Nationals tab Scherzer for Game 1 vs. Cole


Reuters | Washington DC | Updated: 22-10-2019 04:11 IST | Created: 22-10-2019 04:05 IST
Nationals tab Scherzer for Game 1 vs. Cole
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Max Scherzer will be Washington's Game 1 starter when the Nationals open the World Series against the host Houston Astros on Tuesday night. Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young winner, will oppose Houston's Gerrit Cole in a battle of right-handers. Cole is viewed as a slight favorite over teammate Justin Verlander to win this season's American League Cy Young award.

Both managers also announced their Game 2 starters, with the Nationals tabbing Stephen Strasburg to pitch against fellow righty Verlander. Houston manager AJ Hinch said right-hander Zack Greinke will start Game 3 when the series moves to Washington. That's not a bad development for the Astros with the designated hitter not used in National League ballparks. Greinke hit three homers this season for the Arizona Diamondbacks before being traded to the Astros at the July 31 deadline.

Washington hasn't yet decided on a Game 3 starter. Left-hander Patrick Corbin and righty Anibal Sanchez are under consideration. Part of the decision has to do with whether Corbin is used out of the bullpen during the games in Houston. "We're going to play every game to go 1-0, as I talked about all year long," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said during a press conference. "With that being said, if there's a situation that we feel like a starter could benefit on us capitalizing and winning a game, then so be it.

"But there's seven games, so we've got to be very careful of how we do things." Hinch said the Astros will go with a bullpen approach in Game 4. He mentioned right-handers Brad Peacock and Jose Urquidy as possibilities to open the game.

The Astros defeated the New York Yankees on Saturday in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series, which left Cole well-rested for Tuesday's World Series start as he wasn't needed to pitch a Game 7. Hinch said he wasn't concerned either way. "I would have had to settle for a Greinke start in Game 1, that wouldn't have been horrific; he's elite," Hinch said during a press conference. "Certainly getting to start the series with Gerrit and JV and Greinke lined up is nice. We did have a pretty good backup plan if we were pushed to a Game 7, but it's hard to think of many guys better than that trio to kick off a World Series."

The Nationals' starters have had plenty of the rest as the club finished its four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals last Tuesday. Martinez said NLCS MVP Howie Kendrick will likely serve as the DH in Games 1 and 2 in Houston.

 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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