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KC Royals Need To Keep Bryce Harper Cool

By Scott Dillon

Apr 28, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) looks on during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) looks on during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 29, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kris Medlen (39) walks to the dugout after being relieved during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 29, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kris Medlen (39) walks to the dugout after being relieved during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

Wednesday, May 4th – 1:15 Central Time

Kris Medlen VS Stephen Strasburg

The KC Royals don’t have much experience against Stephen Strasburg. Omar Infante and Kendrys Morales are a combined 1-9 against him and have struck out three times.

Strasburg has been his usual, dominant self this season so far. In his five starts, he’s pitched 36 innings and has 40 strikeouts on the year. He’s got four quality starts on the season and has two, ten strikeout performances. His overall ERA on the season is 2.25. The Nationals have also won all five games that he’s started in, but he’s only got a record of 4-0.

Kris Medlen has only been bad in one of his outing this season. Unfortunately, it came the last time he pitched at Kauffman Stadium.

Walks have been the bugaboo for Medlen early this season so far. In 20.1 innings of work he’s allowed 16 people to reach base with a walk. Not only is that a bad recipe for success, it runs the pitch count up and eats away at the bullpen.

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In 20.1 innings of work this season he has 16 strikeouts and has allowed 11 earned runs. seven of those runs came in one outing that only lasted 3.2 innings.

His last outing saw him take the loss even though he only allowed one hit on the night. That one hit happened to be a home run to Seth Smith and the Royals lost 1-0.

Medlen has seen a lot of the Nationals hitters and they’ve seen a lot of them. He’s done a good job keeping them in check.

Across 107 at-bats, the Nationals have just 23 hits against Medlen. Jason Werth and Bryce Harper have the most at-bats against Medlen. Werth is 5-18 with a home run, while Harper is just 2-13. One of those two hits was a long ball.

Hopefully, Medlen will pitch like he has in three of his outings and find a way to limit the walks also. If he can do that, the Royals had better get him some run support and help the guy out.

Next: Keep It On Ice

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