Opponent Preview Orioles: Washington Nationals

There has been a popular discussion point since MLB and the Players Union settled in a 60-game season this summer due to the coronavirus: if the playoff teams had been decided after two months in 2019, the Nationals they would not have entered the dance. And they won all last year!

It makes you think, doesn’t it?

Anyway, here we are with everyone who tries to get the best out of a bad situation. Baseball continues to stifle despite some team outbursts that have threatened to derail the entire season but have failed to do so far.

At least the next opponent for the Orioles doesn’t live far at all. The birds will load buses and drive to Washington DC for a series of three games this weekend against the Nats. It is the first match of the season between these two teams and they will play another series of three games in about a week at Camden Yards.

The COVID-19 outbreak on the Marlins last week directly affected citizens, with both teams having to postpone a three game streak that was originally scheduled for last weekend. With three games popping out of their schedule for now, Washington’s record is currently one game below .500 to 4-5.

En route to a world championship last year, Washington was on all National League rankings in a variety of categories. As a team, they had the third least number of errors (84), scored the second heat (873), had the second best OPS (.796) and were part of a three-way tie for the best AVG (. 265) with the Rocky Mountains and Pirates.

This does not even mention their rank in multiple launch charts, which we will see later. The Nats were a fairly well-rounded team. But the reigning World Series champions have not been immune to turnover since winning their title.

Anthony Rendon’s departure – he signed a $ 245 million contract with the Angels in December last year – leaves a huge gap in the middle of Washington’s formation. The Nats have filled Rendon’s old spot in third place with a combination of Asdrubal Cabrera (six games) and the choice of the first round 2016 Carter Kieboom (three games). The first one is 9-for-34 this season and the second one is 5-for-12.

Other notable player starts include Brian Dozier, Matt Adams, Fernando Rodney and Gerardo Parra.

Longtime Nat Ryan Zimmerman has chosen to give up on the 2020 season due to safety concerns during the pandemic. He became a free agent last November and then signed again with Washington in January, but decided not to play this year practically before the start of the season. Some other citizens who chose to give up were starting the Joe Ross pitcher and Welington Castillo receiver.

Eric Thames made it to the Nationals this year from the Brewers and helped fill Zimmerman by hitting 5 on 19 in seven games, including four at first base. Howie Kendrick also jumped there, dividing his time this year between first base (four games) and designated hitter (three games).

Kendrick, who was one of the team’s protagonists last year, signed a $ 6.25 million a year contract in the off-season to stay in Washington. In 2019, he scored .344 / .395 / .572 with 17 home runs and 23 doubles in 370 appearances in 121 games. So far in 2020 it is 6 times 23 with two walks.

Outfielder Juan Soto has just returned to the club a few days ago due to a positive coronavirus test result (depending on who you speak) that arrived early in the season. The 21-year-old has been a force for the Nats for the past two years and in 10 career games against the O, he is hitting .382 / .500 / .588.

Other free agents that the club have decided to bring back for another tour include the aforementioned Asdrubal Cabrera, lifter Daniel Hudson and receiver Yan Gomes.

Moving on to the other side of the ball, the pitch has been the backbone of this team for some time, particularly the initial pitch. Nats’ staff was among the National League leaders in several major categories last year, including the third largest strikeout number (1,511), the fourth lowest OBA (.244) and most quality starts ( 87), just to name a few.

The Nats was without ace Stephen Strasburg – who reiterated Washington with this $ 245 million offseason in seven years – due to an injury that the club called a right-hand nerve problem. It has yet to start in 2020.

But they still have Max Scherzer, although he was recently held back by a hamstring injury. With Washington having yet to announce any of its starters for the series, there is still a chance that Scherzer may appear against the O. But it’s unlikely considering the injury and the fact that he launched just a few days ago on Wednesday.

Behind Scherzer the Nats employ the following four appetizers, listed in ascending order of ERA: Patrick Corbin (3.00), Erick Fedde (3.48), Austin Voth (3.60) and Anibal Sanchez (7.20).

The birds will have to continue heating bats against the Washington launch to wipe out the bad memories of that four-game Marlin sweep that has just ended. Perhaps Baltimore can regain the shape that people who claimed to be a dark horse playoff contender until last week had.

Serial games

• Friday August 7, 6:05 pm: Tommy Milone vs. TBD
• Saturday 8 August, 18:05: TBD starter
• Sunday 9 August, 12:35: TBD starter