One game at a time? Not for Nats' rotation plans
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WASHINGTON -- One of the benefits of having so much time off after their National League Championship Series sweep is the Nationals have some time to give their rotation a break while aligning the order before the World Series begins on Tuesday night in Houston.
| Game | Date | Result | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gm 1 | Oct. 22 | WSH 5, HOU 4 | Watch |
| Gm 2 | Oct. 23 | WSH 12, HOU 3 | Watch |
| Gm 3 | Oct. 25 | HOU 4, WSH 1 | Watch |
| Gm 4 | Oct. 26 | HOU 8, WSH 1 | Watch |
| Gm 5 | Oct. 27 | HOU 7, WSH 1 | Watch |
| Gm 6 | Oct. 29 | WSH 7, HOU 2 | Watch |
| Gm 7 | Oct. 30 | WSH 6, HOU 2 | Watch |
Shop for postseason gear: During the team’s workout Friday afternoon at Nationals Park, the Nats did not reveal their exact plans for how they want to line up the rotation, but they did offer a hint the order will look similar to the regular season.
“I don't think pitching plans will come as any shock to anybody,” general manager Mike Rizzo said.
Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez intend to sit down during the weekend to discuss pitching plans, but the GM hinted during his weekly radio session with 106.7 The Fan this week that Max Scherzer would be the Nationals’ Game 1 starter, leaving Stephen Strasburg for Game 2, Patrick Corbin for Game 3 and Aníbal Sánchez for Game 4. Doing so would also open up the flexibility for the Nats to use Corbin out of the bullpen in one of the first two games.
“You guys can figure it out. You've been here all year, come on, now,” Martinez said. “These guys have pitched a lot, and I want to make sure it's not just about Game 1. It's about Games 4, 5, 6, 7. We've got to make sure we prepare ourselves for seven games and that we do our due diligence on each one.”
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Kendrick away from team due to family emergency
Veteran infielder Howie Kendrick was away from the team Friday to deal with a family emergency. He is expected to rejoin the club in time for Game 1 of the World Series.
Kendrick has become one of the more important members of the Nationals’ lineup. He was named NLCS Most Valuable Player after batting .333/.412/.600 with four RBIs.