Braves at Nationals
The Washington Nationals look to recover from being swept for the first time this season when they host the Atlanta Braves on Monday in the opener of a three-game series between the National League East rivals. The Nationals managed just six runs while losing three straight contests against Texas at home and have dropped four of five overall after collecting just three hits in Sunday’s 5-1 setback.
Washington owns a huge lead in the NL East, but it has injury concerns as closer Koda Glover (lower back stiffness) was placed on the 10-day disabled list and slugger Ryan Zimmerman (back) has missed the last two games. Stephen Strasburg will take the mound as the Nationals attempt to avoid matching their season-high losing streak of four games while the improving Mike Foltynewicz gets the call for the Braves. Atlanta, which was outscored 20-7 in a three-game sweep at Washington in April, lost the last three contests of its series against the New York Mets over the weekend - managing one run in each defeat. Rookie shortstop Dansby Swanson is starting to warm up for the Braves, hitting safely in nine of his 10 starts this month while posting eight hits to go along with five runs and six RBIs in his last six games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (4-5, 3.48 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (7-2, 2.80)
Foltynewicz beat Philadelphia 14-1 last time out, tossing seven scoreless innings for the second straight outing to register his seventh quality start of the season. The 25-year-old Illinois native, who has recorded 14 strikeouts over his last two starts, lost to Washington on April 18 after yielding two runs in seven frames. Daniel Murphy is 4-for-10 with two doubles versus Foltynewicz, who is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in three career starts against the Nationals.
Strasburg notched his fifth straight quality start last time out, when he surrendered two runs - one earned - and three hits over six innings in a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 28-year-old San Diego State product has registered 89 strikeouts over 80 1/3 frames, including 11 against Atlanta in a victory on May 21 that improved him to 10-8 lifetime versus the Braves. Freddie Freeman (14-for-38, four homers) and Adonis Garcia (7-for-17) have given Strasburg trouble, but both currently are on the disabled list.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Braves placed LHP Eric O’Flaherty (shoulder) on the 10-day DL and recalled RHP Jason Hursh from Triple-A Gwinnett.
2. Washington RF Bryce Harper is 6-for-16 during a four-game hitting streak but has not homered in his last 11 contests.
3. Atlanta’s starting pitchers have combined for a 2.11 ERA in their last seven games.