Thursday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Won, 9-6 | @ Worcester, 12:15 p.m. | Alvarez (AAA debut) vs. Penrod (0-0, 0.00) |
| Harrisburg | Postponed | @ Reading, 7 p.m. | Cuevas (1-3, 5.56) vs Ash (0-1, 2.28) |
| Wilmington | Lost, 4-2; Postponed |
vs. Hudson Valley, 5 p.m. | Theophile (1-3, 3.79) and TBD vs. Keane (4-3, 4.60) and TBD |
| Fredericksburg | Lost, 7-2 | vs. Kannapolis, 7:05 p.m. | Shuman (1st A- start of ’24) vs. A. Batista (4-1, 3.32) |
| FCL Nationals | Won, 2-1 | @ FCL Marlins, 10 a.m. | |
| DSL Nationals | Won, 2-1 | vs. DSL Arizona Red, 11 a.m. |
Rochester 9 Worcester 6
• Rutledge 4⅔ IP, 8H, 4R, 4ER, 1BB, 8K, 2HR, HBP, WP
• Ribalta (BS, 1; W, 1-0) 1IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 0K, 1-1
• R. Garcia (SV, 8) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 1K, HBP
• Adams 4-4, 3R, BB, 2HR, 4RBI
• Yepez 3-5, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Baker 1-3, R, 2BB, SAC, SB(21)
The see-saw stopped in the 8th with a three-run rally that the (ugh) Woo Sox couldn’t answer as the Red Wings ‘pen held in the last two innings for a 9-6 win. Jackson Rutledge was knocked for four runs on eight hits (two HR) and a walk over four and 2/3rds innings. He struck a season-high of eight. Rochester homered in both the 6th (Riley Adams) and 7th (Juan Yepez) innings to go up one, but both Nash Walters and Orlando Ribalta gave the lead right back for blown saves. After a Jack Dunn sac fly and a two-run double from Travis Blankenhorn to take the lead, Amos Willingham held it with a goose egg in the 8th while Rico Garcia cordero’d through the 9th for his eight save. Roster moves: LHP Andrew Alvarez promoted from Harrisburg.
Harrisburg vs. Reading – PPD
Rain claimed Game 2 between Harrisburg and Reading. A makeup date has not yet been announced.
Roster moves: RHP Carlos Romero reassigned from Wilmington.
Hudson Valley 4 Wilmington 2 – GM. 1
• L. Young(L, 2-4) 4⅓ IP, 7H, 3R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K
• Schultz 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Dugas 1-3, R, 2B, 2K
• Suggs 1-3, SB, E
The Blue Rocks briefly led this one 2-0 after two full innings, but the Renegades retrieved their bounty with four unanswered runs for a 4-2 win. Luke Young lost for the fourth time in his last five starts, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits over four and a 1/3rd innings. He walked none and struck out three. Gaving Dugas doubled and scored run while Viandel Peña, Daylen Lile, and Matt Suggs each had a single in three trips to the plate.
Hudson Valley vs. Wilmington ‐ PPD
After a 37-minute delay, Game Two was pushed to today where they’ll shoot to play two again.
Roster moves: LHP Dannel Diaz reassigned from Fredericksburg; RHP Zach Brzykcy MLB rehab transferred from the FCL.
Kannapolis 7 Fredericksburg 2
• Sykora (L, 0-3) 3⅔ IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 3BB, 6K, HR
• Baldo 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Cruz 2-4, R
• Brown 1-4, 2B
Fredericksburg’s tailspin (2-9 since May 24) continued with another 14 hits surrendered in a 7-2 loss to Kannapolis that dropped the FredNats into 4th place. Travis Sykora took the loss with two runs charges on four hits (one HR) and three walks over three and 2/3rd innings. He struck out six. The offense. John McHenry broke up the shutout with a solo HR in the 6th that got Fredericksburg within two but the Cannon Ballers bombed Bryan Bollenbacher for four in the 8th to put the game away. The offense was held to five hits and stuck out 12 times, with Armando Cruz (two singles) and Marcus Brown (double) the only two batters to not whiff.
FCL Nationals 2 FCL Marlins 1
• C. Sanchez (W, 2-0) 5IP, 1H, 0R, 2BB, 4K, 2WP, HBP
• D. Perez (H, 2) 3IP, 5H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 3K, HBP
• Otanez (SV, 1) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K,
• Infante 2-2, SF, RBI, SB
• McKenzie 1-3, R, BB, 2K
The F-Nats somehow made a pair of sac flies stand up for a 2-1 win over the F-Marlins. Camilo Sanchez won his second game with five shutout frames on one hit, two walks, and a hit batsmen. He struck out four. Doimil Perez let in the lone FCL Marlins run on five hits but earned the hold while Johan Otanez pitched 1-2-3 ninth to get the save. Rehabs carried the day with Sammy Infante and Jared McKenzie accounting for all three singles while Infante and Jorgelys each had an RBI.
