The Washington Nationals keep doing that Hokey-Pokey dance where you put one foot in and one foot out and you don’t get ahead, you just shake it all about. While that dance might be fun, losing sucks — let’s just be honest about that. Finishing the night and taking over last place in the NL East is a stain on the Nationals’ organization in a year when we were promised that this team was improved.
Truth be told, it should have improved. The pre-Winter Meetings roster had positive vibes with the much needed addition by subtraction as the team cut ties with many players who were negative performers. Players play the games. Coaches make key decisions. General managers sign the players. Owners set the budget. All of those components funnel into the product on the field — for good and bad. Right now, the record speaks for itself.
Nats’ manager Dave Martinez pushed Trevor Williams for an extra inning last night that turned into the lost lead as he walked the first two batters in the 6th inning on eight pitches, all balls and no strikes. Why did Martinez give Williams more than one batter at the bottom of the order?
Today is MacKenzie Gore‘s turn for his final start in the mathematical first half of the season. This game will complete the 81st of the season of the 162 game season. You can take many stats and multiply them by two to extrapolate for a full-season. Wood is almost on an MVP pace, and Gore and Abrams are putting up impressive numbers also. If they stay at their current pace, or better, for the full season, that trio would combine for at least a +17.0 WAR. Much of that number will depend on how Gore pitches today.
Going for the Padres in this season finale in San Diego is former Nats’ 2013 draft pick in the 4th round, Nick Pivetta, who was dealt to Philadelphia 10-years ago for Jonathan Papelbon.
The Nats will head to Anaheim next, and finally have a day-off tomorrow, after 16 straight days with games.
“We had some chance. We had bases loaded. In games like that, we score one or two more runs right there, the game’s different.”
— manager Dave Martinez said after yesterday’s game
Here is the bullpen usage:
Here are your Nats’ WAR leaders with James Wood at +3.4 and MacKenzie Gore at +2.6 followed by CJ Abrams.
On defense, the stats are clear as to what his defense is all about. Jacob Young is the team’s OAA leader and James Wood got to a +1.0 on his OAA, and that is a good sign from where he had been early in the season. One of the newest Nats, Daylen Lile, is already at a -5.0 OAA and that is unsustainable as that is one of the worst marks in baseball if you extrapolated it for a full-season.
Luis Garcia Jr. has slumped this season defensively to a -8.0 already — and with CJ Abrams, they combine for -14.0 OAA. That is the worst middle infield in baseball.
Another defensive issue that we have discussed is the positioning of Nathaniel Lowe at first base as he is too often out of position to make a play — and OAA has his chance at success at only 65 percent which must improve. His OAA is at 0.0 now. With as little as Amed Rosario has played on defense, he is at -7.0 OAA this season and the worst on the team. Per Statcast, his defense has cost the Nationals 5-runs. Is his offense good enough to make up that deficit if he plays the field? Keibert Ruiz, per Statcast, has a -8.0 OAA also. The Nationals were supposed to be better on defense. That clearly isn’t the case.
These are your stats leaders on BBRef. There are certainly some surprises on there — good and not so good.
“He was throwing the ball really well. He had 62 pitches going into the sixth inning. He had plenty [left in the tank].”
— Martinez said after yesterday’s game about defending his decision to pitch Trevor Williams into the 6th inning. That can be debated.
The Nats starting pitchers have a combined ERA of 4.44 and 25th best in MLB. You might be surprised at the team just ahead of the Nationals in the rankings. The reliever’s ERA sits at a 5.89 and now the second worst in baseball in ERA.
Here is how the starters rank by ERA:
No. 5 Starter: Trevor Williams 5.65
No. 4 Starter: Michael Soroka 5.06
No. 3 Starter: Mitchell Parker 4.59
No. 2 Starter: Jake Irvin 4.18
No. 1 Starter: MacKenzie Gore 3.19
Washington Nationals vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium: Petco Park, San Diego, California
1st Pitch: 4:10 pm EDT
TV: MASN2
Radio: 106.7 The Fan radio and via the MLB app; In Spanish on DC 87.7 FM and La Pantera 100.7 FM/1220 AM. On Sirius/XM, tune to Channel 178 for the home broadcast and the road team is online only.
Line-up subject to change (without notice):
- CJ Abrams SS LH
- James Wood DH LH
- Luis Garcia Jr. 2B LH
- Nathaniel Lowe 1B LH
- Brady House 3B RH
- Alex Call LF RH
- Daylen Lile RF LH
- Riley Adams C RH
- Jacob Young CF RH
