Washington Nationals news & notes: Nats blow 3-0 lead, lose opener with Cleveland Guardians, 4-3…

Front Page – No. 32:

“Trevor kept the ball,” Davey Martinez said after Trevor Williams’ five. ¹⁄₃・Innings 5 ​​hits 2 earned runs Colorado Rockies Coors Field last weekend.

“It was something we talked about. He raised the ball when he needed to, but mostly he kept the ball down and struck.”

“Overall, I think we’ve done a good job,” Williams said after his second start of his young season.

“There’s a lot of outfield out there and a lot of infield, so it’s good to get the ball in play. [in Coors Field].

“Overall, I think it was a great team win for us because we have a great defender to play with.”

Williams generated seven swing strikes from Rockies hitters, four of them on fastballs, and picked up 13 call strikes, eight of which went out on the heater.

Before Williams made his third appearance in last night’s series opener against the Cleveland Guardians, Martinez said in the pregame press conference, “He’s got to come forward on the count and hit the strike zone. I understand that it won’t,” he said.

“He’s got four really good pitches, but he’s a guy who has to throw everything for a strike,” the manager continued.

“He has to be around the plate. When he falls behind, that’s when he gets in trouble.”

Martinez was happy to see Williams use all his weapons against the Rocky Mountains.

“He mixes four very good pitches and I think he’s taken advantage of them all in Colorado,” said the sixth-year skipper.

“He’s not afraid to mix up changeups when he’s behind or throw curveballs for strikes early on, so he’s able to mix all pitches well.”

Williams, in his third start with the Nationals and signing a two-year/$13 million free agency contract this winter, pitched 4 scoreless on 66 pitches in last night’s series opener against Cleveland and finished 5. In the inning, he returned to the mound at 3. With a -0 lead, he made it up to 81 after retiring the side in turn with a backward-facing K and two groundouts.

A basic double to center and a hard-hitting liner to right quickly ended Williams’ outs in the sixth, but Wright was up to 95 pitches across…

Trevor Williams quote: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 Ks, 95 P, 59 S, 8/1 GO/FO.

Although Williams generated only three swing strikes overall, he had 16 call strikes overall, seven in four-seam fastballs, five in sinkers, and two each in sliders and curveballs. I recorded a strike. Ultimately his frustration lay in the fact that he didn’t make it past sixth.

After the 4-3 loss, Williams said, “I want to finish things when I go out there.” In the words of MASN’s Bobby Blanco.

“Now two pitches to No. 6 and no third out on No. 6. So it just carries over to the next start.”

Lewis, Lewis:

Guardians starter Cal Quantrill makes 3 tosses ¹⁄₃ Although he started the series opener in D.C. scoreless, he went 1-0 over the middle of the plate in his second at-bat against a Nationals second baseman who singled outside the curve 2-2 to Luis Garcia. of sinkers left. up for the first time.

Garcia hit a home run to left center to hit his first 400-footer of 2023 to give the visiting club from Cleveland a 1–0 lead.

Garcia returned for Wednesday’s series finale against the LA Angels after missing four games after hitting a hamstring ground ball in the April 7 game.

Keibert-Lewis and Lane Thomas singled after Garcia’s homer, CJ Abrams reached third base on a weak grounder, and after one out, Alex Cole lined up a two-out single to center for two run hits and three RBIs. bottom. -0 lead.

Garcia stole a free pass with two outs from the right-handed starter to walk Quantrill for the third time. 3 games at that point.

Bullpen action:

Hunter Harvey replaced Trevor Williams and took over with runners on first and third in the sixth inning, achieving a double play in his first at-bat, allowing the runners he inherited to score 3–1 and score a swing K. Ended the game. Innings.

Harvey returned to the mound in the top of the seventh, giving up a solo shot to center with Josh Bell high in the 1-0 fastball belt to make it 3-2. First Bell with Guardian (against his former team).

A single in his next at-bat, followed by walks with two outs and the bases loaded, ended Harvey’s night. he was third.

Edwards Jr. returned in the eighth inning, giving up a double off the out-of-town scoreboard by Bell after Andre Jimenez reached an error by a pitcher, and Jimenez scored on a weak ground ball shorted by Will Brennan. That’s 4-3 Guardians and how it ended.

“He’s had some guys swing really bad on balls that hit him,” Martinez said of Edwards Jr.’s struggles. “All he had to do was pick it up and throw it first. It didn’t happen. Then the dribbler. Like I said, they were really good. Forget it, come back tomorrow and he has to play 1-0.”

BACK PAGE – Injury update palooza:

Carter Keyboom was diagnosed with a right arm flexor strain in spring training in 2022, and when he started throwing again and felt discomfort, he was diagnosed with a UCL tear in his right elbow. 25 years old, 1st round pick in 2016, 2022 all-round pick.

As cautious as Keyboom was, the infielder suffered some pressure in his right shoulder this spring, forcing the team to shut him down in early March.

“Carter has a bit of a setback. Now it’s his shoulder.” His manager, Davey Martinez, told MASN at the time, as quoted by MASN..

“He’s got some strain on his right shoulder and I think this is part of it because of Tommy John. It’s all about throwing, you said you can hit.

But I told him We have time. Please put strength on that shoulder. I’ll be back as soon as the trainer is ready. “

Before the series opener against Cleveland in the capital on Friday night, Martinez kicked off his pregame press conference with a status report on a number of injured nuts, including Keyboom, who is currently throwing from third base.

“He’s hitting in the cage. He’s still doing his pitching program,” Martinez explained.

“He was actually thrown across the diamond, from 3rd to 1st, which is good. So far so good, we will continue to strengthen him and hopefully get him out to rehab soon. I hope that.”

Now that we’ve crossed the diamond, what’s the next step for Kieboom on his way home?

“For him, it’s really all about stability,” Martinez said.

“How much he can do, how much he can handle. As we all know, it’s a long season, so when he comes back, I want to make sure he’s playing and not going backwards.

“Because he’s throwing a lot and hitting a lot. will be the next step for him again, but for me I don’t have a timetable for him right now, but he’s making good progress and swinging the bat, so I’ll have him here soon. I want it back.”

Quick hit:

Victor Arano’s Davey Martinez (right shoulder strain): “Victor Arano continues to strengthen and hasn’t been able to throw yet, but he’s getting better and will be re-evaluated in a few days. Let’s see where he is. But, He is getting better and gaining strength.

Cade Cavalli (Tommy John Surgery): “Cade, it won’t change. As we know, it’s going to take him a while.”

Corey Dickerson (left calf strain): “Cory Dickerson, pain relief. He’s hitting, he’s throwing, next step [are] Take him to the field, start agility and then run.

“I feel that if he can achieve that, agility is going to be key, because once he can do it and he can do it well without pain, he can start running. , hopefully we can get him back.”

Photo by Diamond Images for Getty Images

Sean Doolittle (Orthosis/rehabilitation from left elbow): “Sean Doolittle did really well. He threw the bullpen. By next week, he should be throwing a live BP. So encouraging.”

Tanner Rainey (Tommy John Surgery): “Tanner Rainey, he threw to 105 feet and threw 25 times, so he continues to grow.”

Israel Pineda (broken right finger): “Pineda, no change. We are still waiting for his finger to heal.”

Ildemaro Vargas (left shoulder strain): “and [Ildemaro] Vargas, pain relief. he’s still in the early stages. Light enhancement. So take him back as soon as he gains strength and starts throwing. he will be back too. “