Nats Notebook-Miami Nice!

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What a difference a year can make in Major League Baseball. In 2024 the Nationals were on their way to a fourth straight fifth place finish in the NL East while Miami was scraping its way to an improbable playoff berth, going a ridiculous 33-14 in one-run games to earn a Wildcard berth despite a -57 run differential (eight teams with better run differentials had worse records to finish out of contention). You might call this year one of market correction for the fish, who languish in last place of the division and are 1-4 in one-run affairs to begin 2024. And thus they have become chicken soup for the Nats, who got swept by the World Series preseason favorite Los Angeles Dodgers in DC despite two decent pitching performances (5.1 scoreless from Patrick Corbin!). But the offense that ran aground (four runs over three games against LA) got healthy in a hurry (26 runs in three games over the weekend) and saw a comeback for the ages (the rally from seven down Sunday was their biggest comeback since 2018) to secure a series win. Monday night they go for a sweep of the Marlins to reach .500 for the first time since they were 1-1.

Digesting the Division- Atlanta (19-7) keeps its cushion thanks to a lineup that leads the Majors in batting average and slugging percentage while ranking third in runs scored. Their late-game barrages is one reason why A.J. Minter leads the club with five wins out of the bullpen. Philadelphia (19-10) remains 1.5 games back thanks to their sweep in San Diego. The Phillies are dominating on the mound, leading MLB in quality starts and opponents’ batting average. The New York Mets (14-13) were this close to dropping into a tie for third with the Nats, but avoided a sweep against St. Louis by beating the Cardinals in extra innings Sunday. Washington (13-14) is closer to first place than last in the division, something they haven’t been able to say a lot over the last four years. But Miami (6-23) has found its level with losing streaks of nine and six games already.

Break up the Birds- Baltimore (17-10) was this close to sweeping Oakland, only to have Craig Kimbrel cough up a two-run homer in the ninth inning of a 7-6 loss to the A’s. The defeat drops the O’s one game behind the New York Yankees, who come to Camden Yards for their first meetings with the Orioles this year. If you’re going you might want to bring your glove as the two teams rank 1-2 in the majors in homers. And brace yourself for Juan Soto, who’s batting .318 with seven homers and 24 RBI.

Diamonds Direct Diamond King of the Week- Nick Senzel proved quality is better than quantity, because while he notched just four hits (in 17 at bats for a .235 average) they were all home runs. The third baseman drove in eight and on a team where runs have been more than tough to come by, the slugger is a welcome addition to the lineup.

Last Week’s Heroes- Trey Lipscomb batted .500 with six runs scored in his second go-around at the Major League level this year while Alex Call went 2-2 with two walks and three runs scored after being promoted from the Minors over the weekend. MacKenzie Gore allowed one run over six innings while Trevor Williams gave up one run over five frames. Kyle Finnegan posted a pair of saves while Jacob Barnes tossed 3.1 scoreless innings over three outings.

Last Week’s Humbled- Tanner Rainey coughed up five runs over three innings while Matt Barnes allowed four runs over three frames. Patrick Corbin delivered the best of times (5.1 scorele2-0 ss Tuesday against the Dodgers) and the worst of times (four earned runs allowed over frames against the Marlins Sunday) for the Nats. Eddie Rosario (0-15) went hitless while Joey Gallo (0-11) went on the Injured List.

Game to Watch- Thursday the Nats wrap up their road trip in Texas where it very might be 100 degrees when they face the Rangers at 1:35 p.m. local time. But they’ll be starting Mitchell Parker who has been quite a surprise through his first three starts (2-0 with a 1.69 ERA and 14 strikeouts over 16 innings pitched). Can he stay hot in the heat?

Game to Miss- Saturday they host Toronto at 4:05 p.m. in an interleague series we get a lot more of in the new scheduling era. And while I appreciate Dave Stieb as well as the 1992-93 champs as much as anyone, it’s tough to ignore the first leg of Horse Racing’s Triple Crown…as well as Virginia Gold Cup (my Bus Captain days are done though, having handed my madras jacket to Timothy Dalton). Break out the boater hat…

Sully From Southie Speaks- Somehow the Sox (16-13) will enter May with a winning record. The offense (10th in runs scored, 12th in batting average) is doing just enough to shine while the pitching staff continues to lead the majors in ERA while allowing the fourth fewest homers in the big leagues. This week they play fellow middling teams San Francisco and Minnesota, so there’s a chance they can build on what’s been a pleasantly surprising April. Meanwhile, the Celtics and Bruins have the hub’s hearts at this moment.

Nats Notebook- Celebration of the past, pointing to the future.

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Saturday’s finish felt fitting: on the weekend where the Nationals celebrated the fifth anniversary of their World Series triumph (even handing out replica rings) they took two of three from Houston, jumpstarting their series win with a ninth-inning comeback and extra-inning victory Saturday. And Sunday the Nats wrapped up the weekend with a 6-0 win that involved a peek at the possibilities of the future: rookie Mitchell Parker struck out eight over seven scoreless innings to post his second win in seven days, a huge accomplishment for a guy making his first two big league starts.

