Nationals at Diamondbacks
In the midst of a 14-game stretch during which they play 11 times against two of the four teams with the best records in the major leagues, the Washington Nationals probably don't mind facing a cellar dweller that struggles to win at home. The Nationals begin the last leg of their nine-game road trip Monday, when they visit the Arizona Diamondbacks for the opener of a three-game series.
Washington started its challenging trek by winning one of two at American League-best Cleveland (60-42) before splitting a four-game set with National League West-leading San Francisco (61-44), which owns the same record as the Nationals - who host the Giants and Indians after they wrap up this series - after defeating them on Saturday and Sunday. All-Star second baseman Daniel Murphy was absent from the lineup in both losses due to left leg tightness, and the offense amassed four runs without him in those contests. While Murphy's status appears to be day-to-day, the Diamondbacks are ready to flip the calendar to after going an abysmal 7-17 in July to fall into last place in the NL West. Arizona, which capped a 3-7 road trip with a 14-3 loss in the rubber match of its three-game set with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, is a major league-worst 17-35 at home this season.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (14-1, 2.68 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Archie Bradley (4-6, 4.17)
Strasburg rebounded from his first loss of the season with a brilliant performance in Wednesday's win at Cleveland, allowing only three hits and two walks while fanning seven over as many innings. The two-time All-Star has done his best work in 2016 away from Washington, going 7-0 with a 1.72 ERA while yielding more than two runs only once in those eight road outings. Strasburg was knocked around by Arizona for eight runs - seven earned - last season, falling to 3-2 with a 3.53 ERA in seven career starts versus the Diamondbacks.
Bradley stopped a three-game losing streak with a strong outing in Wednesday's victory at Milwaukee, permitting one run on four hits and three walks while striking out six across seven frames. The 23-year-old Oklahoma native won for the first time since June 19 and has allowed three or fewer runs in seven of his last eight turns. Bradley has struggled at home this season (1-3, 5.15 ERA) but is 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA in three outings since the All-Star break heading into his first career start versus the Nationals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington LF Jayson Werth did not play Sunday, temporarily halting his career-high 33-game on-base streak.
2. Prior to Sunday's game, Arizona traded RHP Tyler Clippard to the New York Yankees for RHP Vicente Campos, who subsequently was assigned to Triple-A Reno.
3. Nationals 3B Anthony Rendon, who was selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2011 draft - one spot after Bradley - is 8-for-22 with two homers and six RBIs over his last six games.