Thursday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Lost, 14-11 | @ Indianapolis, 6:35 p.m. | Muñoz (0-3, 7.83) vs. Ja. Jones (4-4, 4.77) |
Indianapolis 14 Rochester 4
• T. Romero (L, 5-7) 4IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 5K, 2HR
• Powell 1⅔ IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 1K
• Dunn 3-4, 3R, BB, 2B, 3B, RBI
• Downs 3-4, R, BB, 2RBI
• Martin 2-5, R, HR, 4RBI
• Barley 2-4, BB, SB
Rochester got a late touchdown and an extra point to make this look a lot closer than it really was as Indianapolis took this, 14-11. Tommy Romero got the start and dug the Red Wings a 4-1 hole on a pair of home runs and four hits total over four innings. He walked two and struck out five while taking his seventh AAA loss.
Three relievers combined for ten runs let in (six earned) with Lucas Knowles taking the brunt of it with five runs allowed on six hits and two walks over an inning and 2/3rds. All four inherited baserunners were allowed to score – two by Knowles, and two by Holden Powell, who was the least ineffective of the trio withe one run of his own allowed on two hits and two walks over an inning and 2/3rds.
Jack Dunn and Jeter Downs both went 3-for-4 with a walk and combined for three RBI and four runs scored while Richie Martin drove in four with an RBI single and an Earl Weaver special in the 9th to highlight the Red Wings offense.
Roster moves: RHP Holden Powell reassigned from Harrisburg; RHP Tyler Schoff placed on the Developmental List.
Holden Powell announced that he is headed to the Arizona Fall League.
Which will be his 6th different team this season!
Pretty incredible, he’ll have played at every state-side minor league team for the Nationals this season. The only exception being obviously the DSL Nats, otherwise he’s thrown for the FCL Nats, FNats, Blue Rocks, Senators, Red Wings, and soon the Scorpions.
Makes perfect sense though, as one of 4 arms soon-to-be-eligible R5 candidates from the 2020 draft. After battling multiple injuries, Powell has only thrown 54 innings in his career (34 of which came this season alone).
maybe he can claim a bit of the magic he flashed at UCLA in his draft year. otherwise he has never been able to find the strike zone enough. lively mid 90s fastball and good slider, not much else. barely 24 and not likely to be claimed so hopefully he gets a full year next year for the Wings to try to find it.
Jeter Downs has had a strong finish to the season. Since being demoted, he’s hit .405/.500/.541, and more generally hit .284/.392/.459 since July 1st.
But it’s too little too late. He’s still only hitting a miserable .121/.337/.197 before July.
I wouldn’t be opposed to bringing him back on a minor league deal, but Lipscomb should have passed Downs in the SS depth charts now. Though there’s admittedly very little SS talent across this org, so it wouldn’t be a bad decision to stick around for another season.
Since Downs is on the 40-man, don’t the Nats control him until he’s eligible for free agency or they release him? He still has an option left so could be good shuttle depth next season.
I would be shocked if they protected Powell from Rule 5. I had hopes for him when they drafted him, as they perpetually need relievers, but he hasn’t been able to stay healthy. Of the four pitchers taken in the 2020 draft, Parker is the only one who has stayed arm-healthy. That’s actually sort of interesting since there were concerns about arm stress because of his funky delivery.
Jack Dunn has played every position but catcher, drawn 75 walks vs 68 strikeouts and has an OBP of .408. smart ball player that scored on a foul pop to a first baseman yesterday when he caught him napping. if you’re looking for your Nats Way winner (or whatever it’s called) he’s your man.
I would be pretty shocked if the Nationals don’t DFA Jeter Downs in order to open the slot on the 40 man roster for someone, well, better.
Agree that a Downs DFA wouldn’t be surprising. They haven’t had much luck in coming up with “better,” though. They did eventually DFA Fox and have now released him.
Luckham has been healthy for 1.75 seasons . Impressive
Nats announce their 2023 Minor League Players of the Year Awards:
Hitter – James Wood
Pitcher – Andrew Alvarez
Defense – Trey Lipscomb
Baserunner – Johnathan Thomas
Nats Way – Jacob Young
Did not know Lipscomb was an elite defender.
Aha! My guy Alvarez actually won it! Very well deserved.
I also wonder if Lipscomb’s award was recognizing the tough situation he was put in (getting shifted all around the infield) and showing adversity with the challenge, or whether he was also playing elite defense in the process? I hadn’t that Lipscomb was supposed to be very good defensively.
Has Jake Bennett getting TJ been talked about here? Just saw a tweet from Grant Paulsen about it.
Chris wouldn’t surprise me .
That would make 3-3 out of the OU Sooner trioka
Speaking of Irwin I guess his scalping by ATL is the end of his season IP ceiling .
Meanwhile Roddy Munoz tosses an Irwin expected like outing 5 IP 6 Ks vs a formidable foe in Indy .
What with the possible surgery for Bennett that leads one to 2024 looking forward to see what a full season of stretched out campaigns for Sullivan and Agostini .
I guess Rodney Throphile is still in Witness Protection with Bruce Lee abd John Denver .