4:05 pm
June 15

Diamondbacks @ Nationals

Who will WIN this matchup?

Arizona Diamondbacks (37-34)

@ Washington Nationals (32-37)

 

Starting Pitchers:

Clarke (ARI): 1-2; 5.26 ERA

Strasburg (WSH) 7-3; 3.36 ERA

 

Last 10 Games Played:

Arizona Diamondbacks: 7-3

Washington Nationals: 6-4

 

Current odds:

Arizona Diamondbacks: (+195)

Washington Nationals: (-225)

 

• Although the Washington Nationals are five games under .500, they have the ability to go on a sustained run due to the 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation. After ace Max Scherzer cooled off the Arizona Diamondbacks, Stephen Strasburg will take the mound in search of his eighth win Saturday afternoon when the teams resume their four-game set at Nationals Park. Washington improved to 13-6 over its last 19 games following Friday’s 7-3 victory and a big part of the resurgence has been Strasburg, who will be looking to win his fourth consecutive start. Anthony Rendon homered for the fourth time in five games and Victor Robles also had a pair of RBIs as the Nationals rebounded from a 5-0 setback in the series opener.

• Carson Kelly and Nick Ahmed clubbed solo home runs for Arizona, which had scored 49 runs in winning seven of its previous eight contests. The Diamondbacks, who are 6-2 on their 10-game road trip and have a National League-best 23 wins away from home, will send rookie Taylor Clarke to the mound against Strasburg.

• Clarke got off to a solid start to his rookie campaign, tossing three scoreless innings to pick up a save in his season debut before registering a pair of quality starts while splitting a pair of decisions. The 26-year-old has struggled since then, yielding 12 runs across 10 1/3 innings in his last three starts after he was charged with four runs and six hits over 3 1/3 innings at Philadelphia on Monday. Clarke has a 5.66 ERA on the road, where he has made five of his six appearances.

• Strasburg won his third straight start by beating his hometown team on Sunday, working seven strong innings and holding the San Diego Padres to one run on six hits while striking out six. It marked the fourth victory during a five-start unbeaten streak for the former No. 1 overall draft pick, who has pitched at least seven innings four times in that span while allowing a total of two home runs. David Peralta is 5-for-13 with a homer off Strasburg, who is 5-3 with a 3.36 ERA versus Arizona.

• Nationals SS Trea Turner has seven doubles during an 11-game on-base streak.

• Diamondbacks C Alex Avila (calf), who had homered in three straight games, was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday.

• Nationals INF Howie Kendrick smacked his 12th homer Friday, his most since swatting 13 with the Angels in 2013.

6/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Washington Nationals