Nats Edge Red Sox, 4-3; Transaction Update
The new guys led the Nats to a come-from-behind, 4-3 win over the Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon.
Jesse Winker’s RBI single tied the game at 2-2 in the 3rd while Joey Gallo’s two-run double in the 5th gave the Nats a 4-2 lead.
Unfortunately, “our guys” weren’t as much to credit as to blame. Jackson Rutledge dug the Nats a 2-0 hole in two innings of work, allowing four hits and three walks while striking out three. DJ Herz was credited with the hold, but walked four over two innings and allowed the third Boston run on two hits. Both pitchers committed an error on errant pickoffs.
Dylan Crews extended his hit streak to two (2) with a 1-for-3 mark as the starting RF. He also stole a base for the second time this spring.
Drew Millas also got the nod as the first backstop and went 1-for-2 with a run scored.
Here’s how the rest of the watchlisters did coming off the bench:
- Trey Lipscomb subbed for CJ Abrams at SS but was hitless in two AB
- James Wood replaced Crews in RF and collected his fifth hit in as many ST games
- Robert Hassell doubled in his lone AB as the teams’s second CF
- Israel Pineda struck out to end the 7th while replacing Millas behind the plate
The Nats head back to Roger Dean Stadium to face the Cardinals this afternoon. Patrick Corbin is slated to make his second ST start. The game can be heard on MLB Audio (St. Louis feed).
Until this year, there was no reason to look at the minor-league transaction pages during spring training. But with the new 165-player limit that’s been mentioned previously, things have changed.
On Tuesday, seven guys were dropped from the FCL Nationals roster:
- C’s Edward De La Cruz, Jeisel Acosta
- SS Angel Geraldo
- CF Daniel Marte
- LHP Josue Carmona
- RHPs Jose Ulloa, Cristian Jimenez
Yesterday, they were replaced by seven of these guys. I don’t think that means 11 more guys are looking up for their Sword of Damocles – in a couple of weeks, 60-day I.L. moves may spare them until May – but like so much in the minors since MLB’s coup d’état, things will be different than they were in the Before Times.
considering Rutledge was not facing the MLB squad there is nothing positive about his outing. his on camera interview was a bonus and he indicated he did not feel the rhythm until the end. in a typical start he “might” have settled in and given them a few more quality innings. I was mistaken in that his last start was not from the stretch, he has abbreviated the cross step he was making at the beginning of last year.
Same can be said about Herz’s outing too. It was all scrubs by the time he entered the game, and he really struggled with his location. Harnessing his command will decide his future in the majors, so conceding 4 walks isn’t helping his case. Though unlike Rutledge, he’s not expected to break camp with the Nats.
Spring training all about getting the work in and working on new things : JR and his new cutter
Hassell 3 hopefully working with Daubach some
Who is Daubach?
AAA hiring coach
I was actually impressed by an out that Wood made. The lefty he was facing made an excellent pitch in on Wood’s hands, but he was able to adjust and hit a medium-hard liner toward the right-center gap. If not for a running catch by the RF, Wood would have had an easy double or more, on a pitch that probably would have struck him out last summer. He clearly has put in some work to be able to make more/better contact.
I don’t know whether it’s fortunate or unfortunate to see that list of departures. Fortunate, in that none of them are notable in any way. But that’s also what’s so unfortunate, that we have half a dozen players, who are old for their age, and posting sub-Mendoza averages or 6.00+ ERAs.
On who gets cut next, you need not look further than the ’23 DSL Nats roster. I’d be amazed if more than 7 of them make it stateside this season. So there’s likely not many corresponding moves needed.
Sorry, that should read “old for their level”
Yeah, it’s hard not to laugh when I see a few prospect lists that still include Andy Acevedo (.170/.299/.248) and/or Elian Soto (.182/.281/.232). There were only three DSL Nat regulars who topped .600 OPS. The “best” of the bunch hit .232.