Another chance for Nats
As Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and the rest of the Chicago Cubs begin their bid for the franchise’s first World Series championship in, um, one year, they’ll take on Bryce Harper’s Washington Nationals, a club with a brief history of postseason failures.
“Coming into this postseason, we have a ‘knowing’ that we didn’t have last year,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said before his team’s workout at Nationals Park. “I would want to believe that coming into this year, we have an eagerness about us without an anxiety about us. When you approach an ‘unknowing’ situation, you tend to be more anxious, as opposed to eager or excited about being in that moment, because: ‘Hey, I kinda like this. We’ve done this before. I know that we can.’ ”
What the Cubs got done last season is the sort of thing the Nationals would love to accomplish.
Yet when their best-offive NL Division Series opens tonight, with Stephen Strasburg starting for host Washington against Kyle Hendricks, the Nationals will be seeking to win their first playoff series since moving from Montreal in 2005.
Does that difference play a role?
“Having been through it before, having played all the way through a Game 7 in the World Series, I think that does count for something,” acknowledged Nationals closer Sean Doolittle, acquired in July as part of a bullpen makeover.
Only one position player who will be on Washington’s NLDS roster has a ring: outfielder Jayson Werth, who won a championship with the 2008 Phillies.
After Robbie Ray was forced to throw 2B innings in the Diamondbacks’ victory over Colorado on Wednesday, Taijuan Walker will start Arizona’s NL Division Series opener against the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw tonight.
Arizona coach Ariel Prieto says it was a mistake for him to wear an Apple Watch in the dugout during the NL wild card game against Colorado.
Prieto, an extra coach who also serves as interpreter, told reporters he didn’t use the watch for any illicit purpose and that it was on “airplane mode” during the game, a setting that shuts off any of the watch’s communication abilities.
The commissioner’s office is looking into the matter.
Mets captain David Wright underwent back surgery, his second operation in a month as he tries to return to the major leagues after an absence of 1A years. Wright, who turns 35 in December, has not played for the Mets since May 27, 2016.
Atlanta exercised its option on manager Brian Snitker for the 2018 season.