Angels at Nationals
A planned showdown between the two brightest stars in their respective leagues will not take place this week after Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper suffered a bone bruise while stepping on a wet base on Saturday. Mike Trout will get the stage to himself when the Los Angeles Angels visit the Nationals on Tuesday in the opener of a two-game interleague set.
Harper escaped serious injury in the fall on Saturday and was placed on the 10-day disabled list while vowing not to return until the knee is 100 percent. "There is no ligament or tendon damage, which is pretty remarkable in my mind, just seeing the type of injury he had," Washington general manager Mike Rizzo told reporters. "We feel we've dodged a bullet a bit here." Trout knows what a lengthy absence feels like after missing six weeks prior to the All-Star break but returned in time to homer in both games against the Nationals at home last month and has his team in the wild card mix in the American League on the strength of a six-game winning streak. Washington, which is running away with the National League East, will try to retire Trout with lefty Gio Gonzalez on Tuesday while the Angels counter with lefty Tyler Skaggs.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Tyler Skaggs (1-2, 3.63 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (10-5, 2.59)
Skaggs is making his third start since coming off the disabled list and was strong at Seattle on Thursday, scattering five hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings. The 26-year-old, who missed more than three months with an oblique injury, is still trying to find his control after issuing five walks in 10 1/3 innings since coming off the DL. Skaggs is 0-1 with a 2.28 ERA in four road starts this season.
Gonzalez dominated in his last two outings, earning a pair of wins while yielding a total of one run and eight hits across 15 total innings. The Florida native struggles at times with his control but did not issue a walk in seven frames against Miami last Wednesday. Gonzalez was not as sharp in a road test against the Angels on July 19, when he was reached for four runs on five hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings to suffer a loss.
WALK-OFFS
1. Angels DH Albert Pujols is expected to play first base in one or both of the games at Washington.
2. The Nationals used Brian Goodwin and Andrew Stevenson as starters in RF replacing Harper in a doubleheader on Sunday.
3. Washington UTIL Howie Kendrick belted a walk-off grand slam on Sunday night and is batting .433 in August.