Chat about national team rotation:
Jake Irvin threw 88 pitches in six innings on Saturday, hitting 113 balls. 2⁄3 One year of IP in the majors for the 26-year-old Nationals’ 2018 fourth-round pick who had 22 RBIs. 1⁄3 In the minors earlier this season, 103 1⁄3 After a hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and Tommy John surgery in 2021, 2022 will be the first time he has returned in a full year.
With all of his history in mind, Washington coach Davey Martinez spoke after Irvin’s game against LA in D.C. about what his plans are for the rookie starter heading into the final week of the ’23 season.
“He’s been really, really good. And he’s growing in confidence,” said Irvin, who has a 4.20 ERA, 5.13 FIP, 46 walks (3.64 BB/9), 92 Ks (7.28 K/9) and a .251 batting average. Martinez said after finishing Saturday night with a /.330/. .415 line for starting over 22 total games for the Nationals.
“You can see his growth,” Martinez continued. “He’s attacking the zone. He’s doing everything we’ve asked him to do. He knows what he wants to do. He has a plan. He’s been great. This guy has made incredible progress from when we started dating him to now. And like I said to all these guys, but… I’m very proud of what he accomplished. Hopefully, if we can keep it up, and he’ll grow from there and finish the season strong and next year he’ll be the guy. . He was fine. Six innings, 88 pitches, great pitching.”
He has been impressed with Irvin’s achievements so far and has confirmed that several players will be keeping a close eye on their future developments, monitoring their workload before deciding how far the club will release him this season. He is one of the starters.
“We’re going to keep a close eye on him,” Martinez told reporters.
“We have five to six days before he’s on the field again, but we’re going to run some tests on him and take some measurements. We’ll see where he was during today’s game. I’m going to make a plan.
“But he says he feels really good. He says he feels really good. He’s working hard and we want to see how far we can push him. The important thing is , if we can get him one or two more starts and get his innings up, we’re always talking about 25% heading into next year, and he should be able to go into the season without any worries.
“But we definitely have to keep an eye on him.”
Martinez spoke about Mackenzie Gore’s 15-day IL assignment before Saturday’s game (for blisters on left hand) as a match that could end the 24-year-old southpaw’s season with 27 appearances and 136 appearances. 1⁄3 IP.
However, the sixth-year captain wasn’t ready to end Goa’s season just yet, but hinted he could be done with the year.
“At this point, you probably don’t want to start him again. We’re getting closer to innings — honestly, we’re more innings than we expected,” Martinez said. .
“But right now, I’m not ruling anything out. If you give me a few days, I’d love to sit down and talk to him. But I think he’ll get closure.”
He had not ruled out Gore’s return and was not ready to discuss future rotation plans at the time.
“Let’s see,” he said. “I’m going to sit with you. [GM Mike Rizzo] and [Pitching Coach Jim] Hickey and look over the game plan over the next few days to see where we are.Like I said before, we have to focus on Jake, I want to see Josiah [Gray]yes, and [Joan] Who is Adon — he just takes the ball away all the time, but he’s still young so we want to keep an eye on him as well, but he’s been much more important to me since we got him last year. He’s been throwing the ball well, and he throws the ball every time. Coming up, he seems to have more confidence, so that’s a good thing. ”
The Nationals’ starters for this week’s series at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park were announced before Sunday’s game, but Gray’s name was not on the list until Wednesday night, when he would be on five days off. The right-hander was listed as the starter for the game. Thursday afternoon, Wednesday still undecided.
Gray’s last outing was September 3rd, so he will be taking an extended vacation.
“As everyone knows, he’s our All-Star,” Martinez said. “And he’s been struggling a little bit lately, but I’d like to give him some rest.”
But Gray doesn’t necessarily think this is the end. Gray is currently 141 years old. 2⁄3 Earned IP in 27 starts after pitching 148 innings. 2⁄3 Last year we won over 28 IPs.
“I don’t want to shut him up,” Martinez explained. “Last year, we wanted to make sure he could pitch on schedule.” [150] inning. ”
The manager wasn’t yet ready to name a starting pitcher for Gore’s next rotation during a press conference Sunday morning, but reporters said 24-year-old 2019 first-round pick Jackson Rutledge is scheduled to start Friday. It was pointed out that the players who had played the game were not selected. He started due to an unexplained scratch, but in a pregame press conference a few days later, Martinez said he was still not scratched.
“Nothing,” he said. “So we’ll probably announce something – maybe not tomorrow, but the next day. [Tuesday]”
So he didn’t ask about Rutledge getting hurt in Triple-A?
“Yes, I didn’t know. We had a good day yesterday, but with the rain delay and overtime, “I’m worried about the players today.”