Even though they’re still under .500, the Nats have won consecutive series for the first time all season. “I think there’s momentum anytime you win games, especially to take two out of three in LA (against the Dodgers) and then two out of three at home against the Astros,” Nick Senzel (fresh off hitting his first homer of the season) said. “Our expectation is to go out there and win every game and if not we’ve got to take the series, and we can roll over this and keep the momentum going.” But there’s little time to bask, as the Dodgers drop by the district Tuesday. “This game is hard and it’s a grind right, and all of a sudden everybody wants to be ‘that guy’,” Manager Davey Martinez said. “And I always tell them: ‘Hey don’t try to be “the guy”, just be “a guy”.’ And get on for one guy and the next one gets on. And good things will happen.”

Digesting the Division- Atlanta (14-5) has won seven in a row/six of seven) and a big reason has been the bat of Marcel Ozuna, whose 24 RBI lead all of Major League Baseball. Philadelphia (14-8) has won six straight (and 10 of 14 since losing their three game series to the Nats). But it’s the New York Mets (12-9) who have surprised lately, winning six of seven to move over .500 (they hadn’t been four games over .500 since April 27 of last year). Washington (10-11) finds itself with plenty of room to hold fourth place as Miami (6-17) split their series with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field over the weekend but remains 2-11 at home.

Break up the Birds- Baltimore (14-7) is one of five AL East teams with winning records after taking two of three from Kansas City. The O’s continue to get production from young players like Colton Cowser (.373 with five homers and 16 RBI) and Jordan Westburg (.333-5-18) in the bottom half of their order. They play their next two series against sub-.500 Oakland and the Los Angeles Angels before squaring off against the division-leading New York Yankees next Monday.

Diamonds Direct Diamond King of the Week- Mitchell Parker struck out 12 over 12 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while posting two wins in his first two Major League starts.

Last Week’s Heroes– C.J. Abrams hit .320 with three homers while scoring eight runs and Jesse Winker drove in five while scoring six runs. Jake Irvin tossed six scoreless innings to post a victory in his lone start. Kyle Finnegan notched a win plus two saves.

Last Week’s Humbled- Patrick Corbin allowed five runs over 6.1 innings as his 2024 (0-3, 8.06 ERA) has yet to take off. Eddie Rosario batted .125 while Joey Gallo hit .154.

Game to Watch- Thursday the Nats wrap up their series with a matinee against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and MacKenzie Gore tries to bounce back from his shortest outing (four innings) of the season against a suddenly-slumping superteam (LA has dropped three straight series entering this week).

Game to Miss- Friday the Nationals are in Miami to face a bad team in a worse ballpark. Meanwhile the Capitals have their first home playoff game in almost two years. Rock the Red, indeed…

Sully From Southie Speaks- April is a fickle month as the small sample size can move teams from first place to .500 and back again. Last week Boston had a pair of division leaders (Cleveland and Pittsburgh) on tap, and lost three of four to the Guardians before a sweep of the Pirates returned them to third place in the AL East. Can the pitching staff keep up its incredible start (2.52 ERA is best in MLB)? And will someone in this lineup get on pace for more than 75 RBI in a season? This week they play at Cleveland before hosting the Chicago Cubs (the two teams are a combined 29-15 to start the season).

Nats Notebook- Wild ones out west.

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Man. The Nats were so close to taking back to back series by the Bay. Washington led Oakland 6-1 in the sixth inning Sunday after allowing three runs the previous two days to the A’s. Unfortunately starter Trevor Williams hit the wall (a walk and a double in three batters faced) and Derek Law was unable to stop the trickle that became a gusher in a six-run inning for the suddenly-revived Athletics. And just like that the Nats’ bats went 1-for-9 with a walk over the final three innings in a 7-6 loss. Six steps forward, seven steps back. And a winning road trip is in serious jeopardy with the Los Angeles Dodgers on the horizon.

Digesting the Division- Atlanta (9-5) stubbed its toe against division foes the New York Mets and Miami, splitting its six games against the Mets and Marlins. Philadelphia (8-8) finds itself at .500 after splitting its weekend series against Pittsburgh. The New York Mets (7-8) have now won three straight series behind the hot bat of Brandon Nimmo who has 12 RBI on the early season. How long will his bat remain hot? The 31-year old has never driven in 70 during his career. Washington (6-9) slips into fourth place with two losses in three games at Oakland. Miami (3-13) may not have won a series this year but at least they can say they’ve not been swept since beginning the season 0-9.

