The Nationals finish up their four-game series in Los Angeles against the Dodgers at 4:10 p.m. on Sunday. Stephen Strasburg is slated to start for Washington and Hyun-Jin Ryu will take the mound for the Dodgers.
Here’s what to watch for:
- Strasburg has pitched well of late, recording a 2.88 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a .195 batting average in his last five starts. However, he took the loss in the Nats’ 6-0 defeat against the Brewers on May 7 and surrendered four runs. Can he get back in the win column against the potent Dodgers’ lineup Sunday?
- Anthony Rendon returned from the IL in that loss to the Brewers on Tuesday and has not looked sharp at the plate since getting back into the lineup. Through Friday’s action, Rendon was a combined 2-15 in his first four games since being activated. The Nats will need him to play at the All-Star level he is capable of reaching as the season progresses, and Sunday would be a good day to get hot again.
- Rendon and the Nats will have their work cut out for them against Ryu, an early Cy Young candidate possessing the National League’s fourth-lowest ERA (2.03). In a Dodgers rotation featuring three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, Ryu’s been Los Angeles’ best starter so far this season.
More Nationals News:
- No Easy Fix: Firing Davey might just create more problems
- Dusty Baker Speaks: ‘I wish I was there too sometimes’
- Taking the Blame: Mike Rizzo takes the blame for Nats’ struggles
- MLB Power Rankings: Where do the Nats fit in baseball’s hierarchy?
MORE NATIONALS NEWS:
- No Easy Fix: Firing Davey might just create more problems
- Dusty Baker Speaks: ‘I wish I was there too sometimes’
- Taking the Blame: Mike Rizzo takes the blame for Nats’ struggles
- MLB Power Rankings: Where do the Nats fit in baseball’s hierarchy?
