Tuesday’s News & Notes
| Rochester | OFF DAY | @ Worcester, 6:05pm | Lara (1-2, 5.45) vs. Burgos (0-1, 1.80) |
| Harrisburg | OFF DAY | vs. Akron, 11am | Ogasawara (0-1, 3.38) vs. DeLucia (0-2, 8.14) |
| Wilmington | OFF DAY | vs. Jersey Shore, 6:35pm | Y. Tejeda (0-2, 4.96) vs. Dromboski (2-2, 3.77) |
| Fredericksburg | OFF DAY | @ Fayetteville, 6:35pm | Fischer (2-0, 1.72) vs. Matheisen (A- debut) |
| FCL Nationals | Won, 3-0 | vs. FCL Cardinals, 12pm (DH) |
Rochester Red Wings, 25-20, 1st I.L. East, 2GB
Rochester won five of six to gain three games in the I.L. standings and is now two games off the league lead (reminder: AAA playoffs are first and second half of the entire IL and PCL, followed by a one-game playoff for the AAA title). According to The Athletic, Dylan Crews will be recalled to Washington. Following last night’s extra-innings debacle, Brady House was optioned to the Red Wings, presumably to make room for Crews. This week, Rochester heads east on I-90 to play Worcester for six, including day games on Thursday morning, and the afternoons of Saturday and Sunday. Roster moves: UT Levi Jordan placed on the 7-Day I.L.
Harrisburg Senators, 21-18 2nd E.L. Southwest, 7½ GB
The Senators dropped four of seven to the Curve to sink into 3rd place. They’ll have to make do without the services of Seaver King, who has been promoted to the Red Wings. No corresponding move has been made yet to replace his vacated spot in City Isle. Harrisburg returns home to host second-place Akron for six, with an Education Day today at 11am and five night games.
Wilmington Blue Rocks, 19-19, 3rd Sally Lg. North, 6GB
Wilmington lost five of six to Winston-Salem to fall to .500 and another 3½ games off the pace in the division. This week, it’s seven against the BlueClaws, including a doubleheader tomorrow to make up a rainout in April.
Fredericksburg Nationals, 27-12, 1st C.L. North, 7GA
The FredNats won four of six against the RidgeYaks to open up a seven-game lead in their division, which they may need as they’re a bit more mortal on the road (10-8) vs. home (17-4). Fredericksburg starts the first of two two-week roadtrips this season as they head to Fayetteville for six night games this week, followed by a trip to Maryland’s eastern shore next week.
FCL Nationals 3 FCL Marlins 0
• M. De La Cruz 2⅔ IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, 1K
• Shortridge (W, 1-1) 2⅓ IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 4K, 1-0 IR-S
• Dannelly (SV, 1) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Cortesia 1-1
• E. Soto 1-3, R, HR, RBI
Four FCL Nationals pitchers combined to shut out the FCL Marlins, 3-0 on four hits in a seven-inning game. Marlon De La Cruz made his second start and went two and 2/3rds with two hits, two walks, and one strikeout. Aaron Shortridge got the last out of the 3rd and worked around two hits and a walk with four whiffs to pick up the win. Brayan Cortesia got the first of two (2) hits for the F-Nats with a first-inning single before leaving due to injury in the 2nd. Elian Soto homered in the same inning for the second hit and the first run. The F-Marlins issued nine walks and committed an error to help the FCL Nationals score their second and third runs without a hit. MiLB Rehab Kevin Davis pitched the 6th for the hold while MLFA pickup Jackson Dannelly worked a scoreles seventh for the save. Both Davis and Dannelly struck out two.
So we’ll keep Crews under 2 years of service time at the end of this year, and cut into Brady House’s service time as well.
Further evidence Toboni’s sights are set on 3-4 years from now, and not on the short term, even with a surprisingly competitive team. This inches Crews and House closer to being a part of the next great Nationals team of the 2030s.
But I think this suggests guys like King, Perales or Morales aren’t likely to “learn by doing” in the majors, like House and Crews did (and Abrams and Wood too for that matter).
With Jacob Young getting injured, the promotion of Crews makes more sense, but apparently this was decided before Young got hit by a pitch, so I don’t entirely understand the logic, as Crews hasn’t been very good in AAA, but it works itself out.
I’m curious who will play 3B now.
Agree that part of the thinking to demote House was service time, but his defense (which looked promising last year) has been atrocious. He looks shaky even on the easiest possible plays. Not sure how often a player bats third in the lineup, like House did last night, and then, he gets sent to the minors.
Jorbit Vivas will primarily play third. He is a nothingburger. Tena will get some time, and he may be the worst defensive player on the Nats active roster, which is saying something. Not beyond the realm that Yoyo gets called up soon, maybe even this week. The Nats have too many OFs on the active roster right now.
what a difference a day makes, hum it if you’d like!
Brady just isn’t major league material at the plate right now despite running into a few pitches now and then. too many ABs flailing at sliders low and away. I’m concerned that the prior organization wasted his early development by not instilling the need to take his walks or that he just does not have the pitch recognition ability required.
the promotions of Cruz, Cabrera and King seem like the start of something big to me (another song!) and I would not be surprised to see Petry and Fitz-Gerald right on their heels.
good luck to Dylan and tough break for Jacob.