With their time-tested trio of twirlers, the Washington Nationals have what is considered the top starting pitching threesome in the National League.
Righthander Stephen Strasburg led the league in wins at 18. He, righthander Max Scherzer and lefthander Patrick Corbin were 2-3-4 in the league in strikeouts at 251, 243 and 238. All were in the top 10 in NL earned-run average.
A blessing, and perhaps a curse, is that each also is a top reliever on the club. Beginning with the Nationals’ wild-card win over Milwaukee, manager Dave Martinez has employed Corbin twice, Scherzer once and Strasburg once (for three innings) in the six postseason games the Nats have played before the National League Championship Series begins at Busch Stadium on Friday night.