by Andrew Lang
by Andrew Lang
Strikeout by Anibal Sanchez; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
The Nats swept the American League’s best team, and have now won four times in five games to make you wonder if this is the hot streak the Nats needed. Anibal Sanchez went five innings of shutout baseball but ran into some trouble in the 6th inning and surrendered three runs. The Nats led the whole game, and everyone contributed to this win. Continue reading
Soto is supposed to return today; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
In this two-game series with the Rays, it looks like a complete mismatch in the ERA comparisons with today’s starters. Anibal Sanchez is at 6.48 for his earned run average, and the Rays have lefty Ryan Yarbrough almost 3-runs better at 3.65. The first place Tampa Bay team had been scoring over five runs a game at a time that the Nats need to go on a prolonged winning streak. Which Anibal Sanchez shows up tonight? Sanchez had that one great start on August 23rd when he held the Marlins to one run over 7.0 innings. The rest of his starts have averaged 4.38 innings and a 7.86 ERA. Continue reading
Is Trea Turner the new face of the Nats?; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
With general manager Mike Rizzo penned for the next three years, what does the short-term look like? Certainly Dave Martinez is the longest tenured Washington Nationals’ manager in terms of full-seasons as he will finish his third season this year. He would have set the mark for most games managed this year if the season was not cut back to 60-games due to COVID. Once Martinez surpasses 410 games, he will set the new record over Manny Acta. That is not much of an accomplishment when you consider that Acta’s mark was just 2 ½ seasons. Continue reading
Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
It was vintage Max Scherzer tonight as he went 7.0 innings of shutout baseball while being pitch efficient to stymie the first place Tampa Bay Rays. It was Scherzer’s 174th career win, and he controlled the game. His offense got him 6-runs of support which is all Max needed although his bullpen loaded the bases in the 9th and with two outs, manager Dave Martinez went to his closer Daniel Hudson who quickly notched his eighth save of the season. Continue reading
Luis Garcia will remain out with a heel injury, and Juan Soto is still out with a sore elbow; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
The Nationals schedule does not get any easier for the team that 14-25 as they must face the Tampa Bay Rays tonight. They have the best record in the American League. To add to the Nats woes, they have Juan Soto still out with a sore elbow, Luis Garcia is out with a sore heel, Asdrubal Cabrera out with a sore back, and reliever Dakota Bacus was put on the 10-day IL and most likely finished for the season with a strained flexor tendon. Continue reading
Trea Turner has been mentoring the 20-year-old, Luis Garcia, Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
This four-game series has shocked Atlanta and many Nats fans who wrote the season off as the team from Washington is up by two games to one in this series. If the Nats win today, they will only have notched their third series win of the season with the others against the Orioles in Baltimore and the two-game “road” series against the Blue Jays in Washington, D.C.
While the Nats are at 10-games under .500 with just 22-games remaining in the regular season, it is a reminder of the ebbs and flows of “what is possible” in a season. It is highly unlikely that the Washington Nationals can climb back into the postseason picture or as some would say “highly improbable” as we saw last year, but these odds are steeper than last year because they would have to leapfrog six teams with only twenty-two games remaining. The Nats odds of making the playoffs is at 3.1% according to FanGraphs. Can the Nats go 17-5 to finish the season? Doubtful.
Kyle McGowin had the Braves off-balance all night long; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
If you had the stars of the game as Kyle McGowin, Brock Holt, Victor Robles, and Luis Garcia, you win the jackpot. Once again, Erick Fedde exited early (3 2/3 IP) after giving up 4-runs, and McGowin entered the game and threw a 2 1/3 inning no-hit no-run performance. In fact, the entire Washington Nationals bullpen threw a combined perfect game sans one walk on a 3-2 pitch.
The Nats came from behind and shocked the Braves with a 10-4 win. Before the Nats sealed the deal, they sent Max Fried to the showers at 5.0 innings, and the Cy Young candidate exited with a 4-3 lead while looking for an unblemished 7-0 record that he was denied. With Fried out of the game, the Nats attacked the Braves bullpen for seven unanswered runs to run away with this game. Continue reading
The name has changed to Truist Park and Juan Soto is not available; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
The Nats got the unlucky draw to face Max Fried today. Not only is he 6-0 on the season, but he also has the top ERA at 1.60. For the Nats, they go with the struggling Erick Fedde, and an over-worked Nats bullpen. Not only is Fedde struggling with a 4.71 ERA, he just has not been going deep into games. Continue reading
Daniel Hudson with the save!; Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
The final score was 10-9 and the Nats squeaked by to win this one to end their seven game losing streak. The Nats did not have Juan Soto or Adam Eaton who are both nursing injuries, and players like Michael A. Taylor, Luis Garcia, Brock Holt, Wilmer Difo, and Eric Thames stepped up in this game.
With this win, the Nats improved to 13-24. The bullpen took over for spot starter Wil Crowe and had to cover four innings, and the over-worked bullpen saw Tanner Rainey get collared with a blown save after he surrendered a grand slam to Freddie Freeman. But it is hard to blame Kyle Finnegan, Rainey, and even closer Daniel Hudson who all ate earnies in relief. But in the end they got it done.
Truist Park photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats
This second game of the doubleheader will also be a scheduled 7 inning game per the 2020 rules. This game features Wil Crowe for the Nats as the 29th man called up for the doubleheader, and the Braves will pitch Huascar Ynoa. The Nats scratched Juan Soto in the first game due to a sore arm. The Nats officially said it was a sore left elbow, but ESPN said a sore shoulder. So far, there has not been any additional news on Soto’s condition.
With the loss in the first game, the Nats losing streak is at seven games. Austin Voth has lost five of the Nats 24-games this season. The team has lost twice as many games as they have won this year, and it is truly mind-blowing until you see some of the defensive plays as well as the quality of many of the at-bats as well as the starting pitching. Continue reading
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