Monday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Won, 10-3 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 3-1 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Wilmington | Won, 5-3 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Fredericksburg | Lost, 6-5 | OFF DAY | N/A |
Rochester 10 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 3
• A. Hernandez (W, 2-1) 5IP, 4H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 1K, HR
• Cate (H, 7) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• García 2-4, 2R, BB, 2B
• Hill 1-4, 2R, BB, HR(10), RBI
• Dunn 1-4, R, BB, HR(GS), 4RBI, SB
• Lindsly 1-3, R, BB, HR, 2RBI
Every Rochester batter had a hit, with three Red Wings going deep as the Nats’ AAA entry took the game, 10-3, and the series, 4-2. Alemao Hernandez won his second straight AAA start with a run on a home run and four hits total over five innings. He walked one and struck out one. Derek Hill hit his 10th HR, Brady Lindlsy his 2nd at AAA (4th overall), and Jack Dunn smacked a grand slam for his third AAA big fly and sixth of the season to lead the Red Wings’ ten-hit parade.
Binghamton 3 Harrisburg 1
• Ward (L, 0-1) 5IP, 6H, 3R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K, HR
• Henry 2IP, 0H, 1BB, 4K
• Fox 1-3, BB, RBI
• Hassell 1-4, BB
The Senators broke their Mitch McConnnell stare but couldn’t stop their seven-game slide as the Rumble Ponies completed the series sweep with a 3-1 win. Thad Ward made his fifth rehab start, giving up all three Binghamton runs on six hits (one HR) over five innings. He walked none and struck out three.Cole Henry re-emerged from witness protection to pitch two scoreless innings, walking one and striking out four. Lucius Fox plated the sole Harrisburg run with an RBI single in the second as the Sens racked up four (4) singles and drew five (5) walks. Roster moves: RHP Thad Ward rehab transferred from Wilmington.
Wilmington 5 Hudson Valley 3
• Luckham (W, 5-6) 6IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 1K
• Peterson (SV, 8) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 2K
• McKenzie 2-3, 2R, 2B, HR, RBI
• Pinckney 2-4, R
• Lawson 1-3, 2B, RBI
Wilmington built a 4-0 lead on the longball and held off Hudson Valley to win the game, 5-3, and take the series, 4-2. Kyle Luckham notched his fifth win with his seventh quality start, allowing all three Renegades runs on four this and a walk over six innings. He struck out one. Holden Powell, Jaren Zinn, and Todd Peterson each put up a goose egg to close out the game. Jared McKeznie doubled, homered, and scored twice while Andrew Pinckney singled twice and scored once to pace the Blue Rocks offense. Matt Suggs got the party started with a three-run HR in the 4th.
Lynchburg 6 Fredericksburg 5
• Polanco (L, 0-1) 3IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 2K, 2HR, PTV
• Baldo 3IP, 3H, 2R, 1ER, 1BB, 1K
• McHenry 2-4, R, BB, 2B, RBI
• Quintana 2-4, 2K
• Green 1-4, R, BB, HR, 2RBI, 2K
• 0-11 RISP; 9 LOB
The FredNats once again dug themselves an early hole by an up-from-the-FCL pitcher but couldn’t hit their way out, and fell 6-5 in the series finale. The loss lowered Fredericksburg’s tragic number to three with six games to play. Bryan Polanco gave up three runs on two homers and five hits total over three innings in his Low-A debut. After falling behind 5-0, Elijah Green got the FredNats on the board with his fourth HR, a two-run shot. A wild pitch scored the third run while John McHenry doubled in Johnathan Thomas from 1st in the 9th for the fourth score and then came home to score on a passed ball for the final tally. Roster moves: SS Phillip Glasser reassigned from the FCL.
That anemic hit-the-wall lineup at Harrisburg continues. Hard to believe that much talent can be so feeble.
Cole Henry in relief?
Cole Henry lives! And better yet, he had a really strong performance! Seeing how TOC ended Strasburg’s career, it’s left me worried (to put it mildly) about Henry’s future. If we can have a healthy Henry for ST next season, that would be great news.
In other good news, Elijah Green hit his first HR in Fredericksburg since June 1st. Somehow, he only has 7 career HRs in 90 games. I’d have guessed he hit more. It goes without saying at this point, but the strikeouts continue to climb.
Speaking of K’s, Robert Hassell in August had a K rate of 51%.
He, along with the other Sens batters, can’t lay off the high fastball.
Henry looked as good as he has since his first appearance this year. the rest and (hopefully) rehab during the offseason is probably the best thing for him right now.
Ward only needed 62 pitches the get through five, he threw 77 pitches last time out. since the goal is to stretch him out I’m surprised he was yanked. I don’t see anything special but he’s AAA rotation for next year at the least
Pinckney is hitting .333 after 12 games at A+, .336 total in 31 pro games. Very promising start.
Yes, very good to see Henry back on the field. Presumably Thad Ward will get a handful of starts with the big club this month. What his role will be going forward is unknown, but they’ve pretty much made it through the full Rule 5 claim to keep him. He will have three options left so might be kept stretched out at AAA next year if he doesn’t make the DC roster out of the spring. Adon should be out of options, which will complicate the back end of the rotation.
The 2024 rotation is starting to take shape.
1. Gray
2. Gore
3. Irvin
4. Williams
5. Corbin
In the mix: Cavalli, Rutledge, Ward, Adon
Waiting in the wings: Herz, Henry, Parker, Saenz, Alvarez
Williams and Corbin are playing on borrowed time. As soon as any of the minor leaguers get healthy/separate themselves, I’d move Williams to long relief (a role he thrived in with the Mets) or a trade if he has any value. But hopefully more than one of the 9 aforementioned names will emerge next season.
2024 is still going to be a transition season, and the team will need to free space for the prospects to showcase their talent (or fail). We shouldn’t sign any big name FAs to block them just yet, while we’re still at best a wild card team. The Marlins series has been a painful dose of reality. The smart spending will come in 2025 when the holes are clearer, and the free agent class on the whole will be better.
As we’ve discussed on Todd’s site, I think they need to sign one or two FA starters. There are a lot of guys to choose from, and I don’t think they need to pay for top-of-the-rotation talent, but they could.
I’ve cheered the progress of our minor leaguers as much as anyone, but between injuries and inconsistency, it’s hard to look at that list and envision them being where they hope to be with those guys. And Trevor Williams should be moved to the ‘pen next year, where he’s been more effective and where they need help.
Who knows when Cavalli will be back, and he’ll be limited when he is. I’m a big fan of Henry when he’s healthy, but even if he can get and stay that way — a big IF — he’ll be limited, probably for a couple of seasons.
Irvin has shown flashes of a ceiling that’s higher than I thought he had, but can he be consistent? The same could be said of Rutledge. I have less hope in Adon, although he flashed a couple of starts ago. It’s still hard to say what they have in Ward. Herz and Parker will be added to the 40-man this winter, but they’re farther on the horizon and also inconsistent.