NationalsProspects.com

Wednesday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Pitching Probables
Rochester Won, 8-7 vs. Worcester, 6:45 p.m. A. Hernandez (0-1, 18.00) vs. Barraclough (8-0, 2.40)
Harrisburg Won, 5-1 vs. Reading, 6:30 p.m. Saenz (3-4, 5.04) vs. Abel (3-5, 4.94)
Wilmington Lost, 10-3 vs. Jersey Shore, 6:35 p.m. Cáceres (0-5, 10.03) vs. McGowan (0-0, 11.25)
Fredericksburg Won, 6-2 @ Salem, 7:05 p.m. Sthele (0-0, 2.08) vs. Elv. Soto (0-2, 8.02)

Rochester 8 Worcester 7
• Muñoz 1⅔ IP, 3H, 5R, 5ER, 5BB, 3K, HR, HBP, WP
• Reyes 2⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 4K, 3-0 IR-S
• Cessa (W, 1-3) 2IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 3K
• Martin 2-4, R, HR, 3RBI
• Millas 2-4, R, 2B, RBI
• Dunn 2-4, R, RBI

Rochester rallied from 7-1 down with seven runs on seven hits, including a three-run HR by Richie Martin and the game-winning, two-run HR by Travis Blankenhorn off the RF foul pole, for an epic 8-7 walkoff win over Worcester. It was most runs scored in the 9th inning by the Red Wings since at least 2005, according to the Rochester PR folks. Roddery Muñoz did little to prove the Barves wrong for putting him on waivers as the (ugh) Woo Sox went Ric Flair on him for five runs over an inning and 2/3rds. The win went to Luis Cessa with a run on two hits in the 9th after pitching a scoreless 8th. Every Red Wings starter had a hit, led by Martin, Drew Millas, Jack Dunn, and Matt Adams, who each went 2-for-4.

Harrisburg 5 Reading 1
• Herz 4IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 6K, 77-46 PIT
• Ruotolo (W, 2-1) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Arruda 2-3, R, BB, 2B, SB, CS
• House 2-3, R, BB
• Crews 1-1, 2BB, SF, HBP, RBI, SB, CS

The Senators scored in each of the first three innings to build a 4-0 lead and held on knock out the Fightins, 5-1. DJ Herz labored through four no-hit (and scoreless!) innings, needing 77 pitches to get the 12 outs while walking two and striking out six. Patrick Ruotolo put up two goose eggs to get his second “W” in relief. Dylan Crews reached base four times with a single, two walks, and a Robles while stealing a base (and getting caught) and hitting a sac fly. J.T. Arruda and Brady House lead the Harrisburg hit column with two hits apiece, while each drew a walk and scored a run.



Jersey Shore 10 Wilmington 3
• Bennett (L, 0-2) 2⅓ IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 1K, 46-24 PIT-K
• Zinn 1⅔ IP, 0H, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 2K, 2-1 IR-S
• Stehly 2-4
• V. Peña 1-3, R, 2BB, SB, CS

The additions of Yohandy Morales (0-4, BB) and Andrew Pinckney (1-3, R, BB) were offset by the lack of pitching as Jersey Shore tanned Wilmington, 10-3. Jake Bennett made his second appearance since returning from Siberia and let in two runs on three hits and two walks over two and a 1/3rd innings. Carlos Romero took the brunt of the beating as the 24-y.o. Venezuelan was lit up for five runs during the BlueClaws’ seven-run 6th. Murphy Stehly was the sole Wilmington batter with multiple hits while Yasel Antuna and Branden Boissiere were the two in the Blue Rocks’ 2-11 RISP mark with nine men LOB.

Fredericksburg 6 Salem 2
• L. Young 4IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 7K, HR, 88-53 PIT-K
• González (W, 7-2) 2IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 2K
• Cruz 2-4, R, BB, RBI, SB
• Green 1-3, 2BB, 2K, SB
• Emiliani 2-5, RBI

A three-run 4th erased an early 1-0 deficit as the FredNats took the opener from the Red Sox, 6-2. The Force wasn’t quite as strong with Luke Young as he needed 88 pitches to get through four innings, though he did strike out seven and walked three over four innings. Pedro González let in one over two innings, but that was good enough to earn his seventh win. Armando Cruz and Elijah Green both reached base three times and stole base, combining for one run (Cruz), one RBI (Cruz, and two whiffs (Green). Salem committed six errors and walked 13 (McHenry, Romero Jr. 3BB each) and probably should have been made to pay more than they did for those mistakes, as Frerdericksburg was only 2-for-17 with RISP and left on 16 baserunners.

16 Commments

  1. DJ Herz sure is pitching better post trade. Since control was the main story for him at the time its important to note that his WHIP is less than half what it was before the trade.

