With all the injuries the Cubs rotation has sustained during the 2011 season, it's probably not much of a surprise that the team will once again be sending a new face to the mound to start a game. After Carlos Zambrano had to go on the DL with back soreness, the Cubs tapped 38 year old veteran Ramon Ortiz to fill the latest hole in their lineup.
Through sixteen starts with Triple-A Iowa, Ramon Ortiz is 6-3 with a 4.26 ERA. In his career against Washington, Ortiz is 1-1 with a 4.84 ERA and 1.43 WHIP. Laynce Nix has hit him well in limited action, going 2-for-5 with a double and a home run.
The Nationals will also be starting a new face on Tuesday, after the team went through a doubleheader with no day off. They've tapped Ross Detwiler, who is 6-6 with a 4.53 ERA across 16 starts with Triple-A Syracuse. Detwiler has never pitched against the Cubs as a team, but Carlos Pena is 1-for-2 against him with a walk.
The weather in Washington is forecast to be clear and warm, with a game time temperature in the low-90s. First pitch is at 7:05 P.M., CDT, and the game will be televised on CSN and MASN HD.