San Francisco @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( May 27, 2010 ) Washington 4, San Francisco 5
Facing some adversity for the first time in his young career, it’s time to see if Stephen Strasburg can fight through the tough spots.
Strasburg will be looking to end a four-start winless streak when the Washington Nationals open a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants on Friday.
After winning the first two starts of his career in spectacular fashion and putting up strong efforts while going 0-1 over his following two starts, the 21-year-old phenom has fallen back down to earth of late, struggling at times in his last two starts.
Struggling is relative, of course, as any other pitcher who allows a total of five earned runs over two starts would not be cause for concern.
For Strasburg, however, recent difficulties could have something to do with major league hitters getting good enough scouting reports on the youngster that they now go up to the plate with a plan instead of simply hoping not to get embarrassed.
If that is the case, then it is time to see if the best pitching prospect in recent memory can make some adjustments of his own.
The right-hander set a major league record with 41 strikeouts through his first four starts, but what was even more impressive was the fact that he had issued only five walks in that span - all of them coming in his second start at Cleveland.
That pinpoint control abandoned him in his last two starts, with Strasburg issuing two walks and four runs - three earned - in 6 1/3 innings against at Atlanta on June 28 and yielding three free passes and two runs in five innings last weekend against the Mets.
While his fastball remains a dominating pitch in the high-90s, hitters have been doing a better job of laying off his knee-buckling curveball.
The two weaker outings may have contributed to Strasburg being left off the National League All-Star roster, which was announced last Sunday.
If the All-Star Game is truly an exhibition for the fans, then Strasburg clearly should be there with the amount of hype surrounding him. And if the All-Star Game is important - as Major League Baseball would have us believe - then Strasburg’s right arm would be a dangerous weapon at the disposal of NL manager Charlie Manuel.
Strasburg will be facing a Giants team that is coming off a dominating four-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, outscoring them 36-7. Rookie Buster Posey homered twice in Wednesday’s 15-1 drubbing and added another blast among two hits in Thursday’s 9-3 win.
San Francisco will send a strong right-hander of its own to the mound tonight in Matt Cain. The 25-year-old still owns a stellar 2.98 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP on the season but has struggled of late, going 0-3 with a 6.85 ERA in his last four outings. Walks have been a big problem, with Cain issuing 11 in 22 1/3 innings in that span.
He has been just fine against Washington in his career, owning a 4-2 record with a 2.67 ERA in eight starts. Adam Dunn, who has 20 homers this season, is 3-for -16 with no homers in his career against Cain.