  2. With all the promotions, it was almost like Christmas (Crewsmas?) checking the page this morning. A couple of interesting positioning observations: Crews in CF, Wood to RF for Harrisburg; Green in CF, Vaquero to RF for Fburg.

    The thing that puts Crews ahead of all the other prospects is that he gets on base, ALL the time. I don’t want to jinx him, but I don’t expect K issues with him, which will get him to the majors faster if it holds.

    Bennett situation is worrisome. Perhaps they should just shut him down for the rest of the way. On the flipside, Herz is looking like found gold so far.

    And with no “prospect” love whatsoever, Murphy Stehly keeps hitting, up to .355. He’s still overage for the level, but that’s not his fault.

    Also a shout-out to our other promotion, Carter Kieboom, with homer in his first AB back in the majors. Time for him to make the most of this opportunity.

    1. I wouldn’t worry about Bennett, nothing in his outing looked unusual for someone coming back from an extended layoff. just missing on a lot of pitches, nothing really squared up.

  3. Hoping one of you can answer this question. Which players will be Rule 5 Draft eligible at the end of the season? Who do you think is worthy of addition to the 40 man? TY!

    1. Notables who will be Rule 5 eligible Dec. ’23 (not the whole list): Henry, Parker, Millas, Lara, Quintana, Brzykcy, Cate, Knowles, Arruda, Barley, Ramirez, Powell, Lindsly, Denaburg, Cuevas. I’m sure I missed a few.

      1. I see 3 names + Herz and maaaaybe Knowles who are worth protecting.

        Fortunately, there’s a ton of guys to cut without any loss this offseason. Still, it might require a few tough decisions.

    2. I know when they traded for them it was reported that both DJ Herz and Kevin Made “Malone” are Rule-5 eligible this winter.

      And on the profiles of the Nats’ Top 30 players on MLB Pipeline, they say that Mitchel Parker is, too.

      Not sure about anyone else of note.

  4. I hope I didn’t jinx Hassell. After a moderately decent stretch where he hit .256/.347/.463 over 21 games, he’s been diabolical since I pointed that out. Over his past 6 games, he’s hit .120/.241/.160, but worst of all he’s struck out at least twice in each of those games, for a 50 K% (15 K in 30 PA). He’s still far from working through whatever it is that’s plaguing him, and the hamate injury becomes less and less persuasive as time goes on… maybe just shut him down for the season and start from scratch next year. It’s already going to be a crowded OF, with Crews and Wood nailed down starters, and Harris and Cluff able to eat up the remaining playing time.

    To adapt an Ian Fleming quote, once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, thrice is a trend. We’re now at “coincidence” level for Jake Bennett’s inauspicious return from the void time off, and he’s looking as worrying as Cole Henry. His previously stellar command (2.1 BB/9) is at 6.2 BB/9. I’ll wait for the 3rd start to call it a trend.

    Speaking of Cole Henry, it appears he too has joined the void, and for whatever reason isn’t worthy of an add to the Development List or Injured List. It’s now been almost exactly a month since his last appearance. Let’s hope it doesn’t last as long as Bennett’s two month absence, or the season will be over.

  5. Herz appears to have made an adjustment from his first two starts in that he worked from the center of the pitching rubber vs the far first base side. after that last outing it’s interesting that he would change anything. Hanrahan has got guts

    1. In Herz’s case, I would bet that they’ve given Hanrahan a lot of latitude, considering how much he had been struggling with the Cubs. He was very shaky in his first Sens start, then only two hits surrendered across his last three outings, 13.2 IP, with 20 Ks to 4 walks. He’s definitely become someone that they’ll protect from Rule 5.

      1. Herz’s problem has always been his consistency. Much like Mitchell Parker, he can look electric, and follow that start with a dud, where he’s incapable of locating his pitches, and getting hit hard when he does.

        In his two starts before the trade, he went 5 IP in both, allowing only 1 hit in each and 0 ER and 1 ER, striking out 8 and 9, and walking 2 and 3. Those too were excellent starts, but before that he had a stinker allowing 5 ER in 4.2 IP, and before that another gem (5 IP, 1 ER, 6:1 K:BB), and before that another dud (4 IP, 5 ER, 5:5 K:BB). If he can sustain this consistency he’s shown over the past month (1.72 ERA, 41 K in only 26 IP), then we’ve got a real talent on our hands. But the problem has always been the consistency and not the talent. Just like Parker this season, Herz led the Cubs farm system in strikeouts last year.

  7. With Stone Garrett’s horrific injuru tonight, do they call up Crews?
    Ot was an injury that got Soto called up from AA.

Comments are closed.