Crew debut:
New York Yankees Today, Juan Soto (Aaron Judge) is in town, and according to multiple reports, Dylan Crews (Coming to DC), Washington’s top prospect (Ranked 3rd overall in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospectsGrant Paulsen (106.7 FAN and Sirius/XM MLB Network Radio) three days ago, the Nationals’ 22-year-old 2023 first-round draft pick (He was the second pick in the draft, behind Paul Skenes (Pittsburgh Institute of Technology).) is scheduled to make their major label debut tonight.
Several reporters later said they had heard the same thing, and Cruz is scheduled to make his major league debut tonight after playing in 100 games for the Nationals’ Double-A and Triple-A divisions this season.51 games in Harrisburg, 49 games in Rochester), in 449 at-bats he has 21 doubles, 6 triples, 13 home runs, 25 stolen bases, 36 walks and 92 strikeouts, for a batting average of .270, on-base percentage of .342 and slugging percentage of .451.
“He’s been hitting his stride at the Triple-A level,” the GM and president of baseball operations said. Mike Rizzo said this in an interview with The Sports Junkies on 106.7 FAN’s Audacy. “I thought he was a more efficient hitter at the Triple-A level than the Double-A level because of his automated strike zone,” he added earlier this month. “So our plan was to move him up to Triple-A to get his walk rate up and his strikeout rate down. And that’s happened, and I think he’s swinging the bat really well and playing great in the outfield. We’re playing him in center and right field with the expectation that he’ll play those positions when he goes to Washington and makes it to the big leagues.”
Rizzo said everything is going according to plan with Cruz and that he will be promoted once he shows the team he’s ready.
“We have plans in place for him,” the GM explained, “… and we have high expectations for him.”
The crew included 21-year-old James Wood (Acquired by the Padres from San Diego in the Juan Soto/Josh Bell trade in 2022Martinez’s time in the Nationals’ outfield in the series against the Yankees provided a glimpse into Washington’s future outfield in the final week of the season and gave fans, Nationals brass, Martinez and his coaching staff a chance to evaluate all of the players brought together through trades and the draft.But it’s almost over) We began restructuring our organization in 2021.
And Soto said, if he wants to consider returning to his hometown as a free agent this winter, and playing with all the players,Current major leaguers CJ Abrams and Mackenzie Gore, and eventually, perhaps, both Robert Hassell III and Jarrin Susana.) purchased for him by Rizzo & Co.Bell) in ’22 will give us a glimpse into what Lizzo and company have in store for the future.
Don’t hold your breath, but the idea is out there somewhere in the universe.
Hearts Firsts:
DJ Hurts threw 38 pitches, allowing one hit, three walks and one earned run against the Giants in the nation’s capital on Aug. 8. In his next game, an away game at Camden Yards in Orioles Park, the 23-year-old Hurts threw 19 pitches over six innings against the Orioles, allowing two of four hits, one of two walks and two earned runs. The left-handed pitcher (Acquired from Chicago in a deadline trade for Jeimer Candelario. Cubs Last Summer) threw 28 pitches in the first inning, allowing three hits and one walk.
On Sunday afternoon in the series finale against Atlanta at Truist Park, Hurts hit the first batter he faced, Michael Harris II.He was later removed from the Braves lineup.), walked with one out, then walked with two outs and ended the first inning after 27 pitches with a grounder to second base.
Hertz then took to the mound, pitching left-handed and limiting the home team to one single and one walk in five total innings, while striking out eight of the 14 batters he faced after the first inning.
Hertz finished the night with 18 strikeouts on four pitches.Fastball, 5, Changeup, 6, Slider, 5, Knuckle Curve, 2), and there were 13 strikes that day (9 on the 4-seam fastball, 2 each on the changeup and slider).
“In his last few starts, he struggled in the first innings, but he seems to have settled down a little bit and started throwing strikes and making the most of his pitches,” captain Davey Martinez said. Rick Farlow of MLB.com said:Hurts and the Nationals avoided the sweep by beating the Braves, 5-1, in the series finale on Sunday, securing the Nationals their first win in a season series against Atlanta, their East Division rival, since 2017, when they won 7-4. They are now 7-0 against Miami and 2-8 against Philadelphia and New York (National League). Sorry, Atlanta.
“His pitches are really good, so it’s important to keep the ball close to the zone. If he gets too shaky, he’s in trouble. If you keep the ball in the zone, you’re going to get a lot of strikeouts,” Martinez continued.
“I think it’s been like that three times in a row,” Hurts said of his past three tough firsts. “It’s going to end eventually, but if you just keep working at it, eventually it’s going to change.”