Break up the Birds- Baltimore (9-6) after a sweep in Boston dropped two straight to Milwaukee at home-allowing 11 runs Friday and Saturday-before beating the Brewers Sunday afternoon to avert a sweep. Should one be concerned? Because they won’t face teams of the Red Sox’ caliber in October, but teams as good as Milwaukee in the playoffs. Prime prospect Jackson Holliday had an RBI in his MLB debut but took four games to notch his first big league hit. Thank goodness this team doesn’t need the former No. 1 draft pick to pay dividends immediately.

Diamonds Direct Diamond King of the Week- MacKenzie Gore struck out 11 while tossing five scoreless innings Saturday in San Francisco. In three starts this year the left-hander is 2-0 with an ERA OF 2.81 and 23 strikeouts and five walks.

Last Week’s Heroes- Kyle Finnegan posted two saves while Dylan Floro notched three scoreless innings. Riley Adams hit . 467 while Jesse Winker batted .409 while scoring six runs.

Last Week’s Humbled- Joey Meneses hit .133 while Eddie Rosario hit .091 (Manager Davey Martinez said he’s a notorious slow starter).  Patrick Corbin allowed seven runs over 5.2 innings, increasing his ERA for the season to 8.44, while Derek Law allowed four earned runs over 4.1 innings of relief (all four were coughed up Sunday, while he got just one out).

Game to Watch- Houston comes to DC as the Nationals celebrate the five-year anniversary of their World Series win over the Astros. Even with most of the 2019 nucleus retired or playing elsewhere, this series will still sizzle. Friday MacKenzie Gore pitches. I’m all eyes.

Game to Miss- Tuesday the Nats battle the Los Angeles Dodgers and their buzz-saw of a lineup that got better in the offseason with the addition of Shohei Ohtani (batting .343 with four homers and 10 RBI entering Sunday’s game with San Diego). Patrick Corbin and his 8+ ERA start for the Nats. The NHL season meanwhile wraps up with the Capitals facing Philadelphia in a game that could punch their playoff ticket. I’ll be rocking the red…

Sully From Southie Speaks- The Sox got swept in ridiculous fashion by the Orioles at Fenway Park before taking two of three from the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim California). There is a definite fool’s gold feel to the 9-7 start as all nine of their wins have come against the Angels, Oakland, and Seattle (three sub-.500 teams). This week they face AL Central-leading Cleveland and NL Central-leading Pittsburgh. Brace yourselves…

Nats Notebook-Small ball comes up big.

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It’s easy to be impressed with big swings. Power pitching and power hitting are the most impressive, and we’ve seen both in DC over the years in Max Scherzer’s 20 strikeout night to Bryce Harper hitting 42 homers during his MVP season of 2015. But in a world where the Nationals don’t have a collection of home run hitters (their eight are tied for 21st in the majors and that number puts them on pace to be in the neighborhood of 2023’s total of 151 that ranked 29th), you’ve got to scratch and claw your way to pad your scoring. Sunday’s sweep-averting 3-2 win over Philadelphia saw the Nats steal four bases and get their game-winning run on a sac-fly. Lane Thomas actually jumpstarted the game-winning rally with an infield single before stealing second and taking third on an error. “We’ve been talking to him about how to steal,” Manager Davey Martinez said. “Gerardo Parra has been doing a great job with him and the other guys on what to look for. We’re going to expose other teams when we can.” Thomas stole a career-high 20 bases last summer and already has six of the team’s 16 steals in 2024. “We’re going to hit our home runs, but I don’t think that’s our identity as a team so I think it’s really important to take advantage on the bases and get some runs early that way.” And in Sunday’s win the little things loomed large.

Digesting the Division- Atlanta (6-2) isn’t just in first place; the Braves spent the weekend sweeping reigning National League champ Arizona. Philadelphia (4-5) has moved up in the standings thanks to their series win over the Nats. Washington (3-6) and the New York Mets (3-6) are off to the same start two years removed from the Nats’ 100-loss campaign and the Mets’ 100-win season. Miami (1-9) is the first team to lose its first 8+ games the season after making the playoffs, and even with a 10-3 win Sunday owns a -25 run differential.

Break up the Birds- The Orioles (5-4) started the week by winning their series with Kansas City thanks to a pair of walk-off victories.  Then they dropped a pair of one-run games at Pittsburgh. It’s only April, but the O’s are in third place behind the New York Yankees (ugh) and Boston (gasp!). They’ll battle both between now and the end of the month.

Last Week’s Heroes- Joey Gallo hit .313 with two homers and three RBI, making his 0-12 start at the plate a distant memory (or at least until the next 0-12).  C.J. Abrams went .389 while driving in four.  Kyle Finnegan (two saves) and Hunter Harvey (2.2 scoreless innings) pitched well out of the bullpen while MacKenzie Gore struck out six over 5.2 innings Sunday to post his first win of the season.

Last Week’s Humbled- Josiah Gray pitched a little better than the opener but still coughed up six runs over 4.1 innings. Robert Garcia (two runs over two innings) and Matt Barnes (two runs over 2.2 innings) had less than ideal outings. Joey Meneses batted .136 while Jesse Winker hit .091.

