WASHINGTON — With their fate as a team sealed Matt Holliday Jersey , there are still a number of individual goals in play for the Washington Nationals, who meet the Miami Marlins in Game 2 of their series Tuesday night at Nationals Park.Nationals’ right-hander Max Scherzer (17-7, 2.57 ERA), for example, opposes right-hander Jeff Brigham (0-3, 5.84) with Scherzer gunning for his third consecutive National League Cy Young award.Scherzer leads the National League in strikeouts (290) and in batting average against (.188) and is tied for the lead in wins. He’s third in ERA (2.57) behind front-runner Jacob deGrom (1.77) and Aaron Nola (2.45).Article continues below ...In his last five starts Scherzer has struggled a bit — for him — giving up three earned runs four times and six the other as his ERA has climbed from 2.13. Last time out he allowed three runs on five hits over seven innings in a no-decision against the Mets. He struck out 13, moving him closer to becoming the third pitcher in the past 16 seasons to reach 300, joining Chris Sale in 2017 and Clayton Kershaw in 2015.“You’re aware of it, but that’s not why you go out there and pitch,” Scherzer told mlb.com. “You go out there and pitch to win. I wanted to come in today and win a ballgame http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-austin-romine-jersey , and unfortunately, we lost. You’re always thinking about all those things you weren’t able to do to help your team win.”Outfielder Juan Soto has five more games to impress voters for the NL Rookie of the Year award, which appears to be a two-man race with Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna, Jr.Soto leads NL rookies with 66 RBIs and 74 walks and is near the top in batting average, home runs and on-base percentage.Outfielder Bryce Harper achieved a personal milestone in Monday’s 7-3 win when he drove in his 100th run of the season, the first time in his career he’s done so.“For me it’s just going out there and trying to score runs and doing the things I can. If I can get 100 runs, 100 walks and 100 RBIs it’s pretty cool,” said Harper, who has 126 walks and 99 runs scored. “I’ll take that any day of the week.”Harper’s previous high was 99 RBIs in 2015, the year he won the NL Most Valuable Player Award.Since their elimination from post-season contention Saturday Reggie Jackson Jersey , Nationals manager Dave Martinez has continued to use his regulars.“I’d like to win the rest of these games,” he said. “I really would, and I think the players want to do the same.”The Marlins stranded 10 baserunners Monday night, including five in the first two innings against Stephen Strasburg, who left after four innings.“Yeah we had a lot of chances,” manager Don Mattingly said. He threw close to forty (pitches) in the first and (we) had guys out there. Even after they score we still got guys out there, have a chance to get right back in it there and are not able to do anything.”Sandy Alcantara (2-2) gave up six runs on seven hits and five walks in four innings.“When he’s not aggressive that’s what you kind of get,” Mattingly said. “He’s walking all the lefties. He walked six last game all lefties, five today all lefties. Not sure what the issue is but obviously we can work on that.”Brigham (0-3, 5.84) makes his fourth major league start Tuesday and first against the Nationals. Last time out he allowed two runs on three hits with four walks and six strikeouts over five innings of a loss to the Reds. CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians want Trevor Bauer in their postseason rotation.The next step will come Friday night against the Boston Red Sox in his first appearance since breaking his right leg last month.Indians manager Terry Francona said Bauer will pitch a “couple of innings” and then throw in the bullpen to increase his pitch count.Francona wants Bauer to make two additional starts during the regular season. The right-hander is expected to start Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox and will likely pitch again the last weekend of the season in Kansas City.“To give him a chance to start http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-bernie-williams-jersey , we felt like he needed to have three outings,” Francona said. “So this was the way to do it. Getting him back is great. His goal and ours is to see if he can start.”The Indians hope Bauer can build up his pitch count by the time the Division Series begins Oct. 5. Using him as a reliever is another option.“Having him in the bullpen is still really positive,” Francona said. “We asked him for his honesty on how he is feeling and we’ll give him our feedback. But this was the best way to do it.”Bauer has been sidelined since he was struck on the lower leg by a line drive off the bat of Chicago’s Jose Abreu on Aug. 11. He was diagnosed with a stress fracture of his right fibula.Bauer has gone through a rigorous throwing program to return from the injury. He began by playing catch from his knees while wearing a walking boot. Bauer gradually progressed to throwing off the mound and faced hitters Tuesday in a three-inning simulated game.“He’s got himself in a position where he’s jumping right into games,” Francona said. “Where you don’t have to worry about his arm. He’s giving himself every chance possible by the way he attacked his rehab.”Bauer is 12-6 with a 2.22 ERA in 25 starts and was named to his first All-Star team.Francona said rookie Shane Bieber will relieve Bauer in Friday’s game. Mike Clevinger, another candidate for the postseason rotation, will start Saturday.Corey Kluber will start on Monday and Saturday of the final week to line up for Game 1 of the Division Series.
