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Wednesday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Pitching Probables
Rochester Won, 5-4 @ Syracuse, 11:05 a.m. Abbott (0-1, 3.00) vs. Grey (2-1, 4.87)
Harrisburg Lost, 6-4 vs. Altoona, 11 a.m. Fuentes (1-1, 3.55) vs. Mlodzinski (0-2, 4.56)
Wilmington Lost, 11-6 @ Aberdeen, 7:05 p.m. Irvin (0-0, 1.64) vs. Gillespie (3-1, 3.30)
Fredericksburg Lost, 6-1 vs. Salem, 7:05 p.m. Denaburg (1-1, 7.52 in ’19 @ GCL) vs. Encarnacion (2-3, 5.28)

Rochester 5 Syracuse 4
• Verrett (W, 2-3) 6⅓ IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 8K, HBP
• Weems (SV, 5) 2IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 3K, HR, 3-1 IR-S
• Meneses 1-4, R, HR(GS), 4RBI
• Freeman 1-4, R, HR, RBI
• Stevenson 1-3, R, BB, CS

All five Rochester runs scored via the long ball as Rochester edged Syracuse, 5-4 in the series opener. The first four came via Joey Meneses’s eighth HR, a grand slam that put the Red Wings up 4-0 in the 3rd. The last came on a solo HR by Cole Freeman in the 8th. Starter Logan Verrett pitched into the 7th with one run let in on three hits and a walk. He struck out eight and hit a batter. Sam Clay failed to retire a batter in the 8th, leaving Jordan Weems to clean up his mess by stranding two of three inherited runners. Weems then made things interesting with a HR in the 9th but held on to earn his 5th save and preserve Verrett’s second win.

Altoona 6 Harrisburg 4
• Ross 3IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 4K, HBP, 31-23 PIT-K
• Reyes (BS, 1; L, 0-1) 2⅔ IP, 4H, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, 2K, HR
• Connell 2-4, R, 2K
• Adrianza 3-3, R, BB

Likewise for the Senators, though it was a pair of two-run HRs by Drew Millas and Mitch Longo in a 6-4 loss to the Curve. Joe Ross tossed three scoreless innings on just 31 pitches, allowing two hits, no walks, and a hit batsman while striking out four. Luis Reyes reverted to the 2022 mean with five runs allowed on four hits—including a three-run HR—and three walks over two and 2/3rds innings. The 27-y.o. now has a 12.32 ERA across two levels with 19BB in 19IP. Ehire Adrianza led Harrisburg’s 10-hit parade with three singles and a walk, followed by Justin Connell with two singles. No other Senators reached base twice.
Roster moves: RHP Joe Ross, IF Ehire Adrianza assigned from Washington for MLB Rehab.

Abderdeen 11 Wilmington 6
• Cuevas (L, 1-5) 1⅔ IP, 6H, 6R, 6ER, 2BB, 1K, 0HR
• Alston 2IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 3K, HBP
• Meregildo 2-5, 2R, 2B, HR, 3RBI
• Ydens 1-3, 2BB, 2B
• Antuna 0-3, R, 2BB, CS

Aberdeen strafed Wilmington pitchers for two in the 1st and six in the 2nd en route to an 11-6 smackdown. Michael Cuevas’s nightmare of a May (0-3, 9.60, 15IP, 26H, 16R) continued with six runs on six hits and two walks over an inning and 2/3rds for his fifth loss in eight starts. Omar Meregildo doubled, homered, scored twice, and drove in three to pace the Blue Rocks offense, which drew nine walks but only one of them scored (Yasel Antuna in front of Meregildo’s 6th HR).
Roster moves: LHP Lucas Knowles activated from 3-Day T.I.L.; C Jarrett Gonzales assigned to Developmental List.

