Nationals at Reds
The Washington Nationals parted ways with manager Dusty Baker in the offseason for his lack of playoff success despite the fact he guided the club to back-to-back National League East titles and two of the four most successful seasons in club history. Dave Martinez will take his first step toward achieving what his predecessor was unable to do Thursday when the Nationals begin their season with the first of three games against the host Cincinnati Reds.
Baker led his club to a 192-132 regular-season record during his two-year stint with Washington, but the Nationals fell in five games during the NL Division Series to Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 and to the Chicago Cubs in 2017. Rather than opt for another experienced hand to take the club to the next level, Washington turned to Martinez, who will run a team for the first time after serving as a bench coach the last 10 seasons - all under Joe Maddon, including the last three with the Cubs. The Reds have posted consecutive 68-win campaigns and are coming off their third straight last-place finish in the NL Central, thanks largely to a pitching staff that has ranked 26th or worse in ERA each time over that span. Those woes were really magnified last season against Washington, which outscored Cincinnati 61-26 while winning six of the seven meetings.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, MASN 2 (Washington), FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (2017: 16-6, 2.51 ERA) vs. Reds RH Homer Bailey (6-9, 6.43)
Scherzer posted a sub-3.00 ERA, sub-1.00 WHIP and at least 250 strikeouts for the third time in as many seasons since signing with Washington in 2015. The back-to-back NL Cy Young Award winner is coming off an uneven spring, allowing 12 runs - including six homers - in 26 innings despite holding hitters to a .183 average and finishing with a 0.77 WHIP. Scherzer fanned 10 over six scoreless innings to get the win in his only start versus the Reds last season, improving to 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA in four starts against them.
Bailey will make his first Opening Day start at home and appears to be healthy after battling forearm and elbow injuries over the last three seasons, limiting him to 26 starts over that span. The 31-year-old didn't inspire a great deal of confidence during the exhibition season, however, going 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA in five turns while allowing seven homers in 18 frames. Bailey coughed up 16 runs in 5 2/3 innings while losing both his starts to the Nationals last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington OF Bryce Harper went 12-for-29 with three home runs against Cincinnati last season.
2. Reds 1B Joey Votto, the 2017 NL MVP runner-up, managed only three singles in 22 at-bats against the Nationals in 2017.
3. Washington three-time All-Star 2B Daniel Murphy is expected to be out until at least mid-April as he continues his recovery from October microfracture knee surgery.