Buckle Up: Scherzer will start Harper's Nats Park return

Buckle Up: Max Scherzer will start in Bryce Harper's return to Nationals Park.
Photo credit Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
By 106.7 The Fan

Related

Can the fourth game of the season be the biggest game of the year? 

Hopefully, for Washington Nationals fans, there are bigger ones to come, but Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies will be no small occasion and the Nats aren't treating it as such.

The Nationals are treating Tuesday like a marquee event. And every marquee event needs a marquee showdown.

And so the Nats will start ace Max Scherzer, baseball's most intimidating pitcher, when former National Bryce Harper, baseball's most overrated player, returns to Nationals Park for the first time since signing with Philadelphia for 13-years and $330 million. 

The message from Washington is pretty clear: Bring it on.

PHOTOS: Nats fans wear defaced Harper jerseys at Opening Day
With reports of scores of Phillies fans making the trip south, the atmosphere promises to be electric. And with the Nationals' best starting pitcher on the mound, Harper's first at-bat will surely be one of the moments of the young baseball season. 

The Nationals made the decision to pitcher Scherzer Tuesday instead of Wednesday to keep him on his regular rest, thanks to a pair of off days in the season's early goings. 

In his first start, Scherzer had a strong outing on Opening Day, fanning 12 batters over 7 2/3 innings pitched. 

Max Scherzer, Disappearing 84mph Changeup for his 12th K. -- pic.twitter.com/vRV3u5ZKrj

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 28, 2019

As for Harper, he homered in his second game with Philadelphia, but he can expect plenty more boos when he returns to Nats Park. And this time, they won't just be from the Phillies fans.

Follow Ben Krimmel and 106.7 The Fan on Twitter.