The Washington Nationals are fighting their way back to a .500 record, and after enduring a tough 4-game skid, reaching that mark feels like a solid achievement. A victory today would not only secure the series against the Baltimore Orioles but also push Washington above that .500 threshold.
Zack Littell is stepping up as the Nationals' bulk starter today, and they'll need him to deliver. Even with Foster Griffin's impressive 7.0-inning performance last night, an extra-innings battle meant manager Blake Butera had to lean on four different relievers to cover the final 3.0 innings. It's a bullpen that's been put through its paces, and Littell's outing could be crucial in giving them some much-needed respite.
Manager Blake Butera had high praise for Griffin, saying, "I appreciate every time [Griffin’s] on the mound. We all have a ton of confidence in Foster.
He pitches his tail off for us and leaves it all out there every single time. It goes a long way.
Those guys know he’s over 100 pitches and is working his butt off against this tough lineup, and the fact that he wants to stay in the game and doesn’t want to come out speaks volumes."
On the offensive front, the Nationals have been lighting up the scoreboard, leading MLB with 443 runs this season, which breaks down to an impressive 5.28 runs per game. However, the pitching staff has been giving up 4.70 earned runs per game, and those pesky unearned runs from errors have chipped away at their efforts. Despite this, the Nationals maintain a positive run differential of +9 on the season, a testament to their offensive prowess.
The FanGraphs WAR chart is now substantial enough to start making some projections for the remainder of the season. Additionally, the Outs Above Average (OAA) defensive stats are shedding light on the strengths and weaknesses of the Nationals' defense.
As the Nationals face off against the Orioles, they'll be looking to capitalize on their offensive momentum and tighten up their defense to continue their climb up the standings.
In Other News...
Trevor Williams Just Took A Step Nationals Fans Needed To See
Trevor Williams finally began the next stage of his comeback Tuesday with his first rehab start at Single-A Fredericksburg, a small but meaningful checkpoint for a Nationals rotation that has spent much of the season waiting on help to arrive. The right-hander was working back after his elbow procedure, and for Washington the headline was less about the box score than the simple fact that he was back on a mound in game action.
Williams outing was uneven, as his 26 pitches produced four runs on four hits over two-thirds of an inning, but he did record a strikeout without issuing a walk. The longer view matters more here: the Nationals still expect him to factor into the season at some point, and the question now is whether that comes in a starting role or in some other capacity once he is ready to rejoin the club. [Read more 🡒]
Juan Garca May Be Becoming The Bat Nationals Fans Crave
Juan Garcas bat is starting to look like the kind Washington has been searching for, and Sundays 6-4 win over Baltimore was the latest sign. He went 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs, giving him his third multi-homer game of the year and pushing his monthly homer total into double digits.
Blake Butera has pointed to a quieter but important change behind the surge: Garca is being more selective, working counts and waiting for pitches he can do damage against. The result has been a steadier run of production, with Garca now up to 55 RBIs on the season and carrying the sort of middle-of-the-order pop that can change the feel of Washingtons lineup. [Read more 🡒]