DSL Nationals 2 DSL Twins 1
• Feliz 3IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 2K
• Oliveros(W, 1-0) 4IP, 4H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 3K, WP
• D. Tejeda 2-3, 2B, 3B, RBI, 2SB
• Liriano 1-3, R, HR, RBI
In the completion of Monday’s suspended game, the DSL Nationals got single runs in the 5th and 6th innings to edge the DSL Twins, 2-1. Deiver Oliveros pitched all four innings, giving up the lone D-Twin runs on four hits and a walk while striking out three. Dashyll Tejeda tripled in the first D-Nats run in the 5th while Hector Liriano homered in the 6th to plate the winning run.
I’m surprised to see Romero get promoted ahead of Cronin, but generally don’t understand what they’re doing with Cronin this season. Cronin reached AAA back in 2022, but had a injury marred time since then. I had assumed his assignment to Wilmington was a normal rehab, before returning back to AAA, but here we are 60 days into the season, and Cronin still finds himself in Wilmington, despite sporting a 0.84 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, 2.36 FIP…
Also, I wonder if Alvarez’s promotion will just be for a spot start, or whether he’ll stick in Rochester. He certainly deserves it. Since the start of 2023, he has a 2.96 ERA in 182 IP. He’s not doing anything particularly overpowering, but he’s consistently getting results, the kind of player prospect watchers for whatever reason never give much credit to.
My patience with watching Corbin walk out to the mound every five games is absolutely done for. If Alvarez’s promotion will bring forward Corbin’s last day in a Nats uniform even one day earlier, then it’s a win for me.
Alvarez follows an interesting pattern of late round draft picks who were terrible in college, struggled in early minors, and now starting to show something.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=alvare005and
Like you say, not overpowering but now effective, with good WHIPs for two years. From Baseball America:
Alvarez has some arm strength from the left side with a 90-91 mph fastball that touches 94 out of a casual, low-effort delivery. He sells his low-80s changeup well to get weak contact and swings and misses over the top from righthanded batters and his sweeping, upper-70s curveball handles lefties.
For years now, Corbin has received the very same compliment, “He takes the ball every fifth day.” What’s he supposed to do, refuse the ball? He is an innings eater who gives the team indigestion.
I’m also a bit perplexed. Did Lecroy not get the memo about demoting Adams to give him reps at 1B? In his two games since returning to Rochester, he’s played at catcher and DH.
But full credit to Adams for impressing however he can despite the incoherent messaging.
Understand that Davey said that Adams would/might get first base reps in Rochester, but that move makes no sense.
With the exception of last night’s rake-fest, Adams doesn’t have the bat to be an above-average backup MLB catcher, why would anyone think that Adams projects as a MLB first baseman (a premium offensive position)?
Also, if it is the plan to get Adams legit time at 1st base in Rochester, can understand that the Nats might want to give him a few days of pre-game reps there, before throwing him out there in a game.
Lastly, some good news: Wood has returned to practice: https://www.mlb.com/news/james-wood-hamstring-injury-update?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
Haven’t heard anything about the corresponding move from the Alvarez promotion.
I’m with Will on Corbin.
The Sens will make up last night’s rainout on Saturday.
Suffering succotash
Bombers bombed Bryan Bollenbacher .
Yes fans Alvarez is inching towards that
Fifth rotation slot to ease Patrick Corbin into free agency ( perhaps the SF Giants May kick the tires on him in the future .?)
Is the East Carolina RHP gaining street cred with his performance recently Vs Burns and Wake Forest ?
Something about that ambidextrous pitcher in draft seems intriguing .
According to Baseball Reference, Joey Meneses and Juan Yepez are about the same in terms of defensive liability. Well below average. But I’m wondering if Yepez can make the leap to the Nats? I realize that’s a dim hope. I don’t see anybody else in the system who could take the place of Joey Gallo this season. Lipscomb? The Nats’ answer will probably be just live with Joey Gallo, who is in a multi-season process to try to prove that he is a minimally capable big leaguer. Gallo plays defense well. Maybe a mid-season trade is the only realistic answer.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/menesjo01.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/yepezju01.shtml
Going forward, if Gallo can hit a little over .200 and hit some hrs, it might be somewhat labelled a success. Nats are not contenders, so no harm done. The 2025 roster should look quite different! Hoping Herz “continues” to surprise. Crews, Wood and a few trades/free agents, along with improved pitching might have them contend next year!