Thank you, Nuts fans:
Splitting a doubleheader with the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, coach Davey Martinez’s baseball club finished its 2023 home half schedule this season with a 34-47 record at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. (vs. Road record: 35 wins, 41 losses, 5 games remaining).
The Nationals’ 34-47 record in 81 games in the nation’s capital this season is better than the club’s 26-55 record in 2022, with 19 of the wins coming from the club’s hot start. This is the latter half of the cut. This year got off to a tough start at home.
Asked before Sunday’s first game of a back-to-back series against the Braves what was behind the team’s early season struggles at home, Martinez said his young team tried too hard in front of the fans. He told reporters that he thought so.
“It’s hard to say,” Martinez said of the slow start at Nationals Park. “It could just be a coincidence. It could also be that we started with some young players and they wanted to do really well in front of our fans and put a little bit of pressure on them. And it takes time to relax and get into that groove. At one point, we were playing much better at home. We need to keep getting better overall. At home and on the road. But keep improving every day.”
Photo by Mitchell Leighton/Getty Images
The Nationals surpassed their all-time win total from 2022 in mid-August, which is a positive sign for the baseball club’s reboot, and more than two years into that process, the manager is looking forward to seeing the team as it rebuilds. He said he would like to thank the fans for sticking with him because all they want is a competitive run like the one they had between 2012 and 2019 when they finally reached the final and won the championship. Because it’s possible to do it again. world series.
“Actually, I’m kind of sad,” the sixth-grade captain said about playing the final two games at home this year. “You know, I miss playing here, I miss playing at home. I love it here, I love the fans and I’m so grateful to them. They mean a lot to us. I would like to thank them. Thank you very much for your continued support. I know the boys love playing in front of you. I hope we can get a good result. I’ll try to do my best, but I’ll see you all with big smiles next year. I’ll also see most of you at spring training, in West Palm Beach. But I want to say thank you. Everyone. He’s had another incredible run and we’re looking forward to a really, really great season in 2024.”
• Check out what GM Mike Rizzo had to say about the Nationals’ improvements this season and where they need to continue to make progress, via MASN’s Bobby Blanco.He filled in for Mark Zuckerman again this season and did a great job of supplementing all the coverage Mark provides for the fans.):
The Nats have been careful not to call this season a “success.” But they called it “encouraging” as they are one win away from a 15-win improvement from last year.
An important step in the rebuilding of the franchise. https://t.co/wQH6j8nqBi
— Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) September 25, 2023
RISP issues:
Although the team defeated the 100-win Braves by one point (3-2) in Game 1 of Game 2 on Sunday afternoon, the Nationals captain was scheduled to play in Games 1 and 2 of a doubleheader. In between, he said he would like to meet his club. After the Nats had 2 hits in 10 with RISP and 7 bases left, they improved their at-bats by putting runners in scoring position.
Before losing 8-5 in the nightcap at Nationals Park, with his team going 3-for-11 with 10 runs left on base, he said, “Right now, our players are on base and we’re not being aggressive.” ” Martinez explained.
“So we have to think of other ways. We should have scored a few more points earlier.
“We’ve got to find a way to win games here at the end until we can hit the big one. But they’re fine.
“This is a time of year where we are not used to playing like this, so I think some of the players are a little tired.”
“This is also a teaching moment,” Martinez told reporters. The club wants to get back to a situation where the regular season is just a prelude to the postseason, and they want to continue playing high-leverage, high-intensity play for another month. Part of the near future.
“I tell them, it’s a big deal,” Martinez said.
“Like I say, ‘Think about playing one more month. You’re going to do it someday, so you have to prepare for it now.’