Monday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Won, 7-4 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 6-5 (10 inn.) | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Wilmington | Lost, 5-4 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Fredericksburg | Lost, 3-0 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| FCL Nationals | OFF DAY | @ FCL Mets, 10 a.m. | |
| DSL Nationals | OFF DAY | @ DSL Rockies, 10:30 a.m. |
Rochester 7 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 4
• Rainey ⅔ IP, 1H, R, ER, 2BB, 2K
• Rogers (W, 5-5) 4⅓ IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, BB, 2K, HR, 2-0 IR-S
• Klobosits (SV, 2) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Tocci 2-3, R, HR, BB, RBI
• Palka 2-5, R, 2B
• García 1-3, R, HR, RBI
The Red Wings got six runs from four homers as they derailed the RailRiders, 7-4 in the series finale. After Tanner Rainey “worked on some stuff,” walking two and fanning two while letting in a run, Josh Rogers stranded two while finishing the 1st and threw four more innings, allowing three runs on four hits (one HR) to earn his fifth win. Nick Wells (2IP), Aaron Barrett (1IP), and Gabe Klobosits combined for four scoreless innings for the holds and the save, respectively. Carlos Tocci reached base three times with a homer, walk, and a single to lead the Rochester hit column. Roster moves: RHP Tanner Rainey assigned from Washington for MLB Rehab.
Portland 6 Harrisburg 5
• Tetreault 5⅓ IP, 7H, 5R, 3ER, BB, 4K, 3HR, WP
• M. Peña 2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• J. Romero (L, 1-2) 1BF, 1H, 1R, 0E, 0BB, 0K
• Duarte 3-4, 3R, BB, HR, RBI
• Wiseman 3-5, 2B, 3RBI
• Freeman 2-6, R, 2B, RBI
Harrisburg rallied for two in the 9th to tie it at 5-5 but saw the game end in the 10th with a single to the first batter for a 6-5 walkoff loss to Portland. Jackson Tetreault made his first AA start since Aug 13, 2019, and was knocked around for the first five runs on seven hits (three HRs) and a walk over five and a 1/3rd innings. Carson Teel, Reid Schaller, and Malvin Peña shut down the Sea Dogs through regulation for three and 2/3rds scoreless with seven strikeouts. Rhett Wiseman’s one-out, two-run double plated the tying runs in the 9th, completing a comeback from as far down as three runs (4-1). Jhon Romero took the loss on a single to the only batter he faced for his second loss and the Senators’ seventh loss in extra innings. Roster moves: C Brady Lindlsy activated from 7-Day I.L.; IF Kyle Marincon placed on 7-Day I.L.; RHP Carlos Navas assigned from Washington (MLFA).
Brooklyn 5 Wilmington 4
• Peterson ⅔ IP, 5H, 4R, 3ER, 0BB, 0K, 37-28 PIT-K
• Karp 3⅓ IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 4K, 2-0 IR-S
• Hinton (L, 0-2) ⅔ IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 1K
• Ydens 2-3, R, HR, BB, RBI
• Antuna 2-4, 2B (nope, .197)
SSDL as the Blue Rocks fell behind early, came back to tie, and then lost in the bottom of the 9th, 5-4 – the ninths straight loss for Wilmington. Todd Peterson was a Sunday-morning replacement for Evan Lee and was blown away by the Cyclones for four runs on five hits over just 2/3rds of an inning. Led by Andrew Karp, the Wilmington bullpen blanked Brooklyn from innings two through eight. This enabled the Blue Rocks to chip away with single runs in the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 7th to tie the game at 4-4, including HRs by Jeremy Ydens and Jack Dunn (both solo shots). The longballs continued to mask the lack of clutch hitting as Wilmington went 0-for-10 with RISP and left on eight, including the go-ahead runner on 3rd in the 8th. Kyle Hinton took the loss with a run on a walk, a steal, an IBB, and a two-out single.
Salem 3 Fredericksburg 0
• Cuevas (L, 0-3) 6IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 3K, HR
• Yankosky 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Strohschein 2-3
• 0-for-6 RISP, 5 LOB
Three Salem pitchers combined on four-hit, 3-0 shutout of Fredericksburg to take the series, 5-1. Michael Cuevas turned in his first quality start of the season, allowing two runs on four hits (one HR) and a walk while striking out three. He was rewarded with his third loss. Kevin Strohschein singled twice while Viandel Peña and José Sánchez both singled once to comprise the F-Nats offense, which drew no walks and fanned 12 times. Despite a league-worst 175-run* differential, it was just the third time the offense had been shut out this season.
* The 16-56 Visalia Rawhide of the Low-A West are at -219 runs, so no “hold my beer” jokes.
FCL Nationals (7-9, 4th FCL East, 3GB)
Weather permitting, it will be a busy week with three makeups/completions from rainouts last week today, tomorrow, and Wednesday before an off day on Thursday, then home games on Friday and Saturday.
DSL Nationals (7-3, T1st DSL South, 2½ GA)
A loss on Saturday dropped the D-Nats into a three-way tie with the D-Rockies and the D-Mets1. This week it’s two against D-Rockies today and tomorrow, an off day on Wednesday, then three against the D-Angels (away-home-away) to close out the week.
