Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg will take the mound as the Game 1 starter in the National League Division Series on Friday night in Washington against the San Francisco Giants.
Nationals manager Matt Williams announced Thursday his starters for the first three games in the series. Strasburg will be followed by Jordan Zimmermann (14-5, 2.66 ERA) in Game 2 and Doug Fister (16-6, 2.41) in Game 3.
The 26-year-old Strasburg will be making his postseason debut. When the Nationals reached the postseason two years ago, Strasburg did not pitch after the Nationals shut him down late in the year to protect his surgically repaired right elbow.
Zimmermann and Fister have pitched in the playoffs with the Nationals and the Detroit Tigers, respectively.
Strasburg, the Nationals’ opening-day starter this year, posted 14-11 record with a 3.14 ERA and a National League-leading 242 strikeouts in 215 innings this season. But he was at his best in Nationals Park with a 9-3 record and a 2.56 ERA.
However, Strasburg did struggle against the Giants in a home game on Aug. 24, allowing five runs in four innings.
The Giants are expected to counter in the first three games of the series with Jake Peavy, Tim Hudson and Madison Bumgarner as their starters.