Stephen Strasburg (7-3, 3.36 ERA) is slated to face the Diamondbacks at home on Saturday. Strasburg is coming off one of his better starts of the season after limiting the Padres to one run over seven innings at Petco Park last Sunday. The 30-year-old is in the midst of another excellent season with a 1.01 WHIP, a 2.77 FIP and 110 strikeouts over 91 innings. His command has been sharper this year as well, as his 4.8 K/BB ratio is his best mark since 2015. Arizona's offense currently leads the NL in runs scored, hits, and total bases, but Strasburg is simply too good to bench.
A month after straining his left hamstring while rehabbing a right knee sprain, Jed Lowrie still isn't close to beginning a rehab assignment. The Mets initially believed both injuries were minor, but the 35-year-old needed over three months to rehab his knee and is still recovering from the hamstring. Lowrie is currently working out at the team's rehab facility in Port St. Lucie, Fla., where he's taking ground balls and hitting but is still a ways away from game action. Lowrie, who signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Mets in the offseason, has yet to make his debut with the franchise. He has been injury-prone throughout his career, so it's unclear what kind of fantasy value he'll be able to provide if and when he returns to the diamond.
Madison Bumgarner will look to improve on his 3-6 record and 3.83 ERA when he faces the Brewers at home on Saturday. After posting a 4.21 ERA through his first 10 starts, Bumgarner has notched a quality start in each of his last four outings. He's coming off one of his best turns of the year as well after firing seven innings of one-run ball vs. the Dodgers on June 9. While his Triple Crown stats have been mildly disappointing, the lefty has compiled strong peripherals with nearly a strikeout per inning (8.7 K/9 rate) and a 4.9 K/BB ratio. The first-place Brewers boast a fearsome offense that leads the National League in homers, but Bumgarner matches up well against Milwaukee's Jimmy Nelson, who's making only his second start of the year.
The Nationals are hopeful that Ryan Zimmerman will feel well enough to start running on the field sometime during the next week or so. The 34-year-old first baseman has been on the 10-day injured list since April 28 with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Zimmerman traveled with Washington on its recent road trip to San Diego and Chicago and was scheduled to run on the treadmill Thursday, which would be an important step in helping him progress towards a Minor League rehab assignment. Injuries limited Zimmerman to just 85 games last year as well, and he's exceeded 120 games in a season just once since 2013.
Aaron Nola will take a 6-1 record and a 4.58 ERA into Saturday's divisional matchup against the Braves in Atlanta. While his record is strong, Nola has seen his ERA nearly double from last year's 2.37 due to command problems. While his 10.1 K/9 rate is the best of his career, his 4.0 BB/9 rate is easily the worst of his career, as he'd averaged just 2.5 BB/9 over his previous four seasons. The 26-year-old has also struggled with the long ball, allowing 1.3 HR/9 through 14 starts. He's gotten extremely unlucky with a .340 BABIP as well, which is much higher than his career. 297 mark. Nola's looked more like himself with a 3.48 ERA over his last nine starts, however, so fantasy owners should start him with confidence on Saturday.
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