Game to Watch- Monday the Nats begin a three game series in San Francisco, playing in a beautiful ballpark by the bay. Trevor Williams makes his second start of the season after posting arguably the best start during the rotation’s first turn and pitches against reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell. Even with the Men’s National Championship game being played at the same time, spending the evening watching two TV’s is a good way to eliminate a case of the Mondays.

Game to Miss- Saturday the Nats wrap up their series in Oakland, playing in a less than beautiful park on a different side of the bay. Trevor Williams pitches again but this time his counterpart is Alex Wood, who’s early-season ERA is 9.72. Laundry and house-cleaning time!

Sully From Southie Speaks- somehow the Sox finished their ten-game road trip to start the season 7-3. Tyler O’Neill’s off to a scorching start (.357 with five homers) while the pitching is using whatever duct tape, paper clips and mirrors they have at their disposal to post an MLB-best 1.49 ERA. Don’t worry, the season is long.

Nats Notebook- Springboard or Ceiling?

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Welcome back! Did everyone have a nice offseason? The Nationals are back in action after dropping two of three in Cincinnati (yet to enjoy the Skyline Chili, although Donato’s Pizza still delivers happy memories) and there’s at least a little more excitement surrounding the 2024 club as opposed to last year’s team. The 2023 team actually won 16 more games than its predecessor, and while I’m not saying this bunch will win 87 games one has the feel they’ll be more competitive and perhaps even pesky during the month of September as teams try to wrap up playoff berths. But there are questions regarding those who made an impact last year for the Nats: was 2023 a springboard (preview of possibilities) or a ceiling (a maxed out career year). Josiah Gray pitched in the All Star Game while Lane Thomas posted career highs in hits, runs, doubles, triples, homers, and RBI. Were those campaigns the start of something special or a career outlier? C.J. Abrams and Keibert Ruiz had solid seasons at the plate while playing defensive positions. Do both players continue to grow in the field and in the lineup this year? If you want the classic “ceiling vs. springboard” season, look no further than centerfielder Victor Robles who hit 17 homers in 2019 and has belted 11 HR over the last four seasons. We’ll be watching, while enjoying the possibilities each new season brings.

Digesting the Division- Atlanta (2-1) leads after one weekend (surprise, surprise). The Braves were out of first place for one whole day in 2023 (one half game back on April 2). Philadelphia (1-2) dropped two of three to Atlanta to begin the season and drop by the district for a series this upcoming weekend. Washington (1-2) was in last place for the bulk of the season last year, but this spring they find themselves ahead of the New York Mets (0-3) and Miami (0-4).

Break up the Birds- The Orioles (2-1) began the year by taking two of three from the Los Angeles Angels, posting 25 runs while allowing eight. Anthony Santander already has a pair of homers with seven RBI and offseason acquisition Corbin Burnes (1-0, 1.50 ERA, 11 strikeouts) looked great in his Baltimore debut.

Last Week’s Heroes- Jesse Winker hit 455 while C.J. Abrams from atop the order scored four runs while stealing three bases. Keibert Ruiz batted .333 with a homer and three RBI. Hunter Harvey recorded a win in relief while Kyle Finnegan saved that game. Jake Irvin posted the best start on the team (three runs allowed over five innings).

Last Week’s Humbled- Patrick Corbin (four runs allowed over 4.1 innings) and Josiah Gray (seven over four) had less than ideal 2024 debuts while Kyle Finnegan allowed consecutive homers in Sunday’s loss at Cincinnati. Luis Garcia hit .182 while Lane Thomas batted .083 and Joey Gallo went 0-12 at the plate.

Game to Watch- Philadelphia wraps up its weekend in Washington with a 1:35 p.m. Sunday matinee. It’s a matchup of lefties (MacKenzie Gore & Christopher Sanchez) who are slated to make their 2024 debuts Monday afternoon. It’s a beautiful day for a ballgame, with a nightcap of hockey (Caps host Ottawa) to boot.

Game to Miss- The Nats play Pittsburgh to start the week, and while I’ll be all-in at the ballpark for Monday’s opener I won’t be hurting to miss Wednesday’s game that pits Trevor Williams (5.55 ERA in 2023) against Mitch Keller (6.35 ERA last year).

Sully From Southie Speaks- It’s a good thing the Celtics are two wins away from locking up home court advantage in the playoffs and the Bruins own a two-point lead in the Atlantic Division, because the Red Sox are coming off of consecutive last place finishes and boast an unrecognizable cast of characters that include outfielder Tyler O’Neill (.429 with two homers and four runs scored) and pitcher Kutter Crawford (seven strikeouts over six scoreless innings in his 2024 debut). I’m waiting for Tanner Boyle or Pedro Cerrano to find their way into the box scores this summer. But they’re 2-2 to start the season.

