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Wednesday’s News & Notes

Nats affiliates take four out of five games Tuesday night.

Team Yesterday Today Pitching Matchup
Syracuse Won, 10-2 @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 7:05 p.m. McGowin (2-2, 1.33) vs. King (3-0, 1.33)
Harrisburg Won, 5-3 vs. Erie, 6:30 p.m. Darnell (8-6, 3.86) vs. Manning (AA debut)
Potomac Won, 3-2 vs. Frederick, 7:05 p.m. Baez (8-9, 4.02) vs. Wells (7-7, 3.47)
Hagerstown Lost, 5-2 @ West Virginia, 7:05 p.m. Cate (0-2, 9.00) vs. Cubilete (4-5, 5.63)
Auburn Won, 8-4 vs. Williamsport, 6:30 p.m. Jake Irvin (0-0, 0.00) vs. Eastman (0-2, 3.00)

Syracuse 10 Rochester 2
• Voth (W, 5-8) 6⅔ IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 7K, HR, HBP
• Goforth 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 0K
• J. Wilson 4-5, R, 2B, BB
• Severino 3-5, R, 2B, RBI
• Sierra 2-5, 2R, 2B

As promised by Lou Brown, Syracuse won another and is now on a winning streak as they pounded Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 10-2. Austin Voth pitched into the 7th and allowed both RailRiders runs on four hits (one HR) and two walks while striking out seven. Josh Edgin and David Goforth combined for two and 1/3rd scoreless innings to finish the game. Victor Robles got the party started with his second HR of 2018, an Earl Weaver Special, in the Chiefs’ four-run 2nd that broke an early 1-1 tie. Jacob Wilson led the 16-hit parade with three singles and a double, followed by Pedro Severino with two singles and a double.

Harrisburg 5 Erie 3
• Sharp 3⅓ IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 3BB, 4K, HR, 80-43 PIT-K
• Bourque (W, 1-0) 1IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 2K, WP
• R. Mendez (SV, 10) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Johnson 2-3, R, 2B, HR(6), 3RBI
• Keller 2-4, R, 2B
• Ward 2-4, R, 2B

Daniel Johnson’s two-run HR in the 7th was the difference as the Senators sunk the Seawolves, 5-3 for their third straight win. Sterling Sharp got the start but was knocked for all three Erie runs on five hits and three walks over three and 1/3rd innings. He struck out four but needed 80 pitches to retire 10 of 18 batters faced. James Bourque was the pitcher of record when Johnson went deep while Roman Mendez was prefect over the final two frames to earn the save. Johnson drove in three total while Alec Keller and Dre Ward both went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored to lead the Harrisburg offense.

Potomac 3 Frederick 2
• Raquet (W, 4-3) 5⅔ IP, 10H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 2K
• Condra-Bogan (H, 1) 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, 1-0 IR-S
• Monasterio 3-4, R
• Banks 2-3, R, 2B, RBI
• Agustin 1-3, SB, OF assist at HP

Hits were aplenty but runs were not last night in Woodbridge as Potomac managed to get one more than Frederick, 3-2 to take a 2-0 series lead. Nick Raquet gave up more hits than innings pitched for the 14th time in 23 starts but also walked none for the fourth time, as he was able to limit the Keys to two runs on 10 hits over five and 2/3rds innings to pick up his fourth High-A win. Jacon Condra-Bogan retired all four batters he faced, stranding Raquet’s last baserunner as he led a trio of relievers. Ben Braymer cordero’d through the 8th (two hits, two walks, no runs – see last bullet above) for his third hold while Jeremy McKinney worked around a walk to earn his third save. Andruw Monasterio led the P-Nats attack with three singles, followed by Nick Banks’ 2-for-4 effort. Roster moves: C Jakson Reetz placed on the 7-Day DL (HBP on Monday night); C Matt Reistetter reassigned from Syracuse.

