6:05 pm
July 29

Nationals @ Blue Jays

Who will WIN this matchup?

Washington Nationals (1-4)

@ Toronto Blue Jays (3-2)

 

Starting Pitchers:

Scherzer (WSH): 0-1; 6.75 ERA

Pearson (TOR) 0-0; 0.00 ERA – big league debut

 

Current odds:

Washington Nationals: (-160)

Toronto Blue Jays: (+145)

 

• The Toronto Blue Jays will play their home games this year in Buffalo, New York, but their first chance in 2020 to operate as the “home” team comes Wednesday in Washington against the Nationals. The Blue Jays took the first two of four straight meetings between the teams while serving as the away squad – including Tuesday’s 5-1 victory – and will cap the stretch batting last for the final two matchups.

• Washington, meanwhile, will be playing the two “road” games Wednesday and Thursday before getting a weekend off after its scheduled series in Miami was postponed when several Marlins tested positive for Covid-19. “I think MLB did the right thing,” Nationals manager Davey Martinez told reporters. “It’s all about keeping us safe.” Wednesday’s odd scenario also marks the major league debut for Toronto’s top prospect, hard-throwing righty Nate Pearson. The former first-round pick gets a tough assignment in his first career game as he goes opposite three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer for the Nationals.

• Scherzer’s first start of the year was cut short by rain one out into the sixth inning of a loss to the New York Yankees. He threw 99 pitches in that one while falling to 18-16 with a 2.73 ERA in his career in interleague play. Randal Grichuk is 0-for-9 with five strikeouts against Scherzer, who owns a 2.24 mark in nine career starts versus Toronto.

• Pearson posted a 2.19 ERA in 34 career starts in the minors while recording 146 strikeouts in 123 1/3 innings. The 23-year-old can reach triple digits on the radar gun and will be given every opportunity to stay in the rotation all season. He yielded just 63 hits in 101 2/3 innings across three levels of the minors in 2019.

• Blue Jays 1B-DH Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and LF-2B Lourdes Gurriel Jr. both hit their first home runs in Wednesday’s win

• The Nationals scored nine runs in their only win of the year and a combined five in their four losses.

• Washington SS Trea Turner is 6-for-11 over his last three games after going 0-for-7 through the first two contests.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Washington Nationals
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