his $330 million Nolan Ryan Jersey , 13-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, this game is the one everyone has been thinking about.Tuesday night marks Harper’s initial visit to Nationals Park to face his former team.What will the crowd’s reaction be the first time he steps to that plate in a uniform other than Washington’s?What sort of tribute will there be from the Nationals? What sort of gesture will the outfielder himself make?And how will Harper, who loves the spotlight, fare in the reunion — especially against Max Scherzer?“I’ll always remember and cherish all the screaming and yelling and the exciting times that we had the last seven years. Like I’ve said before, I wish them nothing but the best, all the players in that clubhouse. It’s a great fan base. Great city to live in,” said Harper, who announced Monday on social media that his wife is expecting the couple’s first baby. “Excited to go back. And excited to compete.”He is off to a good start in his new home, helping the Phillies go 3-0 — they are the only unbeaten team in the majors — with a pair of homers against the Atlanta Braves, each marked by elaborately choreographed celebrations with teammates.The Nationals, meanwhile, are 1-2 with some serious bullpen issues after avoiding a sweep against the New York Mets thanks to a ninth-inning homer Sunday by Trea Turner.There has been something of a parlor game in both the nation’s capital and Philadelphia lately, trying to guess how Harper will be greeted upon his return.He did, after all, win 2012 NL Rookie of the Year and 2015 NL MVP honors with Washington. He helped the club make four playoff appearances. He thrilled spectators by winning last year’s All-Star Home Run Derby in his home ballpark.But he also left as a free agent to join a division rival.“I love all human psychology http://www.astrosfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-verlander-jersey ,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. “I love to see how people respond to moments like that — the players, the fans and the cities.”Harper said he expects “some cheers, some boos, as well.”Thousands of Phillies fans are expected to make the trek down Interstate 95.“Bring it on, if that’s the case,” said Nationals lefty reliever Matt Grace, who said he has thought about what it might be like to pitch to his ex-teammate.“Treat it just like any other situation: Go after him,” Grace said. “Not going to treat it like anything else. I’m sure he’ll do the same.”Scherzer (0-1, 2.35 ERA) will make his second start in Washington’s first four games of 2019.The three-time Cy Young Award winner said it will be “weird” to see Harper in a No. 3 Phillies jersey instead of his old No. 34 Nationals uniform.“He’s signed there forever, basically. At least ‘forever’ in my career. We’re going to be facing each other a lot; this is just the first,” Scherzer said. “So whatever happens on Tuesday, it’s going to be the course of a career facing him. This is just Round 1.” The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies close out their regular seasons Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.The Braves will continue their season next week in the National League Division Series and are still fighting for home-field advantage. The Phillies are finishing out a disappointing end to their season.Kevin Gausman (10-10, 3.93 ERA) is set to start for the Braves and the Phillies will send rookie left-hander Ranger Suarez (1-1, 6.00) to the mound.Article continues below ...Gausman will get his final regular-season tuneup before joining Atlanta’s postseason rotation.The right-hander, acquired from the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline Carlos Lee Jersey , has been terrific for the Braves in nine starts. Gausman has bolstered the Braves’ rotation with a 2.80 ERA and 1.10 WHIP since the trade.Gausman’s latest start came against the Phillies on Sept. 20. He struck out seven and gave up three runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.“These games mean a lot,” Gausman, who hasn’t pitched in the playoffs since 2014, told MLB.com after the game. “As a player, that’s all you can ask for — to be in September and to be playing meaningful games. To be a pitcher coming from Baltimore with the season we were having there, the playoffs were a far-fetched dream. So to be in this situation is great.”Gausman discussed the difference between pitching in the regular season and postseason.“The biggest difference is how draining every pitch is,” Gausman told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “You’re sitting in the dugout or you’re out there pitching, every pitch means so much. You give up one run, and that might be it that night. There’s a premium on runs, so as a pitcher, it’s on you a little more than it is the regular season.”Gausman only has two career starts against the Phillies, allowing eight runs in 11 1/3 innings (6.35 ERA) in those games. Jorge Alfaro is 4-for-6 with a home run, double and four RBIs versus Gausman while Jose Bautista is 6-for-26 with a home run and five strikeouts.The Braves won Gausman’s last start and it began a season-worst losing streak for the Phillies.The Phillies snapped a nine-game losing streak Saturday, but have completely collapsed in September, going 7-20 in the month. Philadelphia http://www.astrosfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-verlander-jersey , who was 15 games above .500 on Aug. 7, head into the final day of the season with a 79-82 record. It’s the seventh season in a row the Phillies have failed to finish above .500.“We’ve been playing terrible baseball,” first-year Phillies manager Gabe Kapler told reporters after Friday night’s loss. “That’s why we’ve lost a lot of games, not because we haven’t fought or because anybody quit.”The Phillies are 33-42 against the NL East this season and 6-12 against Atlanta.Suarez, 23, will make his fourth appearance and third start of the season for Philadelphia. Suarez, who has never faced the Braves, has an 8.00 ERA in his two major league starts, but he did not allow an earned run in three innings out of the Phillies’ bullpen Monday against the Rockies.Suarez, who could vie for a spot in Philadelphia’s rotation in 2019, last started Aug. 16 when the Phillies lost 24-4 to the New York Mets. He allowed eight runs (four earned) and 11 hits while walking two and striking out two.