Nationals, with 2-0 lead at home, know job isn’t done
Walking off the field after the final out, Juan Soto smiled as he approached manager Dave Martinez and held up a pair of fingers.
“Two more,” Soto told his skipper
y then, Minute Maid Park was nearly empty and mostly silent, except for a small clutch of fans behind Washington’s dugout.
Suffice to say, it will look and sound a lot different tonight at Nationals Park.
Halfway to a World Series championship in a city that hasn’t claimed the crown since 1924, Washington has watched everything go its way in taking a 2- 0 lead over the discombobulated Houston Astros.
The biggest star so far has been Soto, still in his first full season and already with a knack for clutch knocks.
It was Soto’s eighth-inning hit that rallied the Nationals past Milwaukee in the NL wild-card game. He then hit a tying home run off Clayton Kershaw in the eighth during the deciding Game 5 of the Division Series.
He’s 4 for 7 with a homer and two doubles in the World Series, driving in three runs and scoring three and also stealing a base.
And how’s this for timing — his 21st birthday is today, when the first World Series game will be played in Washington since 1933. ASTROS FIRE EXECUTIVE » The Houston Astros fired assistant general manager Brandon Taubman for directing inappropriate comments at female reporters during a clubhouse celebration.
Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow apologized for the team’s initial response Monday, which was to accuse a Sports Illustrated reporter of making up the story.
“That original reaction by the Astros was wrong, and we own it as an organization,” Luhnow said.
Taubman had apologized Tuesday for using language that was “unprofessional and inappropriate” in the Astros clubhouse following Saturday night’s pennant- clinching victory over the New York Yankees.
SI reported Taubman repeatedly yelled toward a group of female reporters about closer Roberto Osuna, who was suspended for 75 games last year for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy then was traded from Toronto to the Astros.
Taubman shouted “Thank God we got Osuna!” according to SI, which said he made similar remarks several times, punctuating them with a profanity.
After an investigation by Major League Baseball and the Astros, Luhnow met with Taubman on Thursday and fired him. Luhnow called it “a pretty tough conversation.” PHILLIES TAB GIRARDI AS MANAGER » Philadelphia hired exYankees skipper Joe Girardi to replace Gabe Kapler as manager.
Kapler was fired after an injury- depleted team went 81- 81 despite significant offseason additions highlighted by Bryce Harper’s arrival. He was 161-163 in his two seasons.
Girardi succeeded Joe Torre after the 2007 season and spent a decade in pinstripes. He led New York to its 27th World Series title, beating the Phillies in six games in 2009. He also managed the Marlins one season and was NL Manager of the Year after going 78-84 in 2006.
Girardi’s record with the Yankees was 910-710. ROSS TO GUIDE CUBS » The Chicago Cubs hired former catcher David Ross to replace Joe Maddon as their manager.
Ross played the final two of his 15 major league seasons with the Cubs and was a revered leader on the 2016 team that won the World Series, ending a championship drought dating to 1908. He spent the past three years in Chicago’s front office. PADRES HIRE TINGLER AS SKIPPER » The San Diego Padres turned to another rookie manager to replace the fired Andy Green.
The Padres hired Jayce Tingler from the Texas Rangers to take over a team that has missed the playoffs for 13 straight seasons and hasn’t had a winning record in nine years.
Tingler has most recently been the Rangers’ major league player development field coordinator. HICKS TO HAVE SURGERY » New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks will have Tommy John surgery for a partially torn ligament in his throwing elbow and is expected to be out 8-10 months.