Chicago @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 25, 2010 ) Chi. Cubs 4, Washington 0
THE STORY: Davey Johnson’s tenure as the manager of the Washington Nationals hasn’t gotten off to the greatest start, with the club dropping five of seven under its new leadership. The latest loss dropped Washington back below .500 heading into the final week before the All-Star break. Lucky for the Nationals, they now get a chance to pad their record against the lowly Chicago Cubs. The Cubs avoided a sweep against their cross-town rivals on the final weekend of interleague play but have not won a series since mid-June. The Nationals will send Jordan Zimmermann to the mound when they host Chicago in the opener of a four-game series on Monday.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, WGN, MASN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (5-7, 2.63 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Casey Coleman (2-4, 7.78 ERA).
Zimmermann has not allowed more than three runs in a start since April 29 and has yielded a total of two earned runs in his last four outings. The 25-year-old has surrendered only four home runs and has issued just 20 walks in 102 2/3 total innings. Zimmermann has never faced the Cubs. Ryan Dempster was scheduled to go Monday but had to be pushed back due to a sore back, opening the door for Coleman to get another chance. Coleman, who celebrated his 24th birthday on Sunday, made eight starts for Chicago earlier in the season before being banished to the minors due to ineffectiveness. He has made one start against Washington in his career, allowing one run over 6 ½ innings to earn a win on Aug. 23, 2010.
ABOUT THE NATIONALS (42-43): Johnson took over in Washington after the abrupt resignation of Jim Riggleman and a three-game interim tenure from John McLaren. The Nationals immediately dropped three in a row to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim under Johnson and then split a four-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend. The big problem has been the offense, which is averaging just 2.7 runs per game in the seven. Jason Marquis started for Washington on Sunday and did not give his offense much of a chance, getting lit up for seven earned runs in 1 1/3 innings in a 10-2 loss. Jayson Werth left Sunday’s game after getting hit by a pitch in the left wrist in the sixth inning. Werth, who was booed by the home fans after striking out twice on Saturday, is batting .223.
ABOUT THE CUBS (35-50): Only the Houston Astros are keeping Chicago from owning the worst record in the National League. Major League Baseball did not do the Cubs many favors with its scheduling. In addition to six games against the White Sox, the Cubs also had to face both the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees in interleague play. But at least Chicago managed to avoid a sweep on Sunday, getting seven shutout innings from Rodrigo Lopez and a two-run homer from Aramis Ramirez.
FINAL PITCH: Nationals righthander Tyler Clippard was announced as the team’s lone All-Star representative on Sunday, but Mike Morse could still make the team. The slugger is one of five players eligible for the final spot in a fan vote. Shortstop Starlin Castro will represent the Cubs.