Harry Ford’s first night in a Nationals uniform came with a little bit of everything.
Recalled to the major league roster as the injury replacement for backup catcher Drew Millas, Ford was thrown right into the starting lineup Friday against Athletics left-hander Gage Jump. Manager Blake Butera didn’t wait around, and the move paid off fast in Washington’s 23-4 rout.
Ford, 23, delivered the kind of debut that gets noticed immediately. After striking out in his first at-bat and drawing a walk in his second, he stepped in for his third plate appearance and launched the first major league home run of his career - a two-run shot to center on a 2-0 pitch. He finished 2-for-5 with that homer, three RBIs, three runs scored, a walk and two strikeouts.
The Nationals’ No. 7 prospect showed why he’s regarded as one of the better catching prospects in the sport. He brought pop, bat-to-ball skill and patience to the table, and even both strikeouts came deep in the count on the sixth pitch of those at-bats.
Ford’s work wasn’t limited to the batter’s box, either. Behind the plate, he helped guide a strong outing from Cade Cavalli, who allowed two runs over six innings with nine strikeouts and no walks. Riley Cornelio followed with two shutout innings, striking out five without issuing a walk.
That kind of debut is exactly what Washington had to be hoping for, especially with the possibility of Ford sticking around for a while. Butera told team reporter Alexa Datt that Millas underwent surgery on his left index finger, and while the hope is that it’s "not too long a recovery process," the timeline suggests Ford may have a real chance to carve out an extended stay in the majors.
Ford wasn’t the only National piling up numbers. Andres Chaparro drove in eight runs, two shy of the franchise record, while hitting two home runs.
Curis Mead also had four hits, and every player who entered the game collected at least one hit. Six of the nine starters finished with multi-hit nights.
By the end of it, Washington had piled up 23 runs, tying the second-most the franchise has ever scored in a single game.
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Scott Boras is handling Langeliers side, which only adds another layer to a negotiation that already looks complicated. The Athletics have also spent recent drafts adding catching depth, selecting Alex Sosa, Bear Madliak and Anthony Marnell IV, so the organization does at least have alternatives in the pipeline if this situation drags on. For a fan base that has seen this movie before, the real question is whether the team is trying to build around Langeliers or simply keeping its options open. [Read more 🡒]
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The tricky part is deciding which outfielder is actually movable without creating a bigger hole than the one they are trying to fill. Carlos Cortes has emerged as a plausible deadline bat after producing at a solid clip since his debut, while Henry Bolte looks like a center fielder of the future and would likely only be dealt for a premium young arm. Elsewhere, Zack Gelof and Jeff McNeil have seen time in the outfield too, but they do not appear to be the kind of candidates that would drive much of a return, leaving Oakland with a familiar deadline balancing act: sell from strength, or hold steady and hope the pitching market comes to them. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Lopez Just Gave The A's Rotation A Reason To Hope
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Mark Kotsay had reason to like what he saw, especially after Lopezs time in the minors appeared to help him reset and make adjustments. The outing was short of a breakthrough in the standings, but for a rotation that has been searching for stability, Lopez at least offered a reminder that there may still be something to build on. [Read more 🡒]