Washington Nationals news & notes: Nats win first series of season; Joey Meneses & a 4-hit game…

Meneses starts hitting:

After making his major league debut after last year’s deadline, he had a breakout run in the big leagues.The next 10 seasons in the minors),and World Baseball Classic In March of this year, Joey Meneses got off to a slow start in his second major season with the Washington Nationals.

Meneses, 30, went 13-for-58 (.224/.274/.293) in the first 14 games of the season, posting 12Ks in four doubles, four walks and 62 plate appearances. A few positive signs the slugger was getting closer to where they wanted it.

“He’s in a dilemma. We’re working to get him back,” Davey Martinez told reporters before last week’s finale against Cleveland.

“When he comes back [ball] leave him [bat] difficult. So he’s still caught in the middle.

“The fact that he hit the ball backwards yesterday is a good sign. The fact that he stayed on the curveball and hit it into the hole was a good sign.

Meneses went 2-5 that night, but went 10-1 in the next two games. Baltimore Oriolesleading up to his seventh at-bat Minnesota TwinsFriday night starter Tyler Murre.

Meneses got a 2-0 fastball all inside and, for his first home run of 2023, hit 409 feet into target field’s center field at 103.7 MPH from the at-bat (in the 18th game).

It’s a relatively slow start for Meneses, considering he hit six homers in the first 18 games last season, but Martinez has seen positive signs after a 3-2 victory over the Twin Cities. said there is.

“I think he’s starting to do that, something is starting to click for him,” Martinez told reporters after Friday night’s game.

“He hit some balls hard and stayed on some pitches today.

“He had a good at-bat the other day, so hopefully this is a sign that he’s batting forward, and he’ll start hitting the ball consistently that way.”

The fact that he had so many charges on his home run despite it being a literally freezing night in Minneapolis, Minnesota was another positive sign for his skipper.

“It was great,” continued Martinez. “Like I said, he’s ready on time, he’s got a good bat on the ball, and we know that — like I said before — I think he’s been on the ball for the last two years. We saw him hit a triple-A in the month and last year. We believe in him. And it was a good day for him.”

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Against Minnesota on Saturday, Martinez selected Meneses as first baseman for the third time this season.

“I just want to get Joey on the pitch,” Martinez explained. “With a quick turnaround, I wanted to give Dom [Smith] It basically makes holidays like him. But just switch between them.

“Joey does DH every day. I want to involve him a little more once in a while and play first base. I thought today was going to be a good day.”

“I think this keeps him really involved in the game from inning to inning,” added the sixth-year skipper.

“He’s trying to develop a routine of DHing, which means it’s hard to find that routine if you’re DHing every day.

“This will get him a little more involved and keep him in the game today. We’ll see how he goes.”

he did pretty well. Meneses hit an RBI in the first inning, an RBI hit in the second, hit again in the fourth, struck out in the fifth, and then hit a double to lead the top of the ninth inning. After going 4-for-6 with 2 RBIs and ending the day with an eventual 10-4 victory, the Nationals amassed 15 total hits and went 6-for-19 with runners in scoring position.

“He’s on time. He’s on time and ready to hit the fastball. Once he’s on the move, it’s great to watch. He’s hitting the ball everywhere,” Martinez told the Twins. He said after the winning streak.

Smith went 2-for-4 on balls and K. Jaymer Candelario had two hits (2-for-5). Luis Garcia he was 2 for 4. Victor Robles (4 for 2, 3 R) also multi-hit him making the game.

“You know what’s going on now,” Martinez told reporters. he is fighting there

“He had a few hits today and that will help, but overall it was a good day. I had to keep going.”

The Nuts hitter matched his run totals from the previous four games with the win, giving him a chance for a series sweep in the finale against the Twins this afternoon.

What’s the difference between the last two games?

“Above all, I think we are ready,” said the manager. And we’re just trying to stay in the middle of the field and not overdo it. to