The Nationals' Week in Review: 15-21 September, 2024

It's been an eventful week in baseball, and sometimes we just need to slow down and reflect on how we got here. That's exactly what I'm here to do today, as we condense a full week of Nationals baseball into one compact, easy-to-digest little article. Lucky you!

15 SEPTEMBER
(55-95) MIA 3-4 WSH (68-81)
MIA DH Jonah Bride 2 for 4, HR (7), RBI, 2 R, K

WSH LF James Wood 2 for 3, BB, 2 HR (7), 2 RBI
WSH 2B Luis García Jr. 1 for 3, BB, RBI, R
WSH C Keibert Ruiz 1 for 3, BB, RBI

MIA SP Adam Oller 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HR, WP (1)

WSH SP MacKenzie Gore QS (9) 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R/0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
WSH RP Eduardo Salazar MD (1) 0.1 IP, 2 H, ER, K, HR
WSH RP Robert Garcia SD (16) 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K, WP (4) -- Stranded 1 inherited
WSH RP Derek Law SD (20) 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
WSH RP Jose A. Ferrer SD (5) 1.0 IP, 2 H, ER, WP (1)

"SD" = Shutdown, a Fangraphs-created metric defined by a relief appearance with +6.0% WPA or greater; a leverage-based alternative to saves and holds. "MD" = Meltdown, which functions inversely; any relief appearance with a -6.0% WPA or lower.

Last Sunday, the Nationals wrapped up a 3-1 series win over the Marlins, extending their season series lead to 11-2 against their NL East rival. It was a tightly played game that saw MacKenzie Gore record his 4th quality start in his previous 5 outings, rebounding from the seven-run drubbing he faced 5 days prior in Atlanta. James Wood recorded his first career multi-homer game, obliterating 861 feet worth of bombs into the seating section right of the visitors' bullpen, and Jose A. Ferrer turned it up to 100 MPH for his first career save and 5th shutdown of the year.

16 SEPTEMBER
(68-82) WSH 1-2 NYM (82-68)
---FINAL/10, WALKOFF---
WSH 1B Juan Yepez 1 for 4, 2B (15), R, K

NYM SS-2B José Iglesias 2 for 4, RBI
NYM PH-RF Starling Marte 1 for 2, Walkoff RBI

WSH SP Jake Irvin QS (16) 7.1 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 5 K
WSH RP Jose A. Ferrer SD (6) 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K
WSH RP Jacob Barnes MD (14) 0.1 IP, H, 1 R/0 ER, IBB

NYM SP Sean Manaea QS (14) 7.0 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 6 K
NYM RP José Buttó KdS (3, 8th inning) 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K
NYM CL Edwin Díaz SD (23) 1.0 IP, H, 0 R, K
NYM RP Reed Garrett SD (21) 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R

The Nats might have finished 2024 with an 8-5 record against the Braves, but they wouldn't be so lucky against the Mets. In fact, with a 2-11 record against New York, if the Mets make the Postseason, they might have to pay us royalties for it. It was a rough three-game set in Queens. An anemic offense managed just two runs across three games, while all three Mets starters in Sean Manaea, Tylor Megill, and José Quintana recorded quality starts. Luisangel Acuña hit his first two career homers.

Monday was easily the tightest tilt. Jake Irvin and Sean Manaea combined for 14 1/3 innings with each giving up just one earned run. Ultimately, the Mets prevailed, as Davey Martinez opted to insert Jacob Barnes for the 10th inning, who needed just nine pitches to intentionally walk Tyrone Taylor, induce a Francisco Álvarez flyout, and allow a bullet single to Starling Marte that probably would have been extra bases if he had been bothered to touch second base.

17 SEPTEMBER
(68-83) WSH 1-10 NYM (83-68)
WSH RF Dylan Crews 3 for 4, 2B (4)

NYM 2B José Iglesias 3 for 4, 2 R
NYM RF Starling Marte 2 for 4, BB, R
NYM 1B Pete Alonso 3 for 5, 2B (31), HR (33), 5 RBI, 2 R, K
NYM LF Tyrone Taylor 2 for 4, 2B (20), SB (10), RBI, K
NYM C Francisco Álvarez 1 for 3, GIDP, HR (9), RBI
NYM SS Luisangel Acuña 3 for 4, HR (First career!), 2 RBI, 3 R, E6 (1)

WSH SP Mitchell Parker 3.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, K, HR
WSH RP Zach Brzykcy 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, HR
WSH RP Tanner Rainey KdS (1, 7th inning) 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K

NYM SP Tylor Megill QS (3) 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R/0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, WP (2)

18 SEPTEMBER
(68-84) WSH 0-10 NYM (84-68)
WSH SS CJ Abrams 2 for 3, K

NYM DH Starling Marte 1 for 4, BB, SB (16), 2 RBI, R, K
NYM LF Brandon Nimmo 1 for 3, BB, HR (20), 3 RBI, 2 R, K
NYM RF Tyrone Taylor 2 for 4, 2B (21), RBI, R, 2 K
NYM 3B Mark Vientos 2 for 4, 2 RBI, R, K
NYM SS Luisangel Acuña 2 for 4, GIDP, HR (2), 2 RBI, 2 R, K

WSH SP DJ Herz KdS (3, 3rd inning) 3.1 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
WSH RP Joe La Sorsa 2.0 IP, H, 0 R, 2 K

NYM SP José Quintana QS (12) 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, WP (7)

Over the following two games, the Nationals recorded just 7 hits and scored one run while allowing the Mets to score 20 times. Tanner Rainey and DJ Herz each struck out the side in an inning, but things quickly fell apart for Herz in the 4th on Wednesday when the Mets sent 12 to the plate and scored 9. There's not much else to say: this was a bleak three-game set for the Nats.

