Washington Nationals: Max Scherzer continues to do everything
By Blake Finney
Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer led the way in yet another dominant victory for his team. He’s shining on both sides of the ball, with another RBI hit.
The Washington Nationals won their third game in a row on Thursday night, beating the Cincinnati Reds 10-4. As is usually the case on Sherz-day, Max Scherzer was the star of the show and did it with bat and ball.
On the mound, he delivered six innings of two-run ball, and he got the familiar double-digit strikeout total. This game was the 76th 10+ strikeout game of his career and the 12th of this season. But he did more than just his work on the mound.
Scherzer delivered yet another big base hit, driving in the second run of the game in the second inning. He’s now hitting .292 on the season, and even an astounding .438 with runners in scoring position in 2018.
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That .438 figure leads the National League for players with a minimum of 10 plate appearances in those scenarios. Yes, you heard that right, he leads the entire National League in that stat.
While it’s a much smaller sample size than those around him in that department, it just goes to show how he locks in for crucial moments. When it comes to MVP voting, it will be interesting to see whether his hitting plays into it at all.
Nats fans continue to be amazed by Max Scherzer in new ways every day. Long may it continue.
Bryce is officially locked in
So much for the Home Run Derby ruining players’ swings. Ever since the showcase event, Bryce Harper has been hitting non-stop after taking home the crown in his home ballpark.
Since the All-Star break, he’s hitting .333 with three homers, 13 RBI, and a stellar 1.172 OPS. This is the kind of line we expect from Harper, and it finally looks like the hits are falling for him.
We’ve come a long way since the trade rumors that were circulating just before the trade deadline. If the Nationals are going to come all the way back, they’ll need to ride Bryce Harper for everything he’s got. And from the Post All-Star Game figures, he’s doing his part.
Cordero makes his big league debut
At the end of the game, with a huge lead, the Nationals gave young reliever Jimmy Cordero his major league debut. He did give up two earned runs, but on the whole, he flashed the raw stuff the team clearly loves.
His fastball touched 98 mph a few times in the outing, and his devastating slider was on show as well. But he struggled with command, allowing a walk to Billy Hamilton, and missing location to Brandon Dixon and Jose Peraza for base hits.
It was the perfect time to break in Cordero with the game well in hand by the ninth inning. He showed some promise in the game, now if he can harness the command a bit, he’ll be a great addition to the bullpen.
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The Washington Nationals will face off against Anthony DeSclafani on Friday night. Gio Gonzalez will go for the Nats, hoping to contain the Reds dangerous lefties in Scooter Gennett and Joey Votto.