Detroit @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( May 10, 2016 ) Detroit 5, Washington 4

The Washington Nationals and the Detroit Tigers have both shelled out big money for free agent starting pitchers in the last two offseasons, with each plucking an ace for the other club. Each team will get a look at its former pitcher when Jordan Zimmermann starts for the visiting Tigers in the series finale against Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer on Wednesday.

Scherzer won the American League Cy Young Award with Detroit in 2013 and was an All-Star again during an 18-win campaign in 2014 before signing a seven-year, $210 million deal with Washington prior to last season. The Tigers finally found a suitable replacement for Scherzer last winter, when they lured Zimmermann away from the Nationals with a five-year, $110 million pact. Detroit snapped a seven-game slide with a 5-4 win on Tuesday and could use a strong start from Zimmermann after allowing at least four runs in each of the last nine contests. If recent history is any indication, Zimmermann can expect to issue a walk or two to former teammate Bryce Harper, who worked a pair of free passes on Tuesday and has walked 17 times in the last six games.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Jordan Zimmermann (5-1, 1.10 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (3-2, 4.60)

Zimmermann suffered his first loss and allowed more than one earned run for the first time since joining the Tigers when he was reached for three runs and seven hits in eight innings against Texas on Friday. The Wisconsin native, who went 70-50 in parts of seven seasons with the Nationals, has issued only eight walks in 41 innings. Zimmermann has yielded a total of one run in 19 1/3 innings in three starts on the road.

Scherzer can’t seem to find any consistency this season and followed up seven scoreless innings on May 1 by getting knocked around for seven runs on seven hits in five innings at the Chicago Cubs on Friday. The 31-year-old, who went 82-35 in five seasons with Detroit, was reached for four home runs against the Cubs. Scherzer is making his third home start of the season and is 1-0 with seven runs allowed in 12 total innings in front of the friendly fans this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers CF Cameron Maybin (wrist) has been limited to pinch hitting in his Triple-A rehab assignment but is expected to play the field on Wednesday.

2. Detroit LF Justin Upton is 0-for-16 with 10 strikeouts in the last five games.

3. Washington traded SS Brendan Ryan to the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations on Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Nationals 3, Tigers 1