It was revealed Friday afternoon that San Diego’s native son Stephen Strasburg will not pitch in the All-Star Game in his hometown as a cautionary step after coming off the disabled list earlier in July. Given that fact, Strasburg simply decided to put on his All-Star show a few days early in a 3-1 win over the New York Mets.
Strasburg pitched seven innings allowing one run on two hits and striking out nine batters, improving to 12-0 on the season. The All-Star pitching performance was complemented by a lineup that was able to touch up Noah Syndergaard for three earned runs, including a two run homer from Clint Robinson.
Daniel Murphy continued to shine against his former franchise as well, involving himself in a double play and scoring Jayson Werth on a double in the 3rd inning.
We have now reached that all-important weekend of the season we will all point back to in two months as the moment it all came together, or the point where it all started to slip away. For some reason what happens immediately before and after the All-Star break seems eminently more important than the rest of the season.
While the Nationals have lead the division from the get-go this year, the Mets have stayed close despite adversity. Going head-to-head with New York was Washington’s undoing down the stretch in 2015. The way 2016 is unfolding, the Nats’ series played against their rivals from the Big Apple will once again be a determining factor in the success or failure of the current campaign.
The good news for the Nats is that the Mets seem to be a much more vulnerable team this year than they were last. In 2015 Washington went 8-11 against the team that ultimately skunked their chances at a playoff spot, including a dismal 3-6 record at home. In July of 2016 they are already one win away from equaling the record from last season. Leading up to the break they are 7-4 against the Mets with a chance to take two more on the road before the Home Run Derby tees off.
It’s probably a trite cliche to say that the success of the season hinges on head-to-head matches with one team, but my prediction is that these next two games will matter deeply. It is still possible that they will fall apart down the stretch – anything can happen – but going to the midsummer classic with a 9-4 lead head-to-head may put them over the top, whereas 7-6 looks much less appealing. Make sure to watch the next two games folks.
Tags: Mets, Nationals, Nats, New York Mets, Washington Nationals
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