Washington Nationals: Injuries no longer an excuse for poor play
By Ron Juckett
With their injured players still on the shelf, the Washington Nationals continue struggling. How fix it in today’s Daily Washingtonian.
Good morning, Washington Nationals fans!
Today is Saturday, April 28, 2018.
With the New York Mets winning late last night in San Diego, the Nats fall to six back in the National League East and 4.5 games out of a Wild Card.
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Folks, it is no longer early and the time to wait for the injured has past. If Washington is going to make a move, they must do it with the 25 healthy guys on the roster. The hole cannot grow much bigger.
When do the Nats get their three sluggers back? We do not know, although Anthony Rendon is the closest. He could come back as early as Sunday. But, he has yet to take batting practice with the team.
As The Washington Post’s Chelsea Janes explains, Adam Eaton is under re-evaluation and Daniel Murphy‘s timetable leaving Florida remains indefinite. Eaton’s ACL tear came a year ago today. The vaunted Nats offense has not appeared whole since.
Sometimes, you can only wonder why. On to the links:
District on Deck pitches a platoon at first base
Although Ryan Zimmerman is beginning to heat up, he has gotten off to a slow start in 2018. Meanwhile, Matt Adams has taken advantage of his few opportunities. Dave Martinez has even begun to play him in left field to get his bat into the lineup. Ross Shinberg makes the case for a platoon at first base.
The DoDCast previews the Diamondbacks series
Finally back home after a West Coast trip, the Nats play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Paul Goldschmidt, who always seems to crush the Nats, has gotten off to a great start. Patrick Corbin will get the nod in game two. Give the DoDCast a listen for updates on Goldschmidt, Corbin, and more.
Due to a myriad of injuries and a few struggling players, the Nats roster has turned into a revolving door lately. Fortunately, several players, such as Anthony Rendon and Adam Eaton, could be nearing their returns. Mark Zuckerman discusses the Nats’ roster and how things may shake out over the coming weeks.
MLB.com profiles Sean Doolittle
Modern closers typically rely heavily on their fastball, but hardly anyone throws it as much as Sean Doolittle. He possesses a changeup and slider as well, but he throws the fastball more often than not. Incredibly, this unorthodox strategy has turned him into one of the most effective closers in the league. Matt Kelley analyzes Doolittle’s devastating fastball.
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Jeremy Hellickson gets the call this afternoon. Enjoy your Saturday!