All eyes will be on Bryce Harper in his return to D.C. on Tuesday night.
Related: Bryce Harper returns: Previewing Phillies vs. Nationals
Max Scherzer and the 1-2 Washington Nationals are -200, per VegasInsider.com, at home against Zach Eflin and the 3-0 Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball's biggest game of the week (7:05pm on 94WIP-FM).
Scherzer, 34, pitched on Opening Day on Thursday against Mets. The six-time all-star and three-time Cy Young award winner allowed just two hits and two earned runs in 7.2 innings, in a 2-0 loss. Now, after four full days of rest, Scherzer gets the ball again for the Nats in tonight's mega matchup.
However, Phillies manager Gabe Kapler has decided to go with Eflin over ace Aaron Nola, who also started Opening Day on Thursday (2H, ER, 6.0 IP, W).
Eflin, 24, is Philadelphia's fourth-starter to start 2019. Last season, Eflin was 11-8 in 24 starts with a 4.36 ERA.
Eflin 1-1 in three career starts vs. the Nats with a 5.93 ERA. Scherzer is 9-2 vs. the Phils with a 2.64 ERA in 17 starts.
Angelo Cataldi and Joe Giglio argued on Tuesday morning about Gabe Kapler's decision to start Eflin over Nola tonight against the Nats.
"Why in God's name is Gabe Kapler not matching Max Scherzer with Aaron Nola?" Cataldi asked Giglio.
"As much as I want to win tonight too, it's a big long season," Giglio said. "The big picture is important and Nola threw a lot of innings last year, more than he ever has."
The second and final game of the series is Wednesday afternoon (1:05pm on 94WIP) and Nola will get the ball for that one, opposing the Nats' fourth-starter and new acquisition Anibal Sanchez. So it all evens out in the end.
