Gore in home opener:
Nationals manager Davey Martinez said if 25-year-old Mackenzie Gore is to take the next step in his burgeoning career, he needs to be more consistent than he was during his playing days before the left-hander’s first start of the season. He said it would not happen. First hit in Washington’s rotation.
“We’ve seen what he can do when he’s really good,” Martinez said in his pregame press conference before yesterday’s home opener. “He’s got to limit the damage when he’s out there. So, this spring, we saw another guy attack the zone with him and stay calm, so we put that in five. You have to look at it day by day.”
In 2023, the left-hander started 27 games in his first full season in the major leagues, posting a 4.42 ERA, 4.89 FIP, 57 walks (3.76 BB/9), 151 strikeouts (9.97 K/9), and 27 home runs. (1.79 HR/9), and finished the season with a batting average of .258/.331/.459 in 136 1/3 innings.
Proving that he can do it at the Major League level has given him confidence, and the manager is hoping for even more success in 2024.
“He didn’t lack confidence,” Martinez explained. “But he knows what he has to do.
“He’s got a really good fastball. I always tell him, ‘Don’t shy away from the fastball, but you have other weapons to deal with.’ The biggest thing for him is: It’s about keeping the ball in the zone. No one tries to chase the ball into the opponent’s batter’s box. He should be in the zone. His misses have to be – he wants swings and misses, well, they have to be close to the zone. So I expect him to go out there and compete, and we’ll see how far he can go. ”
Gore threw 47 pitches in the first two innings of Monday’s home opener, with one out and a walk on first base in the first inning before leading off with a leadoff double, single and sac fly.visit pittsburgh pirates1-0.
After that RBI, a single and HBP loaded the bases and Gore gave the Bucs their second run of the game, making it 2-0 before Gore retired eight straight innings in three efficient innings. And in the fourth, he threw a total of 24 pitches, by which time his total was up to 71 pitches.
A one-out walk in the third inning ended his streak at nine, and a two-out HBP pushed Gore’s pitch count down to 85, and by the end of the inning he had 92 pitches, but he came back. When he took the mound, he allowed a leadoff double in the top of the sixth inning, but struck out the sixth batter on the 101st pitch of his 2024 debut. That’s all for left-handed people.
With the remaining runners scoring, Gore had two walks, six kicks, two hits, and three earned runs on the day.
Mackenzie Gore’s line: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 101 P, 62 S, 3/1 GO/FO.
Gore threw 49% of his fastballs in his first start of the season, a slider (18%), and a changeup (18%).17%, up from last year’s average of 2.9%), and the curve (17%), produced 14 swinging strikes (with 41 swings) and 21 call strikes (Nine times with a fastball averaging 97 mph, one time with a slider, four times with a changeup, and seven times with a curveball.).
His manager was happy to see him pitch his secondary as much as Gore.
“We talked about it all spring,” Martinez said after the 8-4 loss. “The fact that he went out there and used it was great. He pitched pretty well with his changeup and breaking ball. We know he has a good fastball, but he… starts throwing fastballs, it throws the batter off balance. [if he really throws] He’s going to be really effective when the ball goes over the plate.
“It was a good first start for him, it really was. Let’s build on that with him.”
He might have been a little excited at first too. As a No. 1 starter in 2024, his fastball velocity increased by an average of 2.0 mph.
“I think he had a little bit of adrenaline going on because he was giving out $98,” Martinez said.
“But he settled down. He was 97-98 when I took him out, so that was good for him. I think he learned a lot today, so within the next five days He’ll come out and be ready again.”
“I was excited,” Gore said. Quoted by Jessica Camerato of MLB.com.
“Adrenaline is good when used correctly. I’m not saying it was necessarily the best way to do it, but I was very excited and had a lot of fun.”
Adams gets his chance. Highly featured:
Riley Adams’ 2023 campaign ended when he fractured the hamate bone in his left wrist.
The 27-year-old catcher started camp unrestricted this spring and was ready to start camp again after a solid season playing sporadically as backup to Keibert Ruiz in the nation’s capital.
