Happy Independence Day aka July 4th! This is the rare Ante Meridiem game played in baseball. Dusty is allowing his players to arrive a little later today, and the barbecue after the game is at Jayson Werth‘s compound, invitation only. Not even Zack Hample can get into there. Danny Espinosa wants to keep living this dream, and Bryce Harper wants to build on the great week he is having .350/ .458/ .700/ 1.158, and Max Scherzer wants to show the world he is an All-Star.
You might remember Bryce Harper swung a red/white/blue illegal bat last year on America’s birthday and it was his bat manufacturer, Chandler Bats, who got fined for it. That bat was made with some others for exhibition game use for Asia which Bryce did not play in, and Bryce saved it for another day. Bryce went 3-4 with a HR, double and a walk with that bat.
Bryce Harper had this beautiful Victus bat created (pictured below) and wanted to use it in the game, but per Bryce’s own Instagram account he later followed up with a message that “No I will not be using this bat today to respect the rules of @MLB! #Merica.”
Here was a previous article we did on Bryce and Victus. Jared Smith of Victus Bats said he made this custom painted bat inscribed, “Freedom is never given. It’s won”which was handmade on Bryce’s BH137 model with the hopes that MLB would allow it which they did not. Bat manufacturers can be fined or have their bat license pulled and in fact that Bryce Harper 2015 stars and stripes bat that Bryce used got Chandler Bats fined.
Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers
Stadium: Nationals Park, Washington, DC
1st Pitch: 11:05 am EDT (YES, am)
TV: MASN, MLB Network, MLB.tv
Line-ups (subject to change without notice):
- Ben Revere CF
- Jayson Werth LF
- Bryce Harper RF
- Wilson Ramos C
- Ryan Zimmerman 1B
- Anthony Rendon 3B
- Danny Espinosa SS
- Stephen Drew 2B
- Max Scherzer RHP
BREAKING NEWS: Michael Taylor optioned to AAA. Jonathan Papelbon activated from the DL.
Can fans really be surprised about Michael Taylor being optioned back to AAA or is this more about being surprised on the timing?
Good move. MaT to AAA is long overdue https://t.co/6Qf9L03oOt
— SimAlex (@SimAlex82) July 4, 2016
