Atlanta @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 14, 2016 ) Atlanta 2, Washington 6

The Washington Nationals are in a good place, maintaining a comfortable lead in the National League East with 49 games remaining, but they would feel much better if Bryce Harper can get healthy and start producing. The Nationals open a three-game home series Friday against the Atlanta Braves hoping Harper returns to the lineup after missing three games with a stiff neck, and can rediscover his hitting stroke.

The reigning NL MVP enters the series hitting .233 on the season, 97 points lower than last season's .330 mark, and is batting .219 with 65 strikeouts in his past 82 games. But the Nationals nonetheless have opened up distance on Miami and the New York Mets in the NL East by winning six of their first eight games in August, averaging 5.9 runs per contest. Atlanta has lost two in a row but is playing far better of late while winning 10 of its last 16 contests. Shortstop Erick Aybar had his 14-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday but belted a homer among his three hits in Thursday’s 11-3 loss at Milwaukee, and is hitting .377 in 16 games since July 24.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (5-5, 4.37 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (15-2, 2.80)

After giving up 11 homers in his first eight outings, Foltynewicz has kept the ball in the park – surrendering only two long balls – while going 3-2 in his past six starts. The 24-year-old beat St. Louis on Sunday, allowing one run on six hits in six innings to rebound after allowing 11 earned runs across his previous two starts. Foltynewicz can hit 100 mph with his fastball, but has been more effective throwing in the mid-90s while setting up an effective slider and curveball.

Strasburg started his season with back-to-back victories over the Braves, giving up three runs in 13 2/3 innings with 11 strikeouts, and won his first 13 decisions en route to making the All-Star team. He has experienced two rough outings in his past four starts, giving up four runs in 4 2/3 innings to lose to San Franciso on Saturday and allowing six runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a July 21 loss. Strasburg stood fourth in the National League in strikeouts (169) and fifth in WHIP (1.012) through Wednesday.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Nationals crushed Atlanta in two early-season series, winning all six matchups and outscoring the Braves 24-11.

2. Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman, who is 8-for-19 with three homers in his past six games, is two homers away from matching his career high of 23 (2012, 2013).

3. Washington OF Jayson Werth brings a 40-game on-base streak into the series, three off Ryan Zimmerman’s franchise record set in 2009.

PREDICTION: Nationals 3, Braves 2