Adams finished his fifth year in the majors and third year in DC with a batting average of .273/.331/.476 with 13 doubles, two triples, and four home runs in 44 games and 158 at-bats. he told MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato. He was looking to build on what he had achieved.
“At the beginning of the year I always set goals for myself and different things I want to accomplish,” he said late last season. “And I think a lot of those goals I was really happy with.”
“This is the first time I’ve been in the big leagues for an entire year, and I’m proud of my accomplishments. Every time I’ve been there, I felt like I was able to contribute and make an impact. I’m a promising prospect. I think there are a lot of positives. I think there’s still a lot of room for development and this year was really a good stepping stone for the future.”
Lewis started all three games in Cincinnati last weekend in the backfield, but manager Davey Martinez put Adams behind the plate before yesterday’s home opener for the first of three games against the Pirates. He said he would like to use Lewis, who will be the DH in the game.direct current
Adams turned it around again, hitting a two-run homer in the seventh inning, his first home run of 2024. Bucs relief pitcher Roancy Contreras’ 0-1 fastball was sent 427 feet into the left field seats, and the catcher perfectly crushed it to tie the game. They led 3-3, but the visiting team scored three runs in the top of the 8th inning to take a 6-3 lead, and added two more in the 9th inning to win 8-3.
“Bomb. Right?” manager Davey Martinez said of the catcher’s outburst. “I mean, we always talk about short distance to the ball with him, but he was a little long in a few at-bats, so I went up to him and said, ‘Hey. You’ve got to keep your distance to the ball short and try to get to the plate more. ‘Keep the ball out in front of you.’ I grabbed one. It was amazing.”
Confirming his power following his wrist injury and surgery was also a positive sign.
“This is a really good sign,” Martinez said. “We’re going to need his bat, and he’s a really good left-handed hitter, so the fact that he was able to do that was great.”
Gal-l0-for-12:
Joey Gallo went 0-for-12 with 6 Ks and two walks in 14 at-bats in the season-opening series at Cincinnati.
Gallo signed a one-year/$5 million contract with Washington this winter, coming off a 2023 season in which the 30-year-old slugger hit .177/.301/.440 with nine doubles and 21 home runs. , with 48 walks and 142 K in 111 games, totaling 332 PA and worth 0.7 fWAR, but he got off to a slow start this spring with a .103/.186/.128 line, doubles and fours. Walks, 16K in 14 games.
Is his new manager worried about the 10-year veteran? He’s issued two walks and been patient at the plate, at least according to Nationals captain Davey Martinez. However, it is one of the good signs in the early stages.
“He’s going to walk,” Martinez told reporters before the series finale against the Reds.
“What I would like to see from him is to be a little more aggressive with guys on the bases and make drive-in runs. When he meets batters at first base, or first and second base, I think he You want to see him hit that three-run home run, try to get the ball up in the air, but he’s one of those hitters who understands the strike zone. He really does. It’s very rare that he chases. When I chase you, something must be wrong.”
Photo by Rich Story/Getty Images
“I have no problem with him accepting walks,” Martinez added. Go ahead and tear it up. ”
Gallo hit 21 home runs last season, but only has two more.[plus] He had 13 doubles, 38 home runs, and 4.1 fWAR in 2021 with the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers, finishing that period with a .199/.351/.458 line and 111 walks (18.0% BB%). Ta. He had 213 K (34.6% K%) and 616 PA in 153 games.
Martinez said he is a threat who can fire at any time, and often fires in quick succession if the timing isn’t right.
“He’s getting there,” Martinez said of the slugger whose timing has been delayed. “I think he should drive because he’s still throwing foul pitches. But for a pure power-hitting player like him, all of a sudden he’s not missing balls anymore and within a week , he’s going to be at a stage where he can hit six home runs. So we hope he finds it here soon, but it’s going to happen.”
While they wait, Martinez is happy to see Gallo contributing in every way possible, including walks and grabs.
“I love putting him out there. I love the threat of him being a player who can hit a home run,” Martinez said.
“He made some unbelievable plays there yesterday. So he’s doing well.”
In the home opener, Gallo was rested, Joey Meneses started at first base, and Keibert Ruiz served as the Nationals’ DH.