Nats' Strasburg faces Pirates in final playoff tune-up (Sep 29, 2017)
WASHINGTON -- Stephen Strasburg made his major league debut at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates in June 2010, and the crowd was electric as he fanned 14 batters.
That was a playoff-like atmosphere, and Strasburg (14-4, 2.63 ERA) will have an eye on the postseason when he takes the mound at Nationals Park on Friday against the Pirates.
It will be his last-regular season appearance as he gears up for a possible start in the NL Division Series against the Chicago Cubs, most likely Game 2 on Oct. 7.
The Pirates will start right-hander Gerrit Cole (12-11, 4.23 ERA), who is 3-1 with a 2.56 ERA in five career starts against Washington. It will be the career-high 33rd start of the year for Cole.
"He is so committed," fellow Pirates pitcher Chad Kuhl said Thursday of Cole. "He does a very good job throwing 93 to 95 (mph), but he has that extra in the tank. He keeps it at a certain level until he needs it at a higher velocity."
Strasburg is 4-2 with 2.76 ERA in seven starts against the Pirates in his career.
Strasburg went five innings in his latest start, Saturday in New York against the Mets. He gave up three runs and seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts while throwing 83 pitches in a no-decision.
"I felt good enough to continue," Strasburg said after the outing. "Trying to think big picture. Just have to keep working hard and keep things going."
Strasburg was then asked what he wanted to get out of his last regular-season start of the year.
"I think just doing what I am doing," said Strasburg, before talking more about the outing against the Mets. "All in all, I think everything was good."
This will be only the second time in his career that he has faced Pittsburgh twice in the same year. The right-hander was 0-1 in two starts against them in 2013.
Strasburg was the winner over Kuhl in an 8-4 game in June. In the second game of the series, Cole got the win 6-1 in Pittsburgh.
Washington manager Dusty Baker has been trying to rest some of his regulars in the last days of the season.
Outfielders Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth, first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and shortstop Trea Turner did not start Thursday after the team arrived back from Philadelphia at about 2:15 that morning. The Nationals beat the Pirates 5-4 with a walk-off single in the ninth by Alejandro De Aza.
"My plan changes sometimes," Baker said. "I always have a plan. Sometimes you are thrown a wrench in your plans. We all have plans."
The Nationals will open the NLDS at home Oct. 6 against the Cubs, who clinched the National League Central on Wednesday.
"They are a great team. They have done the things they need to do to win ballgames," Harper said Thursday. "I am excited to play in the playoffs."