Top DC Sports Stories 2023-

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With 2023 safely in our rear-view mirror, a look back at the year that was in DC sports. WTOP’s Senior Content and Fun Director Rob Woodfork asked our staff to highlight the best of 2023:

Top Sports Story- Commanders sale. Enough said.

Top Sports Moment- “We can be eliminated?”. It was “Maroon & Black” for a different generation.

Comeback Player/Athlete- Virginia running back Mike Hollins who recovered from a gunshot wound sustained in November 2022 to return to the field for the Cavaliers in 2023.

Breakout Athlete- Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas set career highs in everything from at bats to homers and RBI, providing a potential veteran link to the next era of contention in Washington.

Athlete/Team/Sportsperson of the Year- Howard Men’s Basketball won the MEAC and advanced to its first NCAA Tournament since 1992.

I handled three categories for our photo gallery:

College Football- Season of Not Quite in College Park.

Maryland entered the 2023 season with hopes of competing for a Big Ten East Division championship, even going so far as saying so during the Conference’s Media Day. And despite rough starts against Charlotte and Virginia, the Terps took a 5-0 record into Columbus and led No. 2 Ohio State 10-0 in the second quarter. But then a pick-six tossed by Taulia Tagovailoa sparked a Buckeyes rally and over the next month the Terps would repeatedly make mistakes, seemingly 95% of which came back to haunt them. Coach Mike Locksley’s crew settled down with two victories in their final three games to clinch a third straight winning season, but once again are still seeking their first winning Big Ten record since joining the conference in 2014.

Honorable Mentions: Virginia Tech bounces back from a slow start to reach a bowl in the second year of the Brent Pry Era, while James Madison’s 11-1 season means a first ever bowl and their coach getting plucked by a Power Five school.

Men’s College Basketball- Turnover at Georgetown.

The Hoyas followed up their dream run through the 2021 Big East Tournament with a pair of nightmare seasons, and even though they snapped a 29-game regular season league losing streak they also snatched defeat from the jaws of victory multiple times, up to and including a come-from-ahead loss to eventual National Champion UConn. Exit Hall of Fame player Patrick Ewing, enter…former Providence Coach Ed Cooley? The former Friar became the first coach to move from one league school to another and has brought an energy to the program that was lacking in the final days of Ewing’s regime. There will be growing pains, and there’s no guarantee the Hoyas will reach even the heights of former Coach John Thompson III, let along Hall of Fame Coach John Thompson Jr. But Cooley has brought a sizzle we haven’t seen in some time. The quality of steak is yet to be determined.

Honorable Mentions- Coaching changes at American (Duane Simpkins in/Mike Brennan out) and George Mason (Final Four player Tony Skinn comes back to Fairfax), while Howard ends a 31-year drought with its first trip to the NCAA Tournament this century.

Women’s College Basketball- Hokies hit the big-time.

Virginia Tech is a basketball school? You bet. And we’re not even discussing the Men’s 2022 ACC Tournament Champions. Because Women’s Coach Kenny Brooks has built a juggernaut in Blacksburg. It took five years for the former James Madison Coach to get the Hokies into the NCAA Tournament, but this past March behind forward Elizabeth Kitley (18 points and 11 rebounds per game) and guard Georgia Amoore (16 points with 5 assists) VT won the ACC Tournament Championship for the first time in program history. The weekend in Greensboro proved to not be a fluke as the Hokies advanced to the first Women’s Final Four in school history before falling to eventual National Champion LSU. Brooks mined the transfer portal in the offseason and brought in ex-Michigan State guard Matilda Ekh. Can the Preseason No. 8 team handle being the hunted for the first time?

Honorable Mention- Former Maryland forward Angel Reese won a National Championship at LSU last April as the Tigers got the better of Caitlin Clark and Iowa. Reese isn’t the first Terrapin to transfer, but she’s the first one I can recall who enjoyed more individual and team success at her new stop.

Happy 2024!

Nationals Notebook-Milestones and millstones…

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Five games remain in the Washington Nationals’ 2023 season. And while there’s a decent chance they’d be locking up last place on the very night Baltimore celebrates clinching the AL East AT Camden Yards, there are still a few magic numbers within striking distance of a few players. Lane Thomas is two runs shy of 100 for the season while he and Joey Meneses are in a duel for the team lead in hits (Thomas has 163 while Meneses has 164). Meneses might not be in position to reach 100 RBI but the slugger is three shy of 90. C.J. Abrams is three doubles away from 30 and two home runs shy of 20 (he also has a 6-4 lead in the race for the team lead in triples with Luis Garcia). You might be surprised to learn that Alex Call has the team lead in walks (52). On the mound Patrick Corbin’s ten wins lead the staff as do his 31 starts and 175.1 innings. MacKenzie Gore paces the team with 151 strikeouts while Josiah Gray’s 4.00 ERA is the best of the starters. Kyle Finnegan’s three saves shy of 30 (he’s also three wins away from ten for the season). Make your notations accordingly…

Digesting the Division- Atlanta (100-56) has a magic number of three for home field advantage in the NL. The Braves battle the Chicago Cubs and the Nationals this week. Philadelphia (87-69) owns a magic number of one to capture the Wildcard, while Miami (81-75) remains one game out of the final playoff spot after taking two of three from Milwaukee. Both teams meet the New York Mets and Pittsburgh over the final week of the season. The New York Mets (71-85) own a two and a half game three game lead over Washington (69-88) and also hold the tiebreaker so the Nats’ cellar reservation number is three.

