After closing a red-hot month of May with a fizzle, the Washington Nationals look to get back on track when they host the Toronto Blue Jays for a three-game interleague series starting Monday. The National League East-leading Nationals were swept in a three-game series at Cincinnati over the weekend, snapping a streak of nine consecutive series victories.
The Nationals worked their way to the top of the NL East standings by going 18-9 in May, thanks in large part to outfielder Bryce Harper, who has reached base in 19 of his last 21 games and is 30-for-69 with 13 homers over that stretch. The Blue Jays hope for a similar hot streak to rise to the top of the crowded American League East, but they dropped two of three at Minnesota to open their six-game road trip. The Blue Jays lost 6-5 in Sunday's rubber match with the Twins, falling to 3-12 in one-run games. Toronto knuckleballer R.A. Dickey makes his first appearance since 2012 at Nationals Park, where he is 4-1 with a 2.58 ERA in eight career starts.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), TVA Sports (Toronto), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (2-5, 5.77 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (4-2, 3.26)
Dickey has had difficulty keeping the ball in the park, surrendering 12 home runs in 64 innings including seven over his last four starts. The 40-year-old has allowed at least four runs in each of his last four outings and gave up five runs over five frames in a no-decision Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox. Dickey is 4-6 with a 3.73 ERA in 15 appearances (13 starts) versus the Nationals.
Zimmermann was shelled in his second start of the season on April 13 but has been terrific since, posting a 2.41 ERA over his last eight outings. The 29-year-old turned in his eighth straight quality start in his last turn, allowing one run over seven innings in a no-decision against the Chicago Cubs. Zimmermann has faced the Blue Jays only once, in 2009, and gave up one run in 5 2/3 innings to receive a no-decision.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays SS Jose Reyes, who is 12-for-37 during an eight-game hitting streak, is 8-for-22 versus Zimmermann.
2. Six of Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson's 15 home runs have come in the seventh inning or later, including a game-tying solo shot in the seventh Sunday.
3. Washington C Wilson Ramos is 9-for-13 with a double and a homer versus Dickey.