Photo by Navy Yard Nats for TalkNats
After a well-deserved Thursday of rest, the Washington Nationals are back to the field today to start a three game weekend series against the Milwaukee Brewers. The home team will send Patrick Corbin to the mound, and the visitors have the right-handed Adrian Houser as their starting pitcher. We should find out how the Nationals will line up their rotation if Max Scherzer is ready to come off of the 10-day IL and pitch on this weekend after he was scheduled to pitch a bullpen session yesterday.
The Nationals have faced Houser for a total of six combined at-bats, and he has struggled on the road and against lefty batters. Manager Dave Martinez could certainly add some more left-handed hitters to this lineup with Asdrubal Cabrera available and Matt Adams at first base. Lefties have hit Houser at .322 this season and righties at .215. Houser has had a road ERA of 4.76 this season.
As the Nationals have Scherzer possibly ready to come back to the team, they also have Roenis Elias eligible to come of the of the 10-day IL. The Nationals are also fifteen days from September 1st when rosters can expand. The team could also be facing a decision soon on Ryan Zimmerman who could be nearing a return from his plantar fasciitis.
While the Nationals have not committed to their starters for Saturday and Sunday, the Brewers list Jordan Lyle for Saturday and Chase Anderson on Sunday. The Brewers have three starting pitchers on the 10-day IL which put Gio Gonzalez and Houser back in their rotation as they go without the services of Brandon Woodruff, Zach Davies and Jhoulys Chacin. The Brewers traded away Jesus Aguilar to Tampa at the trade deadline and acquired Lyles from the Pirates for Cody Ponce.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Washington Nationals
Stadium: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
1st Pitch: 7:05 pm EDT
TV: MASN2, FOX Sports Wisconsin, MLB Network (out-of-market), MLB.TV
Nats Radio: 106.7 FM The Fan; SiriusXM® ( Streaming Internet 869)
Line-up subject to change (without notice):
