Los Angeles Angels vs. Washington Nationals FREE: MLB Live Streaming Online from Nationals Park at 7:05 PM ET, Bryce Harper In Trouble?
The two young superstars, Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, will oppose each other for the first time as the Nationals host the Angels in the opener of a three-game set Monday night.
Trout was selected 25th overall in the 2009 draft, while Harper was the first pick the next year. They've both enjoyed meteoric success since with each named to their respective leagues' All-Star teams each of the past two seasons. Trout leads baseball in runs scored since the 2012 season with 252 while his .979 OPS in that span trails only Miguel Cabrera.
While injuries limited Harper to 39 fewer games over the past two seasons, his .834 OPS still ranked seventh among National League outfielders. His 22 homers, 98 runs and .477 slugging percentage in 2012 were all franchise rookie records, while his nine triples tied Andre Dawson for the most by a rookie in club history.
The two stay in touch, though they're not extremely close, Trout told the team's website.
"We're both position players, so we're not really going to face each other," said Trout, who is hitting .307 with 12 extra-base hits. "We're both going to try, obviously, to get on base, get some hits. But I think when you try to do too much, that's when you get in trouble."
The Nationals (11-8) continue a season-high 11-game homestand after Denard Span's sacrifice fly brought home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth against the Cardinals on Sunday.
Harper was 1 for 4 after being yanked by manager Matt Williams in Saturday's 4-3 loss. Williams cited a "lack of hustle" when Harper jogged halfway down the first-base line after hitting a comebacker to the mound in the sixth inning, and Harper said he respected Williams' decision.
After hitting .483 during an eight-game hitting streak, Harper is 2 for 15 in four contests since.
Los Angeles owns an 8-4 all-time edge against the Nationals franchise and swept all three games at home in their most recent series in 2011.
The game will be live streaming online at gofirstrowus.eu/sport/baseball.html
