Photo by Kevin Nibley for TalkNats
Even with manager Dave Martinez‘s denial last night that he did not know Erick Fedde was pitching today in a spot start, we had heard from a source that Fedde was the guy for today. With the day-off tomorrow, it gives Martinez the option to not go deep with Fedde as all relievers should be available today except for Carlos Torres who was DFA’d to make room for Fedde.
With the righty Tyson Ross going for the Padres today, Davey Martinez has moved his phenom Juan Soto up to the second spot in the order and shifting everyone back a spot. Matt Adams is back in the line-up to face the righty with Mark Reynolds going back to the bench. In small sample sizes, Matt Adams has a .556 batting average against Ross and Bryce Harper has a .375. Both lefties have hit a home run against Ross, and the right-handed Anthony Rendon has a .364 batting average against Ross with a home run. Spencer Kieboom who has caught Erick Fedde in the minors will be today’s starting catcher.
Fedde has pitched to an uninspiring 4.35 this season in Triple-A Syracuse and has an MLB career ERA of 9.39 in just three career starts. The Nats hope to hit Tyson hard today with a lefty line-up because Ross this season has given up this slash .280/.374/.398/.772 to lefty batters. The other oddity is that Ross does not pitch well in day-games. The opposition has hit him at .268/.311/.463/.775.
This is another opportunity for Fedde to show he belongs. The former top pitching prospect has fallen out of favor with his inability to close out innings in his MLB starts.
San Diego Padres vs. Washington Nationals
Stadium: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
1st Pitch: 4:05 pm EDT
TV: MASN; MLB App out-of-market
Nats Radio: 106.7 The Fan and via the MLB app
Line-ups subject to change without notice:
- Trea Turner SS
- Juan Soto LF
- Bryce Harper RF
- Anthony Rendon 3B
- Matt Adams 1B
- Michael Taylor CF
- Spencer Kieboom C
- Erick Fedde RHP
- Wilmer Difo 2B
