Diamondbacks vs Nationals – Series Preview (July 21-23): TV/Game Info, Pitching Matchups, Insights
The Diamondbacks (55-40) come back home to Chase Field after a bumpy ride on their last road trip. They finished that trip with 2-4 record but the saving grace was winning the series against the Reds and blowing them out in the final game. That’s something the team can build on going into this series against the NL East leading Washington Nationals.
The Nationals (57-37) have been in a groove all year and will be sending out their two best pitchers to match up against the D-backs over the weekend. There’s no understating the importance of this series as it relates to the remainder of the season for the D-backs. While a sweep would obviously be ideal, beating either Max Scherzer or Stephen Strasburg while taking two out of three games this weekend would go a long way as the D-backs look to the remainder of the season.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Friday, July 21 at 6:40 MT on FS-AZ, 98.7 FM
- Saturday, July 22 at 5:10 MT on FS-AZ, 98.7 FM
- Sunday, July 23 at 1:10 MT on FS-AZ, 98.7 FM
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | W/L | ERA | FIP | K/BB |
| 7/21 | Zack Godley | 27 | R | 3-4 | 3.09 | 3.24 | 3.36 |
| Max Scherzer | 32 | R | 11-5 | 2.01 | 2.56 | 5.90 | |
| 7/22 | TBD | ||||||
| Tanner Roark | 30 | R | 7-6 | 4.98 | 4.34 | 2.18 | |
| 7/23 | Robbie Ray | 25 | L | 9-4 | 2.97 | 3.84 | 2.64 |
| Stephen Strasburg | 29 | R | 10-3 | 3.31 | 3.10 | 4.09 |
What To Watch For
- The D-backs offense started to click once again in their last series against the Reds. They outscored them 26-8 which included two games with more than 10 runs. The Nationals pitching staff will present a much bigger challenge for D-backs hitters. It will be more important than ever for the D-backs to be patient and take advantage of any mistakes by the Nationals pitching staff.
- Jake Lamb had only one hit in the series against Atlanta but he managed to turn it up against the Reds with four hits, including a triple and two 3-run home runs. His productivity will be key in this series for the D-backs. If he’s swinging the bat well in this series, look for the D-backs to win at least two out of three.
- It was a crazy week for J.D. Martinez and the entirety of D-backs nation. It’s not often a team gets the chance to add such a potentially impactful piece as they push towards a playoff spot, but that’s exactly what the D-backs did. With the injury to Martinez, it’s not yet known when he’ll be back in the lineup but if he is back soon he could make a huge impact in this series, particularly if Lamb and Goldy are hitting well.
- With Taijuan Walker being on paternity leave it’s left a slight hole in the rotation. The D-backs recalled RHP Matt Koch on Thursday from Triple-A Reno and he may get the start on Saturday. If so, it’s possible that game turns into a bullpen game unless Koch turns in a solid outing, which may be expecting too much considering the circumstances. With that a possibility, the D-backs will really need a 6+ inning outing from Godley on Friday to give the bullpen some rest. If Godley gets pulled early, it could signal a long weekend for the D-backs.