Break up the Birds- Baltimore (97-59) owns a magic number of three to capture the AL East. The Birds play two games against the Nats and four against Boston while second place Tampa Bay faces the Red Sox and Toronto this week. Winning the division means home field advantage through the ALCS, and right now the O’s are three games behind Atlanta for the best record in baseball.

Last Week’s Heroes- Luis Garcia hit .407 with a team-high nine runs scored while C.J. Abrams batted .333 with three runs scored and six driven in. Lane Thomas and Joey Meneses each recorded two homers with six RBI. Jackson Rutledge allowed three runs in 11.1 innings over two starts and posted his first Major League win Sunday. Josiah Gray allowed one run over five innings in his lone start while Robert Garcia tossed 3.2 scoreless innings over three outings.

Last Week’s Humbled- Keibert Ruiz batted .222 while Dominic Smith hit .154. Patrick Corbin allowed five runs over 4.1 innings while Jake Irvin coughed up five runs over 2.2 frames. Jose A. Ferrer also posted an ERA of 16.88 while Jordan Weems’ ERA was 13.50.

Game to Watch- Tuesday and Wednesday the team visits Baltimore, and if I had to choose I’d rather see Wednesday’s game with Josiah Gray making his final start of 2023. Will the All Star be able to return to form next year or was the first half of this year the outlier?

Game to Miss- Saturday they face Atlanta with Patrick Corbin on the mound. I’m going to take a pass here on a full day of college football that includes Navy-South Florida, Virginia-Boston College, Virginia Tech-Pitt, Maryland-Indiana, and James Madison-South Alabama. See ya next year!

Sully From Southie Speaks- only six more games to stomach what turned from an uninspiring season to a depressing one. That’s what happens when you lose 10 of 14 and don’t win a series after Labor Day. They haven’t wrapped up last place just yet, but with games against Tampa Bay and Baltimore the ship that’s taken water all season is more than up for the task. They’ll visit Camden yards this weekend to witness the Orioles set its rotation and lineup for the playoffs. It’ll be a fun four days as kind O’s fans will be sure to mention early and often how the Sox are in the cellar yet again. And the Boston brass deserves to stew in this one.

Nationals Notebook- On the precipice…

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It hasn’t happened yet. Believe it or not with just 12 games left in the regular season the Nats are technically in contention. And I say technically because the team has 84 losses while three teams chasing the final Wild Card berth have 78 wins. So with the next Nats loss, or a win by either Cincinnati, Florida, or the Chicago Cubs…Washington will officially be out of the postseason party.

But last week was big for the past, present, and future of the club. The present has been secured with President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo signing a multi-year extension. The future had its night with prime pitching prospect Jackson Rutledge making his Major League debut. Will they be able to put their streak of last place finishes (three straight) in the past? Time is running out on the team that’s already almost out of it.

Digesting the Division- Atlanta (96-53) despite getting swept by Miami remains in the driver’s seat for home field in the playoffs. Matt Olson (52 homers with 129 RBI) is having one of those seasons people will look back at years from now and still say wow. Philadelphia (81-68) leads the Wild Card and has a magic number of ten. They also play ten of their final 13 games against clubs with losing records. Miami (78-72) is tied for the final playoff spot with Arizona thanks to their brooming of the Braves, and one whole game separates fifth from seventh place in the NL. They play nine of their last 12 games against losing teams. The New York Mets (69-80) try to play spoiler with their last four series coming against the Phillies and Marlins, meaning that Washington (66-84) might still be able to slip out of the cellar.

Break up the Birds- Baltimore (93-56) looked like they were teetering entering Saturday’s game with Tampa Bay. A four game losing streak had eroded their AL East lead but the O’s responded with an 8-0 shutout before finishing the series with a 5-4 eleventh inning win that secured a split as well as clinched a playoff berth. We get a potential playoff preview this week with a three game series at defending World Series champion Houston. But the road to the division title is in the Birds’ hands.

Last Week’s Heroes- Joey Meneses hit .360 with four RBI while 429 with three RBI while C.J. Abrams homered twice while scoring four runs. Patrick Corbin had two strong starts, allowing three runs over 12.2 innings while posting his 10th win of the season (first 10-game winner in Washington since 2019). Josiah Gray struck out 10 in his start (a hard-luck 2-0 loss). Robert Garcia tossed 5.1 scoreless innings over four appearances and notched the win Sunday while Jose A. Ferrer posted 3.1 scoreless frames over three outings.

