One going up, one going down. That’s what seems to be the standard in this interleague play so far. The AL East has been getting pummeled and the NL East seems to be holding out pretty well. Besides the Yankees who won10 in a row, everyone in the AL East isnt fairing so hot since they started these different matchups. The Rays have dropped 4 our of their last 10 including a sweep by the NY Mets. The Nats are in the same spot dropping the same amount and lost to another New York team, The Yankees. Both teams are needing big wins in this series in  order to step up against their own divisions. Big series ahead but who will end up ahead? Lets get into it.

The Rays come into the nations capitol ready to gain some ground back on the O’s and Yankees who they have fallen behind. The Rays were  looking good after Desmond Jennings came back and took 5 of 6 form the Marlins but thats not saying much. They sit in the middle of the pack  in all of the MLB for most Offense stats but much like the Nats the pitching has been super hot. Not Washington hot but pretty hot. In this game Ace David Price steps up to the mound ready to pop down any of the average at best hitter of the Nationals. If Harper, Zimmerman, and LaRoche don’t get hot off of his pitches then they don’t stand a chance. Price is sitting at 8 wins, a 3.01 ERA, and a 1.29 ERA going into this game. With Zobrist and Joyce heating up when they need to I dont see why they cant knock a few out on Wang.

Speaking of Chien-Ming Wang, he is easily the weak link of the Nationals pitching squad. With beasts like Gonzales and Strasburg not everyone can be perfect. He steps in at a 2-2 record, an ERA of 4.67 and a WHIP of 1.90 isnt helping his case of not getting called down.They need someone to step up in this roll and make sure that all the
weight falls onto Gio and Steven but at the same time everyone’s got to lose sometimes. LaRoche is the silver lining in this nasty matchup having a .264 BA and 12 HRs so if he can hit off of Prices switches  and fast balls then he sure to add some damage against the most talented B List of Rays players. The Nationals are still good either
way but with this pitching line up I dont see them running in a ton of runs like against the Braves a few weeks back.

The odds are pretty close and the line actually favors the Nationals but I feel as if the pitching match up is just a little one sided. The Nationals get a break with Luke Scoot and Evan Longoria being out but in this first game I feel they cant touch Price. Hes looking for that 9th win and I feel it coming in this game. Unless Harper and LaRoche can come hot and quick then its gonna get nasty.

Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -135