Thankfully they don’t play these games on paper because tonight’s Nats-Phillies tilt looks like a monumental mismatch. Roy Halladay took his talents to Philadelphia in an offseason trade and is 15-8 with a 2.24 ERA. He’s walked 22 people all season. He has 175 strikeouts. Sharing the mound with him tonight is Washington starter Jason Marquis, who is 0-5 with a 14.33 ERA. Yikes!
Injuries have played a role, obviously. Marquis missed over three months after elbow surgery. But with Jordan Zimmermann just about ready to make his return from Tommy John surgery and John Lannan looking better in recent starts, Marquis might not have much time left to establish himself in the 2010 rotation. Give him a pass for his start against the Dodgers on August 8. The guy hadn’t pitched since April. But Marquis looked bad while giving up seven hits, two walks and three homers to the Diamondbacks on Saturday. That just can’t continue. But trying to right the ship in the bandbox that is Citizens Bank Park seems like a tall task.
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It’s a normal lineup for the Nats with Josh Willingham on the disabled list and likely lost for the season. Michael Morse is in right field and Roger Bernadina is in left. Nyjer Morgan had a 2-for-5 day with a stolen base against the Braves in his return from the 15-day disabled list on Thursday. He’s back in center and leading off. The Nats won’t have to deal with Phillies slugger Ryan Howard (ankle) this weekend. He comes off the disabled list on Monday and won’t have the chance to add to his absurd 32 career homers against Washington. I think nine of them are grand slams. Seems that way at least. It’s not exactly Tim Hudson numbers – no one is that good against one team – but Halladay is still 6-1 with a 2.43 ERA against the Nats in his career. Washington enters with a 52-69 record and in last place in the National League East. The Phillies are 68-52 and trail Atlanta by just 2 ½ games in the division as he head down the stretch. Here are the lineups:
Nationals:
Morgan – CF
Desmond – SS
Dunn – 1B
Zimmerman – 3B
Bernadina – LF
Morse – RF
Rodriguez – C
Kennedy – 2B
Marquis – P
Phillies:
Rollins – SS
Polanco – 3B
Utley – 2B
Werth – RF
Ibanez – LF
Victorino – CF
Sweeney – 1B
Ruiz – C
Halladay – SP
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