ARLINGTON -- The Nationals got a sturdy start from Andrew Alvarez and another encouraging night from a bullpen that has spent much of the season under the microscope. None of it mattered much once Jacob deGrom stepped on the mound.
With CJ Abrams out and Washington’s lineup short on its most reliable bat, the Nationals were shut down in a 2-0 loss to the Rangers on Thursday at Globe Life Field. DeGrom held them to one hit and, with help from three Texas relievers, finished off a three-game sweep that sent the Nats to their third straight series loss.
Washington has seen this movie before. DeGrom improved to 11-4 in 24 starts against the Nationals, making them the club that has taken more of his MLB wins than any other. Of his 105 career victories, 11 have come against Washington - more than against any other opponent.
“Even if we had our ‘A’ lineup out there tonight, I think that just deGrom being who he is and who he's been in this league for a long time, as we saw tonight, he's really good,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said. “So we knew we were going to have to scratch and claw and do anything we could to push runs across, and unfortunately just couldn't get much going tonight.”
The offense never found a foothold. Washington was held to one hit off deGrom and went without a hit against the Texas bullpen, a quiet night that wiped away any chance of backing up Alvarez’s effort.
Alvarez did enough to keep the game within reach. He worked five innings, struck out five and allowed one earned run, navigating traffic and escaping more than one dangerous spot.
Texas loaded the bases in the second with a walk, a double and another walk, but Alvarez got out cleanly. Corey Seager’s solo homer in the third was the one mistake that turned into a run, and Alvarez also stranded runners on second and third with one out in the fourth.
“You want to write it up like that, to get out of [those situations],” Alvarez said of his escape-artist tactics with runners in scoring position. “You don't want to get into them. ...
But you’ve just got to keep the composure and trust in the defense. I got a couple key strikeouts, and just to keep the team in it and not give them any momentum.”
Alvarez allowed four hits and three walks, but his line ended up looking better than the tension of the innings he survived. By the time he left, the Nationals still had a shot. That faded quickly as the bats stayed stuck in neutral.
The one bright spot for Washington was the bullpen, which has quietly started to stabilize. Orlando Ribalta threw a scoreless sixth, Clayton Beeter blanked Texas in the seventh and Tom Cosgrove gave up one run on a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
That was the only run Nationals relievers allowed over the last four games, a stretch of 12 1/3 innings in which they gave up eight hits and struck out 13. Since Aug. 5, Washington’s bullpen ranks seventh in MLB with a 3.07 ERA over 55 2/3 innings, along with 52 strikeouts and 19 walks.
“It’s really good to see them come in with some confidence and attack the zone,” Butera said. “I think with bullpens in general, when they have a little bit of a run of success, you see them start to gain some confidence and belief in what they're able to do, and hopefully they're able to continue that.”
In Other News...
Nationals Suddenly Have A CJ Abrams Question They Cant Ignore
CJ Abrams availability suddenly became a real concern after the Nationals shortstop rolled his left ankle stepping on second base against the Rangers and missed the next game. Manager Blake Butera said Abrams has a sprained ankle and is considered day to day, which at least leaves Washington with some hope this is a short-term issue rather than something that lingers into a bigger absence.
The next step is the medical check, with Abrams set to see the team physician and possibly go through imaging as the Nationals try to sort out how much time he might lose. If he avoids the injured list, Washington could have a workaround ready in the form of designated hitter duty before he returns to the field, but for now the club is waiting to find out how the ankle responds. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Prospect Is Creating A Debate Washington Cant Ignore
Seaver King has turned his first full season into one of the more intriguing developments in the Nationals system. The clubs No. 4 prospect and the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft has long been viewed as a polished hitter, but this year he has started to add a layer of power that was not always the loudest part of his profile. With 18 homers already and career highs in hits and RBIs, he has climbed into the conversation as one of Washingtons most productive minor league players.
The timing matters, too, because the surge has come after a left oblique strain interrupted his season and cost him nearly all of last month. Since getting back on the field, King has kept hitting at a level that puts him among the top bats in the minors, with the kind of averages and on-base production that make evaluators pay attention. For the Nationals, the debate is no longer just about how good King can be, but how quickly this version of him starts forcing a bigger conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Seaver King Is Making The Nationals Answer A Tough Question
Seaver King has done the part that usually forces a front office to get uncomfortable. Since coming back from an oblique strain, the Nationals prospect has been swinging it well at Triple-A Rochester, piling up six home runs over 49 games and keeping his batting average in a strong place while showing the kind of bat-to-ball skill that tends to accelerate a timeline.
Even so, Washington is approaching the decision with patience, and that is where the tension sits. The club would rather give King more time in Rochester and more professional reps before asking him to take the next step, a cautious stance that reflects both his limited experience and the organizations long-term view. For a prospect performing this well, though, every productive week only makes the question harder to avoid. [Read more 🡒]