Nationals at Royals
Stephen Strasburg is finally living up to his potential and the
Washington right-hander aims to improve to 5-0 this season when the
Nationals complete a three-game road set against the Kansas City Royals
on Wednesday. Strasburg, who has struck out 40 and walked eight in
five starts, is 12-2 with a 1.91 ERA in his past 18 starts dating back
to last season.
The 27-year-old Strasburg was billed as one of the top pitching prospects of all-time after a stellar final college season at San Diego State in 2009 and is aware that many people have labeled him an underachiever. "I'd be a liar if I said it didn't bother me at some point, but now I kind of consider the source," Strasburg told USA Today. "I learned you can't let that stuff bother you because there are always going to be the naysayers and people out there are consistently going to be saying you are something different." The Nationals had a four-game winning streak halted Tuesday when the Royals scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to produce a 7-6 victory - only their second in the past eight games. Kansas City center fielder Lorenzo Cain smacked the game-winning single and had his third two-hit outing in the past five games.
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, MASN (Washington), FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (4-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. Royals RH Kris Medlen (1-2, 4.87)
Strasburg defeated St. Louis in his last outing and has given up five total runs in his four victories. He has recorded only one complete game in 137 career starts but could be on the verge of increasing that total after pitching seven or more innings in four of his first five starts. Strasburg lost his lone career start against the Royals when he allowed one run and nine hits in six innings.
Medlen allowed one hit in his last start - a homer to Seth Smith - covering 5 1/3 innings during a 1-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners. It was a big improvement over his previous showing when he was torched for seven runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings during a loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Medlen is 3-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 14 career appearances (four starts) against Washington and has fared well against right fielder Bryce Harper (2-for-13, one homer).
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals SS Alcides Escobar had a season-best four hits Tuesday and is 8-for-14 with three runs scored over the past three games.
2. Harper was hitless in five at-bats Tuesday and is 2-for-26 over the past seven games and has gone eight contests without a homer.
3. Kansas City 3B Mike Moustakas (left thumb) didn't start the first two games of the series - he hit the tying pinch-hit, two-run single in the ninth Tuesday - and manager Ned Yost will decide Wednesday if he is fit enough to start the finale.