Bryce Harper Recalled: 10 Pitchers We Cannot Wait to Watch Him Face in MLB

All eyes will be on Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper Saturday evening as he steps into the batters box for the first time in his MLB career against Chad Billingsley. The anticipation for Harper's debut has reached a fever pitch in our nation's capital and across the MLB fanscape.

Here are 10 potential match-ups that we would like to see this upcoming season and in years to come.

1. Mariano Rivera

As luck would have it, the Washington Nationals will be playing an interleague series this June against the New York Yankees. This match-up has the potential to present an enticing scenario where Bryce Harper could square off against Mariano Rivera.

The greatest challenge for Harper would be to deal with Rivera's deadly cutter. The left-handed Harper would have to avoid being jammed by the pitch. Lefties have had success against Rivera. Some notable examples include Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and current Red Sox sluggers Carl Crawford and David Ortiz. All three have hit over .300 in their respective careers versus Rivera.

2. Josh Beckett

Another potential interleague showdown for Bryce Harper could take place this June when the Washington Nationals travel to Fenway Park to take on Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox.

What to look for during the Harper/Beckett match-up:

It's too early to determine whether or not Harper will have the opportunity to square off against the 3-time All Star and perennial Cy Young candidate. If the two do square off during the series you can expect Beckett to pound Harper inside with a steady stream of fastballs. He will also use to cutter to keep the lefty from extending his hands-- keeping the inviting short Fenway wall out of play. The key quite possibly could be Beckett's ability to mix in change-ups with the rest of his pitching repertoire. Keeping Harper off-balance will be the key.

3. C.C. Sabathia

The MLB schedule gods did fans a favor by scheduling traditional AL East powers against the Washington Nationals for the 2012 interleague slate. This is the third enticing interleague match-up this season and the second involving the New York Yankees. Bryce Harper could get his first shot immense left-hander C.C. Sabathia.

The Harper/Sabathia match-up is battle of hitting skill versus pitching prowess. Harper can expect a steady diet of fastballs and sliders from the 300-pound lefty hurler. Sabathia will use his fastball to entice Harper to bite on his off-speed pitches. It is crucial for Harper to be patient and force Sabathia to get behind in the count. That could be the key to this match-up.

4. Clayton Kershaw

The Bryce Harper/Clayton Kershaw battle would have been a sexy first match-up for the 19-year-old lefty and the 2011 Cy Young award winner. Unfortunately, Kershaw pitched the first game of the series, a 3-2 victory over the Washington Nationals Friday night. We will have to wait until mid-September until the next Harper/Kershaw matchup presents itself when the Los Angeles Dodgers come to Washington for a four-game series.

5. Phillies Pitchers

One of the toughest early assignments for Bryce Harper will be dealing with the formidable stable of pitchers up Interstate 95 in Philadelphia. Harper will have to face Philadelphia Phillies starters Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee and closer Jonathan Papelbon. We won't have to wait too long for these potential match-ups to materialize as the Nationals will square off against the Phillies May 4-6 at Nationals Park.

6. Yu Darvish

Bryce Harper will not have the opportunity to face the Japanese phenom Yu Darvish this season unless the two square off in the All-Star game or World Series. However, if this match-up does materialize in 2012 it will provide quite an international media circus as the highly-touted Harper would face off against the enigmatic star. Darvish has shined so far in 2012 posting a 3-0 record with a stellar 2.42 ERA.

7. Justin Verlander

This is another match-up that won't happen unless there is a duel in the All Star game or World Series. However, the Bryce Harper/Justin Verlander duel would be exciting to watch.

How would Harper handle 100+ mph heat? Would Verlander be able to keep Harper off-balance long enough to keep him in the park and off the bases? These are some of the questions that ultimately will be answered when these two face off the first time sometime in the foreseeable future.

8. Jamie Moyer

This would be a battle of the ages- literally. How would the 19-year-old Bryce Harper fare against the 49-year old journeyman lefty Jamie Moyer? To put this match-up in perspective, Moyer was already in his eighth year as a professional baseball player when Harper was born. We will get our potential answer June 25-29 when the Washington Nationals head to Coors Field to battle against the Colorado Rockies. 

9. Jose Valverde

How will Bryce Harper fare against the highly-demonstrative Jose Valverde? The Harper/Valverde match-up is not scheduled to take place during the regular season in 2012 but offers an intriguing future match-up. Valverde has had a decent 2012 campaign posting a 1-0 record with a 3.12 ERA with four saves.

10. Stephen Strasberg

The Bryce Harper/Steven Strasberg match-up may never happen but it would present quite possibly the greatest hitter/pitcher showdown of all-time. Obviously, Washington Nationals fans hope this battle never materializes but this dream pairing would create quite a bit of buzz if it ever happened.