CINCINNATI — The Washington Nationals went into their first series of the so-called second half of the 2017 season with a lineup that included the National League’s top three hitters.
There was a good chance the Cincinnati Reds would see all three — in order of batting average rank, second baseman Dan Murphy, first basemann Ryan Zimmerman and right fielder Bryce Harper — in the same lineup just once.
Washington manager Dusty Baker planned to give each of them — starters in Tuesday’s All-Star Game along with right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer — a day off shortly after the break.