West Virginia 5 Hagerstown 2
• Stoeckinger (L, 2-6) 5⅓ IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 5K, HR
• Brasher 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Caulfield 1-3, R, 3B, RBI
• Freeman 1-4, 2B

The Suns managed to squeeze two runs out of just three hits but didn’t have the pitching to match for a 5-2 loss to the Power. Jackson Stoeckinger took the loss, his sixth at Low-A, with three runs let in on four hits and two walks. He struck out five. Phil Caulfield tripled, Cole Freeman doubled, and Kameron Esthay singled to comprise the Hagerstown hit column as no Suns batter reached base twice.

Auburn 8 West Virginia 4
• Schaller (W, 2-1) 5IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 2K
• Teel (SV, 1) 3IP, 2H, R, ER, 0BB, 3K
• O’Connor 3-5, R, 3B
• Shaddy 2-4, 2R, BB
• Perkins 2-4, R, BB, 3RBI

Auburn stopped another slide with an 8-4 victory over West Virginia to slice Mahoning Valley’s lead to 1½ games and stay a ½ game back of Brooklyn in the NYPL wildcard race. Reid Schaller picked up his second win with the first three runs allowed over the first five innings on four hits and two walks. He fanned two (2). After a donut from Joan Adon, Carson Teel finished the game with one run let in over the final three to earn his first save. Jose Sanchez was the beer man in Auburn’s 14-hit assault, which was led by Pablo O’Connor with two singles and a triple and followed by Nic Perkins’s three-RBI night while going 2-for-4. Roster move: C Wilmer Perez reassigned from the GCL Nationals.

25 Commments

  1. Luke, any thoughts on guys who might be added to the 40-man roster this winter: guys who have demonstrated enough ability to be able to help the 2019 Nats?

    1. The one person I’m thinking about is Phillips Valdez. He has a 2.76 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP at Syracuse.

    2. Those two characteristics are not always the same. Since the Rule 5 draft-eligible guys are almost all at High-A or below, and are old for the level to boot, it’s hard to say if any of them will be protected. Austen Williams may be that rare instance of a guy who was passed over for the Rule 5 that could get taken, and therefore protected.

      McGowin certainly seems like worth a September look, Valdez as mentioned here could be added a la Wander Suero to avoid his leaving via FA. But most of these guys are interchangeable with the likes of Austin Adams and Trevor Gott, i.e. on the fringe and easily jettisoned if a veteran is signed or claimed.

      A lot will depend on the Nats treat September. Are they playing for October 2018 or October 2019?

      1. Second straight year Joan Baez starts not good and reverses fortunes in second half.
        Can he and Luis Reyes avoid the long man bullpen transition or late IP role switch ?

      1. Luke we are on the same wavelength.
        Valdez a quiet brilliance @ AAA in 18
        Oct 19. Lerners pulling the chips off the poker table

  3. Johnson seems to be coming on, maybe he is over the wrist injury.

    The new guy is hitting, at least, albeit with little power.

    None of the pitchers seem special though

  4. After hitting only 3 HRs in his first 337 ABs of the season, Daniel Johnson now has 3 HRs in last 15 ABs. He is again starting to look like the the 20 HR player of a year ago. Think Johnson will be a solid MLB player.

    This morning, Rizzo said that Robles is coming up on September 2 after the AAA season ends. Would guess the Nats will also add a catcher (Severino), a middle infielder or two (Sanchez and maybe Reynolds), arms (Ross, Fedde, Solis, Gott, maybe Adams). Will be interesting to see if the Nats decide to bring up anyone not on the 40 man roster as they have two open spots. Would think that the most likely candidate is McGowin, as I believe that he qualifies as 6 year minor league free agent if he is not the Nats 40 man roster at the end of the season. Realize that he is 26, but if the Nats don’t give him an MLB shot, some other MLB team will based on his numbers: .093 WHIP, 9.5 Ks per 9, 2 BB per 9, 6+ innings in 9 consecutive starts. MLB teams love that consistency.

    Could also see the Nats adding Bryan Harper as a solid for Bryce to have him and his brother play together.

