It’s not much of a surprise to see the Washington Nationals with one of the best records in the majors early on. However, they will do battle in a three-game series this week with a more unexpected success story. The Arizona Diamondbacks have started the season strong and would love to keep it rolling on the road.
While the D-Backs have surpassed expectations thus far, they could be hard-pressed to come away with a series win. The Nationals have the best run-differential in baseball early on and the home field as they will aim to secure at least two wins and would love to get a defining sweep.
This series will be contested from Tuesday, May 2 through Thursday, May 4, 2017 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
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Pitching Matchups
The Diamondbacks will aim to take advantage of a favorable starting pitching matchup in the first game on Tuesday. They will send talented right-hander Taijuan Walker to the mound. The offseason trade addition is 3-1 on the season with a 3.94 ERA, striking out 33 batters and walking seven in just under 30 innings. Tanner Roark will take the mound for the Nationals. He is 3-0 with a 3.64 ERA but doesn’t have the same pure stuff as Walker.
In the second game, Arizona will send Robbie Ray to the mound, while Washington will counter with Gio Gonzalez. Both left-handers have been impressive this season, as Ray is 2-1 with a 3.56 ERA, striking out 39 batter in 30.1 innings pitched. Ray can get wild, so he can’t afford to give up many free passes. Gonzalez is 3-0 with a sparkling 1.62 ERA on the season, as he is one of the more underrated pitchers in baseball.
The final game of the series is going to be a doozy. Each team is scheduled to send its ace to the hill. The Diamondbacks will start Zack Greinke, who is 2-2 with a 3.19 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 36.2 innings. The Nationals will have Max Scherzer out there. He is 3-2 with a 2.94 ERA and has 40 strikeouts in 33.2 innings. If the series is tied after two games, this one will be fun to watch as the rubber match.
Ryan Zimmerman’s Rebirth
The Nationals have a lot of big boppers in the lineup, led by former MVP Bryce Harper and burgeoning star Trea Turner. While their hitting dominance was expected, Washington has also gotten a big-time contribution from a former star.
Ryan Zimmerman has returned to his old form early on in the year and it has been a big boost. He is batting a ridiculous .420 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs on the year. Zimmerman has an OPS of 1.345 and he has already been worth nearly two wins above replacement at the plate. Zimmerman isn’t going to hit like this all year, but if he continues to stay hot in this next series, Arizona could be in trouble.
High Upside Arms
All three Diamondbacks starting pitchers in this series are averaging more than a strikeout per inning. That seems essential against a potent Nationals offense. If Walker, Ray and Greinke can get swings and misses while limiting their walks, it could give the D-Backs a chance.
However, the odds are still with the Nationals to claim this series victory. They are the better team and are clicking on all cylinders right now. Washington scored 23 runs in a recent win over the Mets and are getting contributions all up and down the roster. They should be able to keep it rolling at home, winning at least two of these games between solid starting pitching and a great lineup.
While the Cubs are going to be the favorites to emerge from the National League, the Nationals are a legitimate foe and hope to keep piling up wins in hopes of finishing with the best record in the league by the end of the year.
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