Washington Nationals: 5 to watch against San Diego

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The Washington Nationals host the San Diego Padres to close out the May home schedule. Here are five players to watch over the weekend.

This week has been a good one for the Washington Nationals.

Strong efforts by the starting rotation led to a three-game winning streak while Anthony Rendon shredded the Seattle Mariners for three homers. Although the Nats dropped the Thursday afternoon matinee against Seattle, they are 2-1 on this six-game homestand and look the part of a playoff team.

The San Diego Padres are the opposite.

Mired in the National League West basement by 14 games, the largest margin in Major League Baseball, the Friars are in another season of endless rebuilding. When you are 17-31, there is nothing plucky about you.

Yet, as all 12 games against the Philadelphia Phillies show, there is no such thing as an easy series. Mock the Padres all you want. You never know when a bad team can put something together over a weekend.

Still, San Diego is dead last with a .221 batting average, 14th in runs scored and 13th in team ERA at 4.86. No healthy starter has an Adjusted ERA+ over 100 and Wil Myers is the lone regular to carry an Adjusted OPS+ above 100.

As a pitching staff, the 229 earned runs allowed going into Thursday is the highest in the National League. This weekend is shaping up either to be a rout or a massive disappointment. Knowing how quirky the Nats are, a chance of both.

If things go well, Washington gets a double-digit lead in the NL East. With the offense heating, conditions are ripe for a sweep.

Before the first west coast trip of 2017, Washington hosts San Diego Friday night, late Saturday afternoon and Memorial Day Sunday followed by “Yoga in the Outfield.” While you picture Bob Carpenter doing stretches, here are five to watch this weekend.

KODA GLOVER

It took over a quarter of the season to get there, but Koda Glover is now the Nationals closer. No job sharing with Shawn Kelley. No longer the understudy to Blake Treinen, the job is Glover’s for the foreseeable future.

His fastball pops and the slider is so filthy you need rubber gloves to touch it. Coming out of an impressive spring at West Palm Beach, there were a few of us thinking Glover should have broken camp with the job. All water under the bridge and several bottles of Pepto Bismol later; sick tummies are overrated.

Glover taking the role does not mean the Nationals will not seek help this summer. What it means for now is Washington has six weeks to come up with a final plan. If he impresses, will they roll the dice with him in the playoffs, or rent a closer to push past the first round.

Chances are, regardless of how well he does, they will trade for help. The pressure is immense for a playoff breakthrough. It is hard seeing the veteran-loving Nationals relying on a first full-year closer to get them into the NL Championship Series.

Starting this weekend against the Padres, Glover controls his own destiny. In 14 innings, he has a WHIP of 1.000 with two walks. Along with Matt Grace, Glover is one of two pitchers not to allow a home run out of the bullpen. His 1.3 BB/9 ratio is the best on the team, regardless of role.

The kid from Heavener, Oklahoma has yet to face the Padres. He is ready to make a statement.

BRAD HAND

One of the few bright spots for the Padres, Brad Hand will draw attention from contenders as the trade deadline approaches.

The lefty shines for San Diego. Featuring a filthy slider with a fastball reaching 96, Hand’s ERA of 1.73 and 1.000 WHIP turns heads. In 26 innings, he has whiffed 35 while scattering 16 hits. Last year, he tossed 89.1 innings in a league-high 82 games.

As the Pads decide whether to conduct another fire sale, Hand has the pedigree to either set up or take a shot closing. A converted starter, the change turned a mediocre starter for the Miami Marlins into a front line reliever.

Hand is not a product of pitching-friendly Petco Park. In 13 games away from home, his ERA is 0.66 with a BAbip of .214. That will draw phone calls and a healthy raise.

Left-handed batters have a .115 average off him. Righties fare better, but .194 is a relative term.

As the Nats decide who to pursue to bolster the bullpen, this weekend is a first-hand audition. With San Diego’s sketchy record of past medical records there are downfalls in dealing with the Padres, but Hand is worth the look.

Washington was not kind to him last year. In two innings, Hand allowed five base runners, two earned runs and a strikeout.

JAYSON WERTH

Lost in the resurgence of Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper is the magic year by Jayson Werth.

Expected to hit near the bottom of the order at the start of the year, Werth bumped to the top when Adam Eaton tore his ACL. Instead of riding off into the sunset in the last year of his contract, Werth is shining.

His slash line of .279/.384/.463 are close to his wonderful 2014 numbers. At 38, his .847 OPS adjusts to 122 or 22 percent above league average.

As good as those numbers are, and the seven homers with solid defense, Werth’s ability to take pitches while protecting the strike zone are essential. In 38 games, heading into Thursday, he drew 22 walks.

If Trea Turner relaxes and turns into an on-base machine again, Werth’s ability to grind out long at-bats gives the speedster ample opportunities to steal bases. Those are runs waiting to happen.

He is healthy, promotes organic farming and is having fun. When the Nats needed a presence at the top of the order after Eaton went down, Werth delivered. Batting second, he is slashing .308/.423/.523. That is an OPS of .946!

Against San Diego last year, he went 6-for-24 with a dinger and two RBI.

WIL MYERS

Perhaps the most important player in Washington Nationals history never to wear the uniform, it was the Tampa Bay Rays desire to trade Wil Myers away before he made real money that sent him to San Diego in a three-way deal. The Pads got Myers and three others.

Tampa received a bucket of warm spit while the Nats scored Joe Ross and a player to be named later. Some scrub named Trea Turner.

Myers is having his best year of his career with San Diego. His slash line of .275/.319/.529 are or near career highs. His .848 OPS adjusts to 122, a career best. With 23 extra-base hits and 29 RBI, he is the offense.

Signed through 2022 with a team option for 2023, the Padres will get offers for the first baseman, but not from Washington. In a year where 12 players are currently hurt, San Diego will think about moving him¸ even with his $4.5 million price tag the next two years.

Myers will get paid, as his contract breaks $20 million from 2020 onward, but chances are it will not be in San Diego.

Against Washington, Myers hit well in 2016. In six games, he slashed .364/.481/.773 for two homers and seven RBI.

BRYCE HARPER

Although Bryce Harper is always a player worth watching, a play Thursday is worth keeping an eye on over the weekend.

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Early in the loss to Seattle, Harper tried to bunt against the shift. A good idea in theory as only the third baseman stand on the left side of the infield. A good bunt, mixed with his speed should lead to a single. If he could bunt.

Harper bunting makes as much sense as arguing with a cat. Yet, both happen. In Thursday’s case, Harper had his fingers gnashed by a ball he bunted at. Not only did the bunt fail, he shook his fingers at the plate and in the dugout after. He played the rest of the game, but do not be surprised if he draws a day off before San Francisco.

As with Max Scherzer, it is the little injuries players think nothing of. Even at this point of the season, those day-to-day pains add up. Worth watching his hand gripping the bat or what pitches Harper swings and misses at. MASN cameras did not linger on him and Paul Lessard the trainer, but a hairline injury is not obvious.

Next: Rendon heats up

Against the Padres last year, Harper struggled. A slash line of .217/.308/.348 is nothing to cheer over. San Diego has carried a lot of turnover since 2016 while Harper is contending for another MVP. Past results are not indicative of future performance.

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