With Trea Turner, Michael A. Taylor and Gio Gonzalez back near their hometowns in Florida, it would be good to get some home cooking at the Gonzalez residence. It seems like the Nationals just played the Marlins because they did — last Monday to Wednesday in Nationals Park. This 3-game series in Miami will mark the final regular season games between these two teams this year.
After this, it looks like the Nationals will be seeing a much different Marlins team in spring training if rumors are true that the new Marlins owners will slash payroll to $85 million or lower depending on if they trade away Giancarlo Stanton whose salary will jump from $14.5 million this year to $25 million next year before it climbs to $32 million in 2023.
Tonight’s starting pitcher for the Marlins is lefty Adam Conley who the Nats faced last week, and he should be with the Marlins next year based on his salary level of $537,500 this season.
The Nationals will be calling back AJ Cole and placing Erick Fedde on the 10-day DL that for a forearm flexor strain that will most likely end his season. Cole who was sent back to the Syracuse Chiefs less than 10-days ago would have been eligible to come back to the team as the Syracuse Chiefs season ends this afternoon. The Nationals also recalled Pedro Severino today as he was eligible to be brought back after he was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on August 25th. At least three more Chiefs players will join the Nationals in Miami tomorrow including Andrew Stevenson, Rafael Bautista, and Adrian Sanchez.
With the additions of these players, it will add extra depth to the infield and outfield and back-up catcher, and in turn Dusty Baker will more easily be able to rest his veteran players.
The Nationals almost collectively have been in a funk since Bryce Harper went on the DL, and the team is batting a sub-par .233 in that time period. Certainly the team has received a boost from Trea Turner returning from the DL, but players like Daniel Murphy, Ryan Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon have not anchored the heart of the order. Sure, Zimmerman smacked a 2-run home run yesterday just to get the Nats on the board, but those were the only 2-runs scored in a 7-t0-2 loss.
Some of the excuses in Milwaukee was the lighting, the shadows, and the good Brewers pitching — so no excuses in Miami where the Nationals a whole point higher at .234 this season in 6 games. Yes, .234 is better than .233. So maybe that .233 isn’t so horrible for a team that is batting .269 this season overall.
Washington Nationals vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium: Marlins Park
1st Pitch: 7:05 pm EDT
TV: MASN, Fox Sports – Florida, MLB.TV
Nats Radio: 106.7 FM The Fan; SiriusXM® (Internet 869)
Line-up subject to change (without notice):
Here's how we're lining up in Miami tonight. pic.twitter.com/odDKlMWel1
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 4, 2017
