Nationals at Phillies
After a solid start on Opening Day, Stephen Strasburg takes the mound for the Washington Nationals on Sunday when they visit the Philadelphia Phillies, who are looking to build off a dynamic offensive performance. The Phillies scored 12 first-inning runs in Saturday's contest and went on to win 17-3 behind (among others) Howie Kendrick's 3-for-5 night with four RBIs.
Strasburg held Miami to two runs over seven innings on Monday and is hoping to enjoy continued success against Philadelphia. For his career, the talented right-hander is 8-2 with a 2.37 ERA against the Phillies, although his new mindset appears to be focusing on inducing groundballs instead of always going for the strikeout. Philadelphia starter Jeremy Hellickson is another groundball pitcher who enjoyed positive results on Opening Day, when he earned the win against Cincinnati. That was the Phillies' lone victory until Saturday, when they eclipsed their season run total, to even the series at a game apiece.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, MASN 2 (Washington), CSN Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (1-0, 2.57 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jeremy Hellickson (1-0, 1.80)
Strasburg was 8-1 with a 3.00 ERA on the road last season, and the Phillies' collective roster owns a .207 average against him. Odubel Herrera is 2-for-12 with six strikeouts and Freddy Galvis is 3-for-17 with six punchouts against the Washington star. Cesar Hernandez (5-for-15) has the most hits of any Phillie against Strasburg, who allowed four runs in seven innings in his only start versus Philadelphia last season.
Hellickson limited Cincinnati to one run in five innings on Monday, generating eight groundouts compared to one strikeout. In 2016, his first season with the Phillies, Hellickson made four starts against the Nationals and went 1-2 with a 5.09 ERA. Daniel Murphy is 4-for-12 with three doubles and a homer against him, while Hellickson clearly prefers not to deal with Bryce Harper (3-for-9 with seven walks).
WALK-OFFS
1. Kendrick hit a three-run triple during Saturday's first inning - the most prolific opening frame in Phillies history.
2. Washington OF Jayson Werth homered Friday and knocked in two runs Saturday against his former team.
3. Nationals SS Trea Turner likely will miss a couple of days with a hamstring injury suffered early in Saturday's contest.