Series preview: at Nationals
When (TV): 1:05 p.m. Friday (FSSO), 7:05 p.m. Saturday (FSSO), 1:35 p.m. Sunday (FSSO)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 106.7
Probable starting pitchers:
Friday: Braves RH David Hale (season debut) vs. TBA
Saturday: Braves RH Julio Teheran (0-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. RH Stephen Strasburg (0-0, 6.00)
Sunday: Braves LH Alex Wood (1-0, 1.29) vs. RH Taylor Jordan (season debut)
About the Braves:
Batting: Jason Heyward is 42-for-133 (.316) with nine doubles, eight homers, 19 RBIs, 33 runs and a .396 OBP in his past 36 games. The Braves are 28-8 in those games. Justin Upton has hit .303 with five homers in 20 games at Nationals Park. In 18 games vs. Washington last season, he hit .319 with five homers and a .402 OBP. Dan Uggla is 11-for-27 (.407) with two homers and eight RBIs against Strasburg. Uggla has 11 homers and a .366 OBP in 53 games at Nationals Park, but hit .151 (8-for-53) against the Nationals in his career-worst 2013 season.
Pitching: This will be the third major league game for Hale, who was 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA in two September starts at home against the Phillies and Padres. The Marietta native will pitch before a packed house in the Nationals' home opener…. Against the Nationals, Teheran is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in five starts, and Wood has no decisions and an 0.82 ERA in two starts.
Miscellaneous: The Braves are 17-6 with a 2.02 ERA in its past 23 games vs. the Nationals, including 13-6 in 2013. The Braves were 7-2 at Nationals Park, including series sweeps in April and June. Ryan Doumit has hit .320 with six homers and 19 RBIs in 30 games (100 at-bats), and Ramiro Pena was 7-for-18 (.389) with two homers in seven games against them last season before shoulder surgery.
About the Nationals:
Batting: Jayson Werth, who had a four-hit game Wednesday vs. the Mets, has hit .290 with 16 homers and a .394 OBP in 108 games against the Braves. Bryce Harper has hit .239 (28-for-117) in 34 games against the Braves, with six homers, 10 RBIs, 30 strikeouts and a .357 OBP. Ex-Brave Adam LaRoche has hit .194 (48-for-248) with three homers and 65 strikeouts in 70 games against the Braves.
Pitching: Tanner Roark was scheduled to start Friday, but was moved to Thursday after Jordan Zimmermann was scratched because of sickness. If Zimmermann feels better, he'll start Friday against the Braves. If not, the Nationals might use a cast of relievers. Lefty Ross Detwiler would've been a possibility, but he pitched two relief innings Thursday…. Against the Braves, Zimmermann is 3-1 with a 3.12 ERA in seven starts, and Detwiler is 2-1 with a 3.07 ERA in 12 games (nine starts). Strasburg is 3-4 with a 3.68 ERA in 12 starts against the Braves and 26-15 with a 2.90 ERA in 64 starts against everyone else.
Miscellaneous: While the Braves spent an off day in Washington on Thursday, the Nationals completed a sweep of the Mets in New York. Reliever Tyler Clippard was 0-2 with an 11.12 ERA in six appearances against the Braves last season and 6-1 with a 1.65 ERA in 66 appearances against everyone else. He gave up at least one run in every appearance vs. the Braves, allowing nine hits, seven runs, three homers and six walks in 5 2/3 innings.
