DETROIT TIGERS (14-16)

at WASHINGTON NATIONALS (19-12)

First pitch: Monday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Line: Detroit +180, Washington -200, Total: 7.5

The Nationals look to get back on track as they kick off a series against the Tigers in an interleague clash.

The Nationals (19-12) return home following a 10-game road trip and find themselves in second place in the National League East for the first time all season. They were swept by the Cubs in a four-game set this past weekend and are a half-game behind the Mets. They’re welcoming the Tigers (14-16) to Nationals Park for a three-game interleague series. Detroit was swept by the Rangers this past weekend and has lost six in a row. On the mound for the Nationals will be RHP Stephen Strasburg (5-0, 2.36 ERA, 47 SO, 9 BB, 1 HR in 42 IP), who has allowed more than two earned runs just once in six starts. He’ll be opposed by Tigers RHP Anibal Sanchez (3-3, 5.87 ERA, 33 SO, 19 BB, 5 HR in 30 2/3 IP). The Nationals have gone 8-4 at home, while the Tigers have posted a 9-7 mark away from Detroit.

The Tigers’ best hitter this season has been 3B Nick Castellanos (.375, 5 HR, 24 RBI, .393 OBP), who leads the American League in average. DH Victor Martinez (.311, 5 HR, 18 RBI, .372 OBP) and 2B Ian Kinsler (.304, 6 HR, 17 RBI, .343 OBP) have also hit well for manager Brad Ausmus. 1B Miguel Cabrera’s (.291, 4 HR, 13 RBI, .362 OBP) stats might not jump out at you, but the two-time AL MVP remains the most talented and feared hitter on the club. LF Justin Upton (.235, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .276 OBP) and RF J.D. Martinez (.230, 3 HR, 12 RBI, .305 OBP) have underachieved greatly through the first 30 games. The Tigers haven’t seen much of Strasburg, who has only faced them one time in his career. Upton played in the National League from 2007-15, so he has 31 at-bats against the former All-Star. Upton is 9-for-31 against the righty with two home runs and five RBIs. Sanchez has dominated the Nationals in 21 career starts, going 9-1 with a 1.98 ERA and 1.139 WHIP. He hasn’t faced them since 2013, however.

2B Daniel Murphy (.395, 4 HR, 17 RBI, .439 OBP) just continues to mash, but RF Bryce Harper (.265, 10 HR, 27 RBI, .432 OBP) remains the best hitter on the team—and arguably the best hitter in all of baseball. C Wilson Ramos (.358, 3 HR, 13 RBI, .373 OBP) has given manager Dusty Baker tremendous production out of the catcher’s spot. 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.236, 1 HR, 12 RBI, .293 OBP) and LF Jayson Werth (.202, 6 HR, 19 RBI, .267 OBP) are not the hitters they once were, and 3B Anthony Rendon (.216, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .290 OBP) has been a major disappointment. Zimmerman has faced Sanchez 48 times—Sanchez pitched in the NL East for the Marlins from 2006-12—and gone 11-for-48 with a home run, a double and three RBIs. Werth has also seen plenty of Sanchez, though he’s struggled against him, going just 6-for-33 with a home run and 20 strikeouts. Harper and backup infielder Stephen Drew (.143, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .167 OBP) have homered off him, and Murphy (5-for-10 with 1 2B, 1 3B and 1 RBI) and Ramos (5-for-16 with 1 2B and 1 RBI) have hit the 32-year-old well. In Strasburg’s one career start against the Tigers, back in July 2013, he allowed five earned runs in seven innings.