Friday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Lost, 13-10 | vs. Worcester, 6:45 p.m. | Ward (7-5, 5.61) vs. Dobbins (0-1, 3.60) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 8-3 | @ Bowie, 7:05 p.m. | Lara (9-6, 3.73) vs. Van Loon (1-1, 2.63) |
| Wilmington | Won, 8-4 | @ Brooklyn, 7 p.m. | Susana (3-3, 4.46) vs. Wenninger (1-2, 3.38) |
| Fredericksburg | Won, 4-1 | vs. Lynchburg, 7:05 p.m. | Sykora (5-3, 2.17) vs. Garcia (0-2, 8.85) |
Worcester 13 Rochester 10
• Rutledge (L, 4-9) 3⅓ IP, 7H, 6R, 6ER, 2BB, 5K, 2HR
• Willingham 1IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 2K
• Adams 3-5, 2R, 2B, HR, 3RBI, 2K, SB
• Lipscomb 2-3, 2R, 2B, RBI
• Cluff 2-4, 2R, HR, 3RBI
• Dunn 2-5, 3RBI, 2K
The Red Wings rallied for six in the bottom of the 8th but it was nowhere near enough to dig out of the 12-4 as the (ugh) Woo Sox took their third straight, 13-10. Jackson Rutledge gave up more runs than innings pitched for the seventh time (if you have to ask, go back to the MASN Comments) with six runs charged on seven hits (two HR) and two walks over three and 1/3rd. He struck out four. The Rochester ‘pen wasn’t any better, with Amos Willingham the only pitcher to not give up run. Riley Adams, Jackson Cluff, and Jack Dunn each had three RBI in the Red Wings’ 13-hit night.
Bowie 8 Harrisburg 3
• Saenz (L, 1-4) 5IP, 9H, 6R, 5ER, 2BB, 2K
• T. Peterson 1IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 2K
• Arruda 2-5, R, SB
• Lile 1-4, R, BB, 3B, 2K
Bowie gave up two in the top of the 5th to fall behind 3-2, then got four in the bottom half as they downed Harrisburg, 8-3. Dustin Saenz reverted to the mean with six runs allowed (five earned) on nine hits and two walks over five innings to lose his fourth AA game. The Senators couldn’t take advantage of six walks issued by BaySox pitchers as they went 2-for-12 with RISP and left on 10. J.T. Arruda led the Harrisburg hit column with two singles.
Wilmington 8 Brooklyn 4
• Atencio (W, 4-11) 7IP, 7H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 5K
• Collins 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• McKenzie 3-5, 2R, 2B, 3B, 3RBI
• Boisserie 2-4, 2R, HR, 3RBI
• White 2-4, R, BB, RBI, 2K
The Blue Rocks rallied for five in the 7th and spun the Cyclones for an 8-4 win behind José Atencio’s team-leading seventh quality start. The 22-y.o. Venezuelan went seven full innings for the fifth time, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out five. Jared McKenzie was the proverbial HR shy of the cycle as he scored twice and drove in three while Branden Boisserie drove in three, including a two-run HR that capped off the aforementioned 7th.
Fredericksburg 4 Lynchburg 1
• Roman 4IP, 2H, 1R, 0ER, 1BB, K
• Beeker (W, 1-0) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• K. Diaz 2-3, R, 2B, CS
• Green 1-4, R, 3B, 2K(199)
Fredericksburg clinched a playoff spot with a 4-1 win over Lynchburg. It will be the second playoff appearance for the FredNats since the franchise relocated from Woodbridge. Angel Roman gave up the lone, unearned Hillcats run on two hits and a walk over four innings. Merritt Beeker posted his first clean outing with two perfecy innings, for which he earned his first pro win. Kelvin Diaz singled and doubled while Elijah Greene tripled to highlight Fredericksburg’s seven-hit, three-walk offense.