Salem 6 Fredericksburg 1
• Strasburg (L, 0-1) 2⅔ IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, 4BB, 3K, 2WP
• Alvarez 5IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 4K, HR
• Emiliani 1-3, BB
• House 0-3, HBP, 2K, 2E

The FredNats announced a record crowd of 5,802 to watch Stephen Strasburg face live batters (the dead ones always strike out looking *rimshot!*) for the first time in nearly a year. The velocity was close to his standards (90-93, topping at 94) and his breaking ball was sharp. His command, however, was not as the 2019 World Series MVP walked four and needed 61 pitches to record eight outs. Alas, the Fredericksburg regulars barely managed to avoid a shutout, 6-1, as they scored an unearned run in the 1st with the help of a walk, a wild pitch, and an error. Leandro Emiliani, who made a brilliant defensive play to end the top of the 1st, collected the sole FredNats hit with a two-out single in the fourth.
Roster moves: RHP Mason Denaburg activated from the 7-Day I.L.

14 Commments

  1. The big story is Mason Denaburg is ready to pitch again, 13 months after T.J. surgery.

    Cuevas was looking so good in April and a disaster since. Wish I knew why.

    Was it KW saying it’s time for Meregildo to step up; he now has a .864 OPS. He’s 24, so it’s time.

    2. It’s a good reminder that we need to be a bit more patient. While it didn’t happen here, it’s possible for a pitcher to face a weak team two starts in a row, which can skew things — especially early in the season.

    3. Let’s hope Denaburg’s return from injury is a bit more like Cole Henry and less like Jackson Rutledge…

  2. Memorial Day weekend not upon us yet neither is the Fourth of July …
    Timing as in with the perfect omelette ..

  3. Great to see Denaburg back on the mound. Low-A doesn’t have enough rotation slots for all the arms it needs starting; i wonder if they go to tandem starts and/or a 6-man rotation. We *need* to see Lara, Rutledge, rehab starts, Denaburg, Theopile … and that doesn’t leave room for the secondary starters that are performing like Saenz, Alvarez, Collins, Cacheres.

    1. Great point , Todd
      As in spring training where two guys full 1-6 or seven then hsbc the game to the pen .
      This summers draft needs a thorough coverage of needs across the board .Since the Sens we’re playing Pirate kids , the Bucs are a good example of how they are a few notches ahead of Nats in rebuild .

      1. I see the point, but the problem will probably disappear with the next wave of injuries
        🙂

  4. I wonder if the poor development of the past few years (but now the poor drafting) can be partially mitigated by the new coaches and new technologies the Nats have put in place. Guys who seem old for their levels might yet blossom–think Roark. Not everybody is a Harper or Soto.

  5. The Denaburg arrival is big news, although it would be surprising if he goes more than two or three innings. I know some have already given up on him as a prospect, but I haven’t. But man, we’re four years since he was drafted and he is just making his debut in full-season ball. He turns 23 in August, so this is his “age 22 season.” He wouldn’t be that far behind the curve if he was a draftee from college (Dustin Saenz turns 23 next week). More problematically, Denaburg becomes Rule 5 eligible this year. (So does Rutledge.)

    Here is the FanGraphs scouting report on Denaburg from 2019:

    Denaburg had a loud spring as a high school senior, when he went pitch-for-pitch with Carter Stewart in two showdowns and both became first-round picks. Each has had his troubles since then. Denaburg’s pro debut didn’t happen after signing last summer, as the biceps tendonitis that dinged his draft stock flared up again after signing. In 2019, it looked like he would get to Low-A at some point, but his velocity ticked down and the Nationals held him back in extended ball. Once he built back up (92-94, touching 95 mph) he was set to go to short-season and then Low-A to finish the year. But then he felt something in his shoulder, which led to him being shut down again and never leaving Florida.

    At his best, Denaburg would sit 93-95, hit 98 mph, mix in a consistently 60- or 65-grade curveball and an emerging 55-grade changeup with the size and athleticism scouts can project near the front of a rotation. After two years of inconsistent health, expectations are lower, but between Denaburg, Rutledge, and Romero, there is some pretty goofy stuff bouncing around this system; it’ll be exciting if one of them puts it together fully in 2020.

    2. Really doubt that losing Denaburg to the Rule V draft is a concern at this point. Just would like to see him rack up a few innings.

  6. Fuentes had a successful outing today, but I don’t think he has the K rate that is going to get the folks on South Capitol Street interested.

  7. Erick Fedde. Best starter on the Washington Nats. Who would have thought?

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