The third set of cuts were perhaps made just a little easier in a 14-4 Tampa Bay demolition of Washington yesterday.
DJ Herz got the start and muddled through three innings, giving up a solo HR and two hits total. He walked two and struck out one.
Brad Lord was the first man out of the ‘pen and retired just two of 11 batters faced, as he gave up eight runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out one. He was charged with his second blown save and first loss of the spring.
Two of those runs charged to Lord came when Evan Reifert coughed up a grand slam after walking the first batter he faced. He would walk four more and give up five runs of his own. His spring ERA is now 15.63. For those wondering, it has been 15 years since the Nats returned a Rule 5 draft pick during spring training.
Dylan Crews was the sole watchlister in the starting lineup again. The Nats’ #1 pick in ’23 went 1-for-3 with a run scored while manning right field.
Here’s how the rest of “our guys” did:
- Robert Hassell subbed for Crews in RF and in the lineup, shifting over to CF when Jacob Young was lifted. He went 0-for-1 with a strikeout.
- Brady House pinch-ran for Paul DeJong and took over 3B. He also struck out in his sole AB.
- Cayden Wallace pinch-ran for Luis García Jr. and followed him on defense at 2B. He went 0-for-1.
- Yoyo Morales replaced Juan Yepez at 1B and drew a walk in the 9th.
- Andrew Pinckney subbed for Alex Call in LF and struck out in his lone PA.
- Daylen Lile played the 8th in RF and lined out end the game.
The loss drops the Nats to .500 (9-9). They’ll visit the Barves this afternoon with the rubber-armed TBD on the bump. The game is free today on MLB.com.
Texas Florida, many of the watchlisters will be West Palm Beach instead of with the big boys at Atlanta’s ST facility. As such, I am shifting coverage away from the major-leaguers.
This is, after all, a site devoted to the prospects and minor-leaguers. Spring Training coverage is a specious indulgence, even if this year I have to admit “our guys” are still getting a lot of play well into the schedule.
But I think that’s going to change soon, if for no other reason there hasn’t been a third set of cuts yet (which, of course, means it’ll probably happen this afternoon; I do have a knack for being one day early).
Nineteen games is about right for getting back in the groove of writing every day. Plus, this is my busy season at work, so buying a little time isn’t worst thing.
There’s really not that much drama regarding our guys. Crews making the Opening Day roster is a foregone conclusion, especially with the incentives to play him stronger than the ones to have him “work on his defense” that used to keep guys like him in AAA three weeks too long.
Perhaps we’ll get a surprise with Hassell, though I wouldn’t put more than Duke Bros. bet on it.
AAA starts up two weeks from today (March 28); the rest of the full-season teams the week after (April 4). It won’t be that long of a break.