Last Week’s Humbled- Trevor Williams allowed three runs over two innings in his lone start of the week, while Jackson Rutledge surrendered seven runs in 3.2 innings during his big league debut. Kyle Finnegan allowed four runs over 1.2 innings. Lane Thomas hit .097 with zero walks and eight strikeouts while Jacob Young batted 1-21 and Travis Blankenhorn went 0-9 at the plate.

Game to Watch- the Chicago White Sox come to Washington this week and Tuesday we get another look at rookie Jackson Rutledge and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can improve upon after a less than ideal debut. If he can make the necessary strides…we’ve got ourselves a rotation piece in 2024.

Game to Miss- barring something unforeseen Trevor Williams will be back in 2024 for the second season of his two-year contract, and while he hasn’t been outstanding Williams has been available, making 29 starts while posting a 6-10 record with an ERA of 5.55. You know what you’re going to get with the 31-year old, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing it’s not a compelling reason to watch in late September.

Sully From Southie Speaks- back to the basement as the Sox get swept by Toronto over the weekend. The tragic number is five and with the way this team is playing they might not get to this weekend still in contention. A trip to Wild Card contending but slumping (three straight losses) Texas is on deck. Meanwhile they’ve moved on from General Manager Chaim Bloom. Who takes his place? And how do they build back what was a consistent winner from 2003-18 (four World Series and ten playoff appearances)?

Nationals Notebook-Shutdown season.

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The final days of a lost season isn’t unlike the shuttering of a cottage at the end of the summer season, so it’s only appropriate that with Labor Day in the rearview mirror the Washington Nationals are packing things up in anticipation of better days in 2024. The team is currently 11 games out of the last playoff spot in the NL with nineteen games left in the season, meaning their “tragic number” is nine. So with a pitching staff that’s been fraying the last couple of weeks, caution is key. Pitcher MacKenzie Gore went on the 15-day Injured List over the weekend after blisters cut his start short. Even if the lefthander is good to go at the end of the 15 days, there’s almost no point in ramping him up again only to shut him down. Josiah Gray is also being stretched rest-wise, going over a week between his most recent and next start. Meanwhile, catcher Riley Adams went on the 10-day Injured List and shortstop C.J. Abrams is day-to-day with a knee injury. They key for the next three weeks is to keep most of the Nats’ important pieces in one piece for Spring Training.

Digesting the Division- Atlanta (93-49) has clinched a playoff berth and has a magic number of six to win the NL East. The Braves are also in the driver’s seat for home field in the playoffs, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers by six games in the National League while standing three ahead of Baltimore for the best record in the majors. Philadelphia (78-64) leads the Wild Card race while Kyle Schwarber has a date with history: the slugger has 94 RBI with 20 games left in the season and has a chance to become the first man to hit under .200 while driving in 100+ (he’s batting .198 now). Miami (74-69) is one half game out of the final playoff spot after winning series against the Dodgers and Phillies. The New York Mets (65-77) are eight and a half games behind the Marlins despite owning a better run differential (-37 to -46). Washington (64-79) isn’t officially eliminated yet but stands close to securing a fourth straight losing season.

Break up the Birds- the Orioles (90-52) took two of three from Boston while scoring 27 runs at Fenway Park. The magic number to make the playoffs is nine but more importantly they have their eyes on the AL East and a crucial four game series with second place Tampa Bay begins Thursday at Camden Yards. The O’s lead the season series 6-3 and the best bats against the Rays belong to Ryan O’Hearn (.318 with two homers and four RBI) and Gunnar Henderson (seven runs scored with three driven in).

Last Week’s Heroes- C.J. Abrams hit .500 with four runs scored and three RBI while Jacob Young batted .421. Keibert Ruiz drove in four. Jake Irvin had the strongest start of the week, allowing one run over six innings. Andres Machado shined out of the bullpen by allowing one run over 4.2 innings in three appearances while notching a win in relief.

Last Week’s Humbled- Patrick Corbin allowed eight runs over four innings, turning around what looked like a late-season surge into a September stumble. Trevor Williams allowed six runs over 4.1 frames while reliever Jordan Weems ERA for the week was 20.25. Carter Kieboom hit 1-15 with seven strikeouts while Jake Alu went 2-20 at the plate. Joey Meneses batted 3-16.

Game to Watch- Thursday Josiah Gray starts the series finale against Pittsburgh. Since making the All Star team two months ago the righthander is 1-5 with a 5.88 ERA. He only has a handful of opportunities to finish 2023 in a good place, and I’m thinking his best chance is going to be against a Pirates lineup that ranks 27th in the majors in hitting.

Game to Miss- Friday the Nats begin a series in Milwaukee and while Jake Irvin has the best ERA in the rotation since the All Star Break, my attention will be focused closer to home with Maryland meeting Virginia in a college football showdown that used to be a yearly affair from 1957-2013.

