Probable Pitchers
Tuesday, 7:05 p.m.
WSH: Gio Gonzalez (3-3, 3.34 ERA)
ARZ: Trevor Cahill (3-8, 3.92 ERA)
Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.
WSH: Jordan Zimmermann (10-3, 2.26 ERA)
ARZ: Wade Miley (4-6, 4.70 ERA)
Thursday, 4:05 p.m.
WSH: Stephen Strasburg (4-6, 2.40 ERA)
ARZ: Patrick Corbin (9-0, 2.19 ERA)
Diamondbacks Go-To Starting Lineup (via MLB Depth Charts)
1 CF Gerardo Parra
2 2B Aaron Hill
3 1B Paul Goldschmidt
4 C Miguel Montero
5 RF Cody Ross
6 LF Jason Kubel vs RHP
7 3B Martin Prado
8 SS Didi Gregorius
Bench
C Wil Nieves
1B/OF Eric Hinske
IF Cliff Pennington
IF/OF Willie Bloomquist
OF A.J. Pollock vs LHP
Bullpen
CL RHP Heath Bell
SU RHP David Hernandez
SU RHP Brad Ziegler
MID LHP Tony Sipp
MID RHP Will Harris
MID RHP Zeke Spruill
LR RHP Josh Collmenter
WASHINGTON NATIONALS
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
BATTER TO WATCH
Gerardo Parra
Don't look now, but Parra is putting together a season that might make Arizona fans forget Justin Upton. Might. A .315/.378/.480 season is good and is buoyed by his last seven days (.350/.409/.700) with 2 HR. He's the leadoff man for the D-Backs which gives their lineup a 2012 Nationals look as they don't have a prototypical leadoff man. Parra is making the Upton trade look not-as-bad, even if Martin Prado isn't.
PITCHER TO WATCH
Patrick Corbin
He isn't a top prospect, but there he is among the Harvey's, Miller's and Strasburg's. Corbin's performance this season has him among the best young pitchers in the National League and it begs the question - how is he doing it?
Well, a lot of luck. He strands over 80 percent of opponents who reach base, and has been very lucky when it comes to where he's been pitching. His xFIP is 3.75 which is exactly the same place it was last year (3.73). His HR/FB is down and his BABIP is 60 points lower than it was last year and well below average. So he isn't as good as his stats make it seem, but he has proven to be a very reliable starting pitcher for the Diamondbacks who have a stable of young arms.