SYKORA NAMED CAROLINA LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE MONTH FOR AUGUST
Travis Sykora was 4-0 in six starts during the month, posting an ERA of 0.88 and WHIP of 0.52 while striking out 48 in 30⅔ IP. The 20-y.o. Texan is in his first pro season after being drafted in the 3rd round of the 2023 Rule 4 Draft. Sykora is scheduled to pitch on Saturday, which would put him in line to start in Game 2 of the CLDS if the Nats deem him ready pitch a second time on five days’ rest.
Seems like Sykora is staying in F’burg to pitch in the playoffs. Makes sense I guess … but he would have been better served moving up to Wilmington for a month to acclimate him for the 2025 season.
What in the world has happened to Rutledge this year? There were always concerns with him but the wheels have completely fallen off
Anyone have any insight on why? Or was he never that good to begin with?
Maybe Sykora should arrange a meeting in Round Rock between Nolan Ryan and JR ? Did wonders for Sykora and years previous RJ Big Unit after his trade from Montreal to Seattle .
Words of affirmation. Aka Think and Grow Rich Napoleon Hill : Elijah Greene and Christian Vasquero both realize their potential as much as Rock Raines and Hawk Dawson did through their career struggles on and off the field .
Plus both cats can patrol all three outfield spots with full health
Way to go , Atencio !
Here is a raised stein to Fred Nats in playoffs
No one and done , Irene Dunne !
Welcome back to starting role , Bryan Romero .
I always love running into dodger fabs who deserve to hear the Bad Vlad Senior story where he rolled into the tryout on the back of a motorcycle in bare feet . LaSorda ended up saying his swing was too long .
Sort of like saying Rita Hayworths hair was too long along with her gams!
lol!
Which Sens get a cup of coffee in Rochester after EL season regular season curtain drops ?
Andry Lara Nats pitcher of the year . Granted other fans might go with Lord or Sykora . Lara gunning for a 10 th W in AA after so many decisions factored by lack of run support or shoddy defense .
The million dollar question : what change within JRs approach or pitch arsenal would progress his pitching career path ?
Think Rutledge was never that good to begin with.
Except for his 2023 12 start run in H’burg (a great pitcher’s park), Rutledge has been consistently awful. MLB teams and their fans are more willing to give the benefit of doubt, and then some, to 1st round picks, but his career numbers are disturbing:
– 5.32 ERA
– 1.467 WHIP
– 4.2 BB per 9 innings (5.7 this year !!!)
– 8.8 K per 9 innings
Rutledge lacks command, and he does not have swing and miss stuff. The Nats drafted Rutledge more than five years ago, and he is not close to MLB ready. Would guess that his former 1st round pick status (and his decent outing against the Brewers in his one MLB 2024 start) will cause the Nats to keep him on the 40 man roster heading into 2025, but I would not miss Rutledge if the Nats moved on. There is some talk about moving Rutledge to the pen, and while he has the frame to be a late-inning presence, don’t see the talent to step into that role.
I’m looking back at the first round in 2019. It doesn’t look like the Nats really “missed out” with the Rutledge pick. Most of the guys taken after him have failed. It probably was worth betting on his size and power.
It’s worth noting that he and everyone else in that draft lost their entire first pro season to COVID. Did that affect their development, or were they just not that good, or a little of both? Rutledge was very strong in most of his post-draft starts in 2019.
The Nats raved about so many of their alt-site guys in 2020, including Rutledge, Cavalli, Adon, Antuna, and de la Rosa. None of them have panned out, although we’re still hoping on Cavalli.
Drafting in retrospect is easy, but there were some solid picks right after Rutledge (who went #17).
#20 Seattle George Kirby
#30 NYY Anthony Volpe
#31 LAD Michael Busch
That said, agree that the talent level dropped off after the top of the 2019 draft which was loaded:
#1 Adley Rutschman
#2 Bobby Witt
FWIW, the pick before the Nats took Rutledge was the D-Backs taking Corbin Carroll.