Sully From Southie Speaks- another wicked tough weekend to stomach as the Sox allowed 24 runs in their first two games with the Orioles. At 73-70 they’re currently closer to last place in the AL East than their are to the final Wild Card spot in the AL and face those cellar-dwelling New York Yankees this week before trying to tackle defending World Series champ Houston and the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. Have fun storming the castle…

Nats Notebook-Unsafe at Home.

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RECORDS AND STATS (non-Sully department) ARE THROUGH MONDAY AT NOON-

Labor Day is the final marking post of the baseball season as teams prepare for the final kick to the postseason (or as we sometimes see, be kicked to the curb). And after posting their first winning month since June of 2021 it looked as though the Nationals had a chance to if not make the postseason at least continue to make noise: they got to face a struggling Miami that was teetering, going 13-25 since the All Star break. And they were home. Actually, upon further review getting swept by the Marlins in DC shouldn’t have come as a complete surprise. First, the Nats were 2-7 against Miami entering the four game series and second this is one of six MLB teams that has a worse record at home than on the road. The select club the Nationals are in is an intriguing bunch: two teams that led their divisions entering Sunday’s games (Houston and the Orioles), two that were scraping on the fringes of the Wild Card chase (Cincinnati and Toronto), and two sub-.500 squads (Nats and Detroit).

Of the team’s 24 remaining regular season games, 12 are at home and 12 are on the road. Can the “Home Nats” (29-40 this year) catch the “Road Nats” (33-36)? Three of Washington’s final four series are against winning/contending clubs (eight of 12 games) while they play seven of 12 remaining games in DC against winning teams. And instead of having you read between the lines, yes-prepare yourself for one unforgiving final month as the Nationals play 15 of their final 24 games against playoff teams.

Digesting the Division- Atlanta (90-46) owns a magic number of 12 after taking two of three from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a potential playoff preview. Philadelphia (75-61) is enjoying the hot bat of another former National as Trea Turner hit .391 with four homers and 11 RBI last week. Miami (70-67) is afloat thanks to their dominance of the Nats: since August 14 they’ve won five of seven against Washington while going 2-8 against everyone else. The New York Mets (63-74) have reclaimed fourth place as Pete Alonso’s monster season (41 homers with 100 RBI) won’t completely be in vain. Washington (62-76) after getting out of the cellar one week ago are back in their familiar surroundings.

Break up the Birds- if the Orioles (85-51) simply go .500 over the rest of the season, Toronto (the first team out in the Wild Card chase) would need to go 23-2 to catch them. Youth is being served: Gunnar Henderson in his rookie season has an outside chance at reaching 100 runs and he’s just one of eight starting position players in their 20’s. Four of five rotation pitchers are under thirty and the same case is true for four of the five most-used relievers. After taking two of three against NL Wild Card contending Arizona, they catch a break with the Los Angeles Angels (no Shohei Ohtani on the mound and no Mike Trout at the plate or in the field) before visiting Boston. And while they can’t technically eliminate the Red Sox, they can certainly kneecap their AL East competitor’s fading playoff hopes at their own ballpark.

Last Week’s Heroes- Lane Thomas belted three homers to give him a career-high 23 for the season while Jacob Young batted .300. The rookie centerfielder also had a huge throw to the plate to help preserve their only victory of the week. MacKenzie Gore allowed one run over five innings while Jose A. Ferrer and Jordan Weems each notched three scoreless innings over three outings.

Last Week’s Humbled- for starters, a rough week. Joan Adon allowed five runs over five innings while Patrick Corbin surrendered six over five frames. Trevor Williams coughed up eight earned runs over four innings. The bullpen is going to enjoy the day off. Cold bats include Keibert Ruiz (.158), Joey Meneses (.150) along with C.J. Abrams and Ildemaro Vargas (both batting .083 for the week).

Game to Watch- the Nats visit the New York Mets with a chance to get out of the basement. Tuesday they start Patrick Corbin (9-12, 4.90 ERA) as the lefthander tries to build off of his best month (4.13 ERA in August). He’s also 2-0 against the Mets this year.

Game to Miss- Sunday the Nats wrap up their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers at 1:35 p.m., and if memory serves it always seems to be the hottest weather of the year when LA comes to town (or perhaps it’s my irrational Dodgers fan friend). Meanwhile a new era kicks off in Landover as the Commanders host Arizona, and one can imagine there will be plenty of singing the “Comma Commanders” song. Lyric sheets have been tweeted at @davpresto. Comma, indeed.

Sully From Southie Speaks- with 24 games left the Sox are four and a half games out of the last playoff spot in the American League and they need to pass Toronto to catch Texas. The good news is they get to play the Rangers and Blue Jays over the next few weeks, while also having seven games against the Orioles plus four against Tampa Bay (for those adding at home that’s 17 of 24 games against winning clubs). It’s not impossible, but the way this club is built a September surge against these foes is highly unlikely.