One Lane Thomas sits:
Lane Thomas appeared in all first 20 games to start the 2023 season, but the 27-year-old outfielder went 2-for-9 with three Ks in Sunday’s series finale against the Twins. After that, I sat down and finally got some rest. Win his first two in Twin Cities in a row.
Thomas finished the day with a 79 (.279/.318/.329) on Saturday the 22nd, posting 4 doubles, 4 walks and 23 K in his first 85 at-bats in his third season with the Nationals. Did. Cardinals 2021 trade deadline.
“So far so good,” Davey Martinez said of his right fielder. are cutting
“He’s got the ball in play, he’s hitting the ball,” Martinez told reporters before Sunday’s game. “I know he had a bit of a hard time yesterday, but that guy [Twins’ starter Pablo López] Pretty good. But he hits the ball. As we know the power will come, it’s still early but I told him. When he uses his legs well, you can see the power coming out. “
Photo by Adam Becher/Getty Images
In 2022, Thomas hit 26 and 17 home runs in 146 games and had 548 passes in 146 games. The Nationals are looking to reinforce weaknesses in his game with winter and spring training.
According to Martinez, Thomas’ defense has been “a lot better” so far this season.
“He’s more back on the ball than he used to be and obviously we’ve put some work into him. We’ve put him back about five steps so he can easily reach the wall, so he’s He didn’t have to think about it. It helped him a lot.”
“He was good,” added the manager.
“Besides communication issues, [Victor] Robles, he handles Wright really well.
“His throw was good. He jumps well with the ball.
“So he played well.”
Speaking of Robles:
With the score 2-1 in favor of the Twins on Sunday, CJ Abrams singled to lead the Nationals into the half of the fifth, Victor Robles bunted with a square, and a first-pitch slider across the plate from the right. -hander Bailey Over drops the ball just in front of home where it dies quickly in the dirt before catcher Ryan Jeffers pounces to start a 2-6-3 DP I was able to. don’t run it.
“I confused myself,” said Robles. Words by Mark Zuckerman of MASN After losing 3-1 on target field. “I just thought it was a foul ball.”
“In that situation, you bunt the ball that has to be run,” manager Davey Martinez said at the post-game press conference.
“You have to hear the umpire call a foul ball. It can’t be considered a foul ball. He just has to run. I don’t know how many times I have to tell him. He’s not the umpire.” He has to run hard for first base.”
Martinez was asked about his thoughts on asking Robles to bunt in the situation, and he said he thought it made sense given the context.
“Look,” he explained. Victor struggles on the slider. we all know that. I mean, I think it’s right there at that point. [Abrams] Go to second base and give Alex [Call] A shot that drives him in. If he bunts the ball well, he can also bunt for a base hit.
“In those situations, we’re going to run, get back in the game, and try to see if we can start doing something that way. And it just didn’t happen.”
Not everything was negative for Robles and Martinez.
Later in the game, along with runner Willi Castro, in the bottom of the eighth, in the first of the eighth inning, Michael A. Taylor hit a fly ball to center, Castro moved, and Knotts second baseman Luis Garcia shot him at second base. I pretended I got a throw. Castro slid headfirst, wised, and tried to sprint to first base, but Robles made a catch and throw to Dominic Smith first on the fly, completing an 8-3 DP.
“I think Deke kept Castro at second base, which was great. [Robles]I just came back and threw the ball and he threw it right. “
