The set-up: The Nats beats the Marlins 4-2 on Opening Day (Monday) on the strength of HRs from Bryce Harper (fifth career Opening Day HR) and Adam Lind. Washington paid a hefty price in trading several top prospects to the White Sox for Adam Eaton and got exactly what they had hoped for from him, as he went 1-2 with two runs scored. Also, newly promoted closer Blake Treinen pitched a perfect ninth inning for his second career save. Throw in Strasburg giving them them seven innings allowing two runs and it's "so far, so good" for the Nats. The Marlins finished fourth in the majors in batting average last season (.263) but were limited to just six hits, including two by starting pitcher Volquez. Miami finished 32-43 against NL East competition last season and here in 2017, without Fernandez, will need to do better if it has any hopes of challenging for a playoff berth.

The pitching matchup: Miami's Dan Straily (14-8 & 3.76 ERA in 2016) squares off against the Nats' Tanner Roark (16-10 & 2.83). Straily set a career high in victories last season while with the Reds but gave up a National League-worst 31 HRs, 18 coming on the road away from the cozy confines of Cincinnati. He came on strong last year after the All Star break, going 10-2 with a 3.10 ERA in 15 starts. He's 0-0 with a 3.21 ERA in two career starts against the Nats, with his team going 2-0. Tanner Roark made his big league debut in 2013, going 7-1 with a 1.51 ERA that season in 14 games (five starts). He then won 15 games as a starter in 2014 but spent most of the 205 season in the bullpen. However, he was moved back into the starting rotation for 2016, finishing fourth in the NL in WAR for pitchers (5.5) and innings pitched (210), fifth in victories and 10th in the Cy Young voting. He limited opponents to a .232 batting average with runners in scoring position. He saw plenty of Miami last season, going 2-4 in six starts against them with a 4.46 ERA. Roark is 4-7 (4.09 ERA) in 12 career starts against the Marlins (team is 5-7)

The pick: Roark doesn't have good career numbers against the Marlins but he was very good last year overall and Washington was one of six MLB clubs to win 50-plus games at home, going 50-31. It's worth noting that Straily posted a 4.58 ERA in five spring training games. Miami elected to start the season with no left-handed pitchers in its bullpen, and that strategy backfired on Monday, as left-handed hitters Harper and Adam Lind homered off right-hander David Phelps. Deja vu? Make Washington an 8* play.