Williams in 5th place 2⁄3 In ATL:
Trevor Williams struck out eight over five innings against the Seattle Mariners in the nation’s capital last week, throwing just 85 pitches in total after giving up a leadoff double in the top of the sixth when manager Davey Martinez brought in the bullpen.
Martinez spoke before the game about his go-to pitching pattern, which he hopes will keep the 32-year-old starter Williams to around 80 pitches, and Williams isn’t always sold on his quick hook.
“He pushes me,” Martinez acknowledged.
“He always wants to stay in the game and never wants to go out, that’s for sure, but I have to be really smart. For me, this year is essentially his second year as a starter. He’s been in the bullpen for a while, so I want him to be able to start 30 games, or 20 games, whichever it is. This is one way to make that happen. There will be times when he’s going to have to struggle a little bit, but right now he’s feeling really good and we’re trying to manage everything for him.”
After a few years as a swingman in New York, Williams will start 30 games in 2023 with a 5.55 ERA, 5.99 FIP, 53 walks (3.30 per nine innings), 111 strikeouts (6.92 per nine innings) and an NL-leading 34 home runs (2.12 per nine innings) while posting a .300 ERA/.359/.533 slugging percentage in 144 1⁄3 innings pitched. This is the first year of a two-year, $13 million contract in DC.
Through 10 starts this season, Martinez’s careful pitching and Williams’ work over winter and spring training are paying off.
Coming into last week’s game in Washington, D.C., Williams posted a 2.29 ERA, 2.78 FIP, 14 walks (2.47 walks per nine innings), 43 strikeouts (7.59 strikeouts per nine innings) and a .223/.274/.294 batting average (with two home runs allowed) over 51 innings.
“He really understands who he is,” Martinez said last week.
“He’s really taking advantage of all his pitches. He’s keeping the ball down low, and that’s all part of his plan. We talked a lot at the end of the year about him and how he needs to pitch going forward, but he decided when he got home to really change up his whole routine and what he needs to do. We’re reaping the benefits of that now and it’s great that he’s done it.”
Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
“But he’s throwing the ball downhill. He’s using both sides of the plate. His changeup is really effective and his slider is really good.”
“It’s good to see him out on the court and competing like he is.”
Williams provided another solid start to the Nationals’ starting rotation in the final game of a four-game series against the Braves on Thursday night at Truist Park, allowing just one run on four hits and two walks in five innings. 2⁄3 IP.
Williams, who scored two runs on a Joey Meneses double and scored himself on a Jesse Winker double to take a 3-1 lead, allowed a triple by leadoff hitter Jarred Kelenic and a sacrifice fly by Michael Harris II, but reached base on a single and a walk with two outs. He then retired the next nine batters he faced before finishing with a single with two outs in the sixth inning.
Dylan Floro got the runner he took over and got the final out of the inning with two outs in the seventh. Robert Garcia got the third out and Hunter Harvey hit a two-out double in the eighth, but Kyle Finnegan pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the save, giving the Nationals their third win in four games against their NL East rivals.
Williams struck out 12 batters and nine strikes on the night, throwing 95 total pitches, 56 of which were strikes.
“He’s been great for us,” Martinez said after Williams’ latest outing. “It’s been great. Like I said, he’s made some adjustments and it’s paid off. He’s really sharp and when he goes up to the mound, our relievers come in and shut us down. It’s awesome. Joey Meneses got a hit today, so it’s a big win for us. We’re here with three wins out of four games, which is pretty good.”
Martinez was asked to expand on the adjustments Williams made over the winter.
“He had a plan this winter to try and work differently,” he explained. “And he did that. He worked on some different pitches, some different grips and he executed on them. He was effective. So, a lot of credit to him coming back after so many years and making some changes as a veteran, and he was great.”
Williams earned the win (5-0) and lowered his ERA to 2.22 (2.78 FIP) on the year.
Thomas is back:
Lane Thomas spoke with his teammates about being back out there and contributing again ahead of his first game back after missing 29 games due to a sprained MCL in his left knee.
“It feels great,” he told reporters. “It’s good to be back with the guys. Physically I feel good, so I’m excited to get back out there.”
“We missed him,” manager Davey Martinez said before inserting Thomas into the lineup for the first time since April 23.
“He can run the ball for us and he’s a great defensive player, so we’re really happy to have him back.”
When asked if Thomas is ready to play every day or if the team plans to gradually bring the outfielder back into the team, Martinez said it will be a day-to-day process at first.
“I had a little chat with him,” the manager explained.
“We’re going to take it one day at a time. I’ll ask him every day how he’s doing, and it could be a day where he rests his leg or it could be a day where I DH him. When the time comes, we’ll make a decision then and there.”
Thomas hit two doubles in his return, was 0-for-4 in a 2-0 loss in his second game back, then hit a three-run homer in Wednesday’s win in his third start in three games.
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Photo: Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
“When he got injured, we said we were going to miss him a little bit,” Martinez said Wednesday night. “When he comes back and plays, not just his hitting, but his overall game, the way he plays defense, his base running, he makes the right plays in the game.
“I’m really happy to have him back. I love this kid. This kid is playing the right way and he’s doing well.”
In his first three games after his return, Thomas was 5-for-13 (.385 batting average) with three doubles, one home run, two stolen bases and three runs scored, then in the series finale at Atlanta, he was 1-for-4 with one hit, one walk, one run scored and three RBIs in the Nationals’ 3-1 victory.
