Going Deep with The Nats

The Washington Nationals just cannot score runs. The offensive slump is now at three consecutive shutouts. Their scoreless streak is at 31 innings. At the same time, the Nats’ starting pitching has allowed only one-run to the Royals in this series.

Today’s starter, Patrick Corbin, is set to make his final start for the Washington Nationals in this salvage game of this series. What better way to go out for Corbin than with an opportunity to pitch a gem for a Nats’ win. Corbin signed a six-year deal with the Nationals before the 2019 season, and along with Tanner Rainey, they are the only two remaining players from the Nats’ 2019 World Series team.

Including today’s game and the postseason, Corbin will start his 173rd game today in a Nats’ uni. But it was his relief appearance in Game 7 of the World Series that earned him a win that Nats’ fans will remember most. Those 3.0 scoreless innings in an early relief of Max Scherzer to hold the deficit at 2-0 until Howie Kendrick‘s heroics was the difference. Corbin’s checkered record in a Nats’ uniform can be viewed through multiple lenses — but the Nats don’t win a World Series without Corbin. That $140 million contract is probably money the Nats were happy to pay for the front-end of it. Always a Nats’ World Series champ.

The Washington Nationals had starter, Mitchell Parker, on the mound for his final start of 2024 — and for him, another chance to show that he deserves a roster spot for 2025. Parker’s night started with a Trey Lipscomb error that Parker had to pitch-around — and the lefty went 5.0 innings of scoreless baseball to better his ERA to 4.29. Before the season started, we etched the line of demarcation at 4.20ish for the average of success. Parker might have sealed a No. 5 spot on the 2025 roster. Tonight is DJ Herz‘s final start of 2024 (weather permitting). Parker just moved ahead of Herz by 0.01 in team ERA. Herz was looking like the ace of the staff until his blowup start last week. So yes, you want Herz to pitch well tonight and finish strong. That is the goal for all of the Nats starters.

The Washington Nationals have the Kansas City Royals in Nats Park at a time that the Royals are fighting for a playoff spot. This also is the final time for players like today’s starter, Mitchell Parker, to show that he deserves a roster spot for 2025.

The Washington Nationals finish their final road game of the season today as the Nats go for a split in Chicago. The team will fly back to Washington, D.C. after the game and have a day-off tomorrow. Yesterday, the team had a decisive win with MacKenzie Gore on the mound in the backdrop of the news of the demotion of CJ Abrams for off-the-field issues.

Today, Jake Irvin will try to replicate his success of Monday when he had 7.0 scoreless innings but was brought back out for the 8th inning and the 1-0 lead turned into a tie game. Irvin will go up against the Cubs’ Shota Imanaga, and Irvin needs to control what he can control and put up zeroes on the board. By the way, the Cubs were officially eliminated from the playoffs by the Nationals yesterday. At 79 wins, the Cubs are trying to win to finish with a winning record.

The Washington Nationals called up Trevor Williams yesterday to face the Cubs, a team he played for in 2021, and Williams went 5.0 innings of 1-run baseball to lower his season ERA to 2.19. That should have been enough to win the game — but Williams got no offensive support.

In yesterday’s 1-0 game, the Cubs pulled their starter, Jameson Taillon, at 80-pitches with 6.0 innings completed. He did not go to the mound for the 7th inning to risk anything. On Monday in a very similar situation, Jake Irvin was beating the Mets 1-0 at 90-pitches and was sent out for the 8th inning and the lead was given up quickly. Some said, “managers don’t pull a strong starter in that situation.” Well, Craig Counsell did — and he got the win. The Nats haven’t won a game since the day before Irvin’s start on Monday.

The Washington Nationals called up Trevor Williams today to face the Cubs, a team he played for in 2021. Williams had spent over three months on the IL and makes it back with a chance to pitch today and next week. Williams two-year contract is up after this season, and he can head back to free agency. What this does for the Nats is that they can go with a 6-man rotation and push back each pitcher with an extra rest day.