Now that the Nats are in sell mode, once some relievers are traded Gabe Klobosits should be the first callup.
He actually gave up a hit yesterday (oh the horror!) but still has a 0.00 ERA.
Jake ‘no respect’ Alu now has a .928 OPS in Harrisburg!
Michael Cuevas is coming along nicely. His WHIP this year is a very good 1.24. He just turned 20.
Josiah Gray is the first name Mr Rizzo speaks to the Dodger GM on a speed dial private chat ??
Kudos on Gabe K being on the bullpen Chorus line audition line
The chat in the living room when Matt Harvey was experiencing all the good mojo after months of being wild as a mongoose the first few months in the AL – just plain old luck hit the liners right at the defenders .
Let’s just get the young buck relievers healthy and ready for
Roles next season : Cronin, Gabe K, Peterson , etc etc .
Don’t think Peterson has shown to be anything more than mild hype. He’s sporting a 7.15 ERA in Wilmington.
Frankie Bartow, who was looking like a lock for a promotion, has crumbled in July. In his first 19 games, he had a sterling 1.74 ERA and 0.77 WHIP. Since July 4th, he’s got a 12.91 ERA and 3.00 WHIP (including an outrageous 20 hits in 7.2 IP). It’s largely due to bad luck (.561 BABIP), but his season numbers don’t look so impressive any more (4.76 ERA)…
Cronin too has seen his great start slow down, though not quite nearly as bad as Bartow. His ERA sits at 3.12, but more worryingly his strikeouts have trended down while his walks have trended upward.
Some other relievers of note:
Alberto Baldonado has been solid across AA and AAA, and based on Rizzo’s handling of the bullpen to date will almost certainly get a shot before any real prospects.
Pearson McMahan has a miniscule 1.87 ERA in 19 games in Harrisburg. Still puzzled why he only got one game in Rochester before getting demoted again. He deserves to be in AAA.
Mario Sanchez is still somehow only 26, and has a solid 3.47 ERA in 13 starts in Harrisburg with good peripherals (0.98 WHIP, 72 K, 13 BB in 72.2 IP). If he doesn’t get a chance now, will he ever?
Aaron Barrett is back on the radar. After a dreadful 2019 and 2020, and a slow game in Fredericksburg, he’s been lights out since, striking out 24 in 14.2 IP, sporting a 0.61 ERA. Think we’ll see more of Barrett before the season ends.
Jhon Romero has quietly been very good. He’s got a 2.56 ERA in 22 games for the Senators. A good bounceback from a bad 2019 season.
Nick Wells has also flown below the radar, earning a promotion to Rochester, and a 2.18 ERA with equal time split between AA and AAA. Interestingly, his numbers at both levels are almost identical. Wonder if he could translate it to the majors?
When Hand, Hudson, Scherzer and Ross get traded, I think some of these guys deserve an extended shot.
And so the inevitable rebuild begins…
I’ve never understood the handling of Mario Sanchez. He was very good at AA in 2019 but got knocked around a little (like nearly everyone else) during a short stint in the PCL. Yet Sanchez wasn’t an NRI to spring training in 2020 or 2021, nor was he called to the alternate site last summer. It seemed to make sense for him to be sent to AAA this year, but he wasn’t, and he hasn’t yet been promoted.
It’s especially weird given the Nats signed him originally, traded him to the Phillies for Jimmy Cordero way back when, and then signed him back as a minor league free agent and have continued to re-sign him. Clearly, someone in the organization likes him, and he keeps putting up good numbers. So why isn’t he getting any recognition?
Not saying he’s a future ace or anything like that, and he may never even make the majors, but it’s strange that he’s so invisible.
Marte on Monday
Daniel Marte 3 run Jack and 3 SB for Jack rabbit
With Daylen Lile signing a couple days ago ($170k overslot), that leaves only Brady House from our top 10 unsigned. In fact only 7 of the 29 first rounders remain unsigned, which suggests House is looking for more than slot (of the 22 first rounders that have signed so far, only two signed for more than the recommended slot value, and both of them were barely overslot).
Mack Davis (11th round), Mack Anglin (13) and Elie Kligman (20) also remain unsigned, and the Nats have $40,900 of additional money to work with (thought actually $479,000 if they’re willing to eat the 75% tax on any amount within 5% above their total pool of $8.77m).
Based on past years, how long did it take between players signing and appearing in the minors? As it’s now been about two weeks since the first players signed. Plus, with all the college bats we signed (Boissiere, Young, Frizzell, Baker, Fein, Williams), they could make a pretty significant immediate impact.
My memory is that most draft picks who were not in the CWS (not an issue this year with the later draft) or hold-out 1st-round picks reported to Viera/West Palm or Auburn within a week or so of signing. Sure would be good to start injecting some of that position-player talent into the lineups and see what we’ve got.
McMahan right now is the 2nd best reliever in the system, have to figure the f.o. didn’t want him to get spooked after his 1 disastrous appearence in Rochester. He’s ready to go back up.
Brady House and Matt Anglin are connected; if House signs for slot there will be no money for Anglin as he will need far above the usual 125k to sign.
Kligman’s not that important as his ceiling is low but it would be nice to sign Davis.