bat isn’t one of them. Calhoun and Pujols had long been the only other viable hitters outside of Trout in the Angels’ lineup the last few years. Pujols is hitting .198 with a .220 OBP since the All-Star break. Calhoun has been batting .241 since the break.
Cam Bedrosian and Bud Norris have been struggling in the pen while the team has surged. Norris was the closer for a good chunk of the year and kept the Angels in the hunt for a time. He, however, has allowed 14 runs and four homers in his last 8.2 innings.
Bedrosian has allowed 10 runs in his last 11 innings.
On the downside for the Nationals is primarily all the injured starters. The Nationals are still getting enough offense to keep rolling, especially considering the bullpen is stronger now, making the offense not nearly as important.
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