19 SEPTEMBER
(68-85) WSH 6-7 CHC (78-75)
WSH SS CJ Abrams 4 for 5, 2 2B (29), 2 SB (31), 2 R, K
WSH LF James Wood 1 for 2, 3 BB, 2B (12), SB (14), CS (8), RBI, R, K
WSH 2B Darren Baker 3 for 4, 2B (2), R, K
WSH RF Joey Gallo 1 for 3, HR (8), 3 RBI

CHC LF Ian Happ 3 for 5, 2 R, K
CHC SS Dansby Swanson 3 for 4, 4 R
CHC DH Seiya Suzuki 2 for 3, BB, HR (21), 2 RBI, K
CHC RF Cody Bellinger 2 for 4, 3 RBI -- +35.1% WPA
CHC 3B Isaac Paredes 0 for 3, SF, 2 RBI, K

WSH SP Patrick Corbin 4.1 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, BB, 4 K, HR -- -35.8% WPA
WSH RP Derek Law SD (21) 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R -- Stranded 1 of 2 inherited
WSH RP Robert Garcia MD (15) 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, K -- -39.7% WPA

CHC SP Javier Assad 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K, WP (5)
CHC RP Drew Smyly MD (16) 0.1 IP, 2 H, ER, K, HR -- Scored 2 inherited; -38% WPA
CHC RP Jorge López SD (16) 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K
CHC RP Porter Hodge SD (17) 1.0 IP, H, 0 R, BB

The Nationals offense kicked back into gear on Thursday, recording 13 hits. CJ Abrams showed signs of life, doubling twice and reaching 30 stolen bases for the second straight season. Darren Baker's first career start was a 3-hit spree. Robert Garcia, though, was unable to hold the lead in the 7th, and was charged with his 15th meltdown of the season. (Garcia, for his part, gives me shades of 2023 Aaron Bummer: terrible results, but the process clearly is not the issue. There's a ton of red on that Baseball Savant page, and perhaps with a better defense or just straight up better luck, things are going to swing a way more positive direction in 2025.)

And then, on Friday, your Washington Nationals...

20 SEPTEMBER
(68-86) WSH 1-3 CHC (79-75)
WSH LF James Wood 1 for 3, BB, HR (8), RBI

CHC SS Dansby Swanson 1 for 4, HR (16), RBI
CHC PH Mike Tauchman 1 for 1, 2 RBI

WSH SP Trevor Williams 5.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 7 K, HR
WSH RP Eduardo Salazar MD (2) 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, WP (1)

CHC SP Jameson Taillon QS (15) 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, HBP (1)
CHC RP Tyson Miller SD (19) 1.1 IP, H, ER, HR -- Stranded 3 inherited
CHC RP Porter Hodge SD (16) 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K

...went right back to their old ways, scoring just one run or fewer in a game for the fourth time in five days. Trevor Williams was great in his first start off the IL, pushing his way back into the rotation with 5 innings of one-run ball. Trevor now sports a 2.19 ERA in 12 starts on the year, with expected stats that don't entirely reflect that but will almost certainly earn him a job in the rotation of a big league club in 2025. James Wood got a sweeper down and in from Tyson Miller in the 8th and did not miss it, pulling it 421 feet nearly to the second deck in right field at Wrigley, but it was the only run the Nationals pushed across. A 2-run pinch-hit single from Mike Tauchman in the 7th placed a rare blemish on Eduardo Salazar's otherwise strong season to this point, and those runs won the game for the Cubs, putting the dagger in the Nats' hopes to end a 4-game skid.

21 SEPTEMBER
(69-86) WSH 5-1 CHC (79-76)
WSH 1B Juan Yepez 2 for 4, 2 R, K
WSH 2B José Tena 3 for 4, R, K
WSH RF-1B Joey Gallo 2 for 3, BB, HR (9), 3 RBI
WSH 3B Ildemaro Vargas 2 for 3, SF, RBI

CHC DH Patrick Wisdom 1 for 3, BB, HR (8), RBI, K

WSH SP MacKenzie Gore QS (10) 7.0 IP, H, ER, 3 BB, 9 K, HR, HBP (11), WP (14)

CHC SP Kyle Hendricks 5.1 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, BB, 2 K
CHC RP Keegan Thompson MD (4) 0.2 IP, H, ER, K, HR -- Scored 2 inherited
CHC RP Hayden Wesneski KdS (1, 8th inning) 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 K

Let's not bury the lede: the biggest Nationals story on Saturday took place off the field. CJ Abrams was optioned to the minors before the game, effectively ending his season, after he was seen out at a Chicago casino as late as 8 AM Friday morning, what would have been just five hours before the Nationals were scheduled to play. It's a tough pill to swallow, and even after taking the day to digest said pill, I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

Regardless, the Nationals played their tails off Saturday. MacKenzie Gore refused to allow a hit through 6.1 innings, and exited after completing the 7th inning for the third time this season, striking out nine in the process despite a 7th inning home run from Patrick Wisdom. Joey Gallo hit his third home run since last Saturday, while José Tena recorded yet another multi-hit game. An excellent catch from Jacob Young (not Dylan Crews!) capped off a great game for the Nationals, who end the week 2-5, bookending a 5-game losing streak with compelling victories.

The Nationals play just seven more games in 2024, as they look to salvage a series split against the Cubs this afternoon at Wrigley, before heading back home for a six-game homestand where the Royals and Phillies will come to town. It'll be a critical series for Kansas City, who have slipped down in the American League Wild Card standings with six consecutive losses entering play this afternoon, while the Phillies seek to secure their bye past the National League Wild Card Series directly to the NLDS. This will be the only meeting between the Nationals and Royals this season; Washington have gone 2-8 against Philadelphia in 2024.

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