Giants, Nationals headed in different directions

WASHINGTON -- Manager Dusty Baker spoke this week about the importance of new players fitting well into the Washington Nationals' clubhouse in the middle of the season.

One of those veteran players is Edwin Jackson, the well-traveled right-hander who is slated to start Friday at home against the San Francisco Giants.

Jackson (2-2, 3.75 ERA with Washington) will be opposed by Giants right-hander Chris Stratton (0-2, 6.63), who will face the Nationals for the first time.

It will be unlike recent matchups between the teams in the nation's capital. The Giants (46-70) are nearly 35 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, and the Nationals (68-45) are 15 games…