    1. McGowin deserves a look with the big club, and to be on the 40-man. He seems like the easiest “add” as they can put Herrera on the 60-day DL. Austen Williams is also on my short list of guys they need to see at the MLB level, well before anything sentimental with Bryan Harper.

      1. Milone and Herrera to the 60-day is two spots. Madson would be one more if he’s traded. Tough call between Valdez and Harper for me.

  5. Gaze into the future crystal ball?
    Bullpen G force ? Gabe and Grant ?
    Luke, what is the status of Tommy Peterson ??

    1. Still on the DL which means one of two things: he’s had surgery or he’s been released and the interns haven’t bothered to update his status. As previously noted, there are always a group of guys for which we never hear anything ever again. I tend to presume they’ve been released since MiLB.com only seems to report on those if they’ve been active during the season.

  6. “Nick Raquet gave up more hits than innings pitched for the 14th time in 23 starts.” Sez it all right there, doesn’t it? BA against at Potomac is a frightening .345. He was reasonably good at Hagerstown, but he’s obviously got to raise his game to keep progressing.

    Good to see the Daniel Johnson late-season renaissance continuing. He now has three homers in the last four games. Maybe he gets a return visit to the AFL?

    1. I believe that Voth has one option left, so the Nats could keep him for another year at their yet-to-be-disclosed AAA location. However, it’s hard to see that he has much future with the big club in DC. I probably would be better for his future if he’s included in a deal over the winter.

  8. Hey Luke, don’t mean to cause more problems but I’m still having trouble seeing comments. Sometimes some other people’s comments appear sometimes they don’t until many hours later. However, one constant is that I’m not able to see my own comments until about a day later. Ive tried posting on multiple devices- from my computer and phone- but I’m having the same problem with both. As you posted yesterday it does seem to be a problem with cookies but maybe also the security settings? I’ll have a look to see if other WordPress sites (that’s what this is right?) are having similar issues. Could be related to the GDPR roll out or something?

    1. Aaand of course the post works this time. Haha. Hope it continues to do so!

      So ignore my post above in the meantime.

  9. I think Robles, Severino, Sanchez, Matt Reynolds will be position players for September callup.

    A chance for Raudy Read.

    I would like to see Yadiel Hernandez but that is highly unlikely.

    Pitchers should be Ross, Fedde, Gott, Solis

    We might see Austin L. Adams

    I think the two newbies we need to see and I hope brass agrees are Austen Williams who has been lights out as a reliever who can pitch multiple innings, and Kyle McGowin who has had a renaissance this year as a starter and has looked terrific.

  10. Kyle McGowin has more than earned a chance to show what he can do when rosters expand. And to be added to the 40 man. The Nationals have plenty of players they have seen and know for their circa 2018 talents (Fedde, Gott). It’s time to look at the unknown and Rule 5 eligible players that may warrant protection and an opportunity to audition to compete in the spring on a revamped staff. To me, that means primarily pitchers – McGowin, Austen WIlliams, James Bourque, Phillips Valdez. They can play with DL and keep people like Ross on the DL as well. They know what they have in him and why burn his service time with the season as it is?

    If the Dodgers want to claim Madsen, the Nationals should just let him be claimed and take the money. There will be others, and if one of them is Gio, well hurrah.

    Daniel Johnson and a Harper resigning are making Robles potentially expendable IF he can make a good impression in September. But he has to stay on the field or generate some transcendent buzz or he will be undervalued.

    No to Read and any of the MiL catchers. Yes to a hitter off the bench like Yadiel Hernandez. None of the infielders warrant promotion. This would have been a spot for Kelvin Gutierrez playing 3B-SS but unless someone has the defensive chops, play Difo every day for nine innings day in and out and use Mark and Matt Reynolds (not Matt) to spell.

    1. Yadiel Hernandez seems a less expensive Matt Adams type player. He can really play the outfield and seems able to generate a pretty decent OBP.

  11. I think that the AFL candidates will be:
    – Robles
    – Johnson
    – McGowin
    – Austin Williams
    – Exxon Valdez
    – AN other (Kieboom?)

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