Washington Nationals news & notes: Nats and Cubs play three in D.C.; Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez on young club…

Take 2 out of 3 (take nothing)

Debut of the 2023 first-round pick (2nd place overall) With the departure of Dylan Cruz this week, another of the Nationals’ next competitive mainstays is now playing in the major leagues, working and learning alongside the other highly-touted young prospects Washington has assembled since beginning its reorganization at the 2021 trade deadline.

Washington Post reporter Spencer Nussbaum As was pointed out before Wednesday’s game, the average age of the Nationals’ lineup in the series finale was New York Yankeeswas 24.3 years old.

“That’s where we are right now. We’re a young team and we’re trying to build a nucleus to get to that next championship,” the general manager and president of baseball operations said. Mike Rizzo said in an interview with Sports Junkies: this week.

“I think you’ve seen the slow pace and how we’ve put it together and you’ve seen a very young but very talented lineup.

“We will make mistakes, but we will learn from them and get better.”

Manager Davey Martinez and his staff are tasked with providing major league instruction and are looking to help the rookies adjust as the Nationals’ system’s top prospects learn what it’s like to go through the rigors of a full 162-game season.

“They’re starting to learn how to play together here,” Martinez said after his team beat the Yankees, who clinched a postseason berth, two games from three.

“Having Dylan here is another big thing for us. They’ve been playing together and it’s been fun watching them.”

“They’re going to grow together and we’re going to do some really good things, and it’s going to happen a lot faster than people think.”

Seeing the development of the team’s future stars has the manager excited about the Nationals’ near future.

“We have guys who understand the game,” he said.

“We have some young guys who really understand the game. Some of the guys here are starting to understand the game. Lewis. [García, Jr.] “I’m one of them. Lewis comes to work every day and does everything right. I’m proud of him. It’s taken a little while, but he’s starting to get it.”

After a strong start against the Yankees, 25-year-old Mackenzie Gore spoke about the team’s current identity, given that many of its key members are now in the major leagues.

“To be honest with you, I think we all understand we have talent,” Gore said.

“But it’s one of those things. You either do it or you don’t. This is where we are. As players and as a team, we don’t want to think, ‘Oh, we’re going to be good in a few more years.'”

“Now it’s our job to keep it good.”

[ed. note – “We basically wrote two versions of the article above, one for publication here at FBB, and one as a blurb for our sister site with the SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, with them Cubs in D.C. for the next three days. Since we’re coming off an off-day, we figured we’d just include both versions here, for fun. Some of the same quotes form the basis of each, and it is the same overall theme: The future is now in the Nationals’ organization.”]

BCB blurb:

Earlier this week, the Nationals’ roster of 21-year-old James Wood, 22-year-old Dylan Cruz, 23-year-olds Jose Tena and C.J. Abrams, 24-year-old Luis Garcia Jr., 25-year-old MacKenzie Gore and 26-year-old Kayvert Lewis took a 3-2 victory over the postseason-clinching New York Yankees in Washington, D.C.

“That’s where we are right now. We’re a young team and we’re trying to build a nucleus to win our next championship,” Nationals general manager and president of team operations Mike Rizzo said in an interview on a local radio show in the nation’s capital. [ed. note – “It was Audacy’s The Sports Junkies he talked to.”].

Photo: Greg Fiume/Getty Images

More than three years after the restructuring that began in 2021, Rizzo and company in the Washington front office truly believe they have built a team, using their own top draft picks, prospects from other teams acquired in trades and some smart acquisitions and signings, that will make waves and compete for another postseason opportunity in the near future.

“If you look at the slow pace and how we’re putting it together, I think you’re going to see a very young but very talented lineup,” Rizzo explained.

“We will make mistakes, but we will learn from them and get better.”

Cruz, the No. 2 overall pick in 2023, was promoted last Monday, and now he and Wood (He was one of five 2022 prospects acquired in the Juan Soto/Josh Bell trade with the Padres. The others were Abrams, Gore, young right-handed slugger Jarlin Susana and young outfielder slugger Robert Hassell III.) are playing together in the major leagues after meeting last year on the promotion trail and again this year at Double-A and Triple-A.

“[Crews] “He will fit in well with the group of talented young players who have cut their teeth together in the minor leagues and are now looking to transition into the core of our major league organization,” Rizzo added.

Photo: Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

“They play well together and are fun to watch,” manager Davey Martinez said after the final game against the Yankees.

“They’re going to grow together and we’re going to do some really good things, and it’s going to happen a lot faster than people think.”

Hopefully, Nationals fans have seen a lot of losing since 2019. That Magical Season). But at least it’s fun to watch the club now…