It’s not going according to plan for Nationals
Juan Soto, the reigning NL batting champion, is on the 10-day injured list. So is Stephen Strasburg, the 2019 World Series MVP. Key relievers Will Harris and Wander Suero, too. Jon Lester has yet to make his debut since arriving as a free agent.
That’s just a sampling of the ways in which things already have not gone according to plan for the Washington Nationals in the early going of 2021 — and that substantial list doesn’t even include the COVID-19 outbreak that sidelined nine players on opening day, more than a third of the roster.
“We’ve had a lot thrown at us the first couple weeks of the season,” reliever Daniel Hudson said.
And yet Washington will head into the start of a three-game series at the NL East rival New York Mets today with a 7-9 record.
Certainly not where the Nationals want to be — “I’d much prefer being 9-7 or above .500,” manager Dave Martinez said — but thanks to a 6-4 stretch, it looks a lot better than the 1-5 mark with which they began.
The Nationals, who finished tied for last in the division in the shortened 2020 season, had Thursday off following a pair of one-run victories that gave them a series win against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“We’re starting to do the right things and what it’s going to take,” Max Scherzer said after striking out nine in six innings Wednesday. “Winning with starting pitching. Winning with offense. Winning with baserunning. Winning with defense.”
WALLACE TO BE OLYMPIC PITCHING COACH >> Dave Wallace will be Mike Scioscia’s pitching coach when the
U.S. manager tries to qualify his team for the Olympic baseball tournament.
Jerry Weinstein will be bench coach, Ernie Young hitting and first base coach, Darren Fenster third base coach and Roly de Armas bullpen coach, USA Baseball said.
Wallace served as pitching coach for the Dodgers (1995-97), Mets (1999-2000), Red Sox (2003-06), Astros (2007) and Orioles (201416) and spent 2017-19 as a pitching consultant for the Braves.
Young was a member of the U.S. Olympic baseball team that won the gold medal at Sydney, Australia in 2000.
Scioscia will lead the U.S. at the Baseball Americas Qualifier in Port St. Lucie and West Palm Beach, Fla., from May 31 to June 5 with a yet-tobe-announced roster of minor leaguers and released players. Only players not on 26-man major league rosters and injured lists will be eligible. MAYS WINS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD >> Willie Mays has won the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Baseball Digest.
The Hall of Fame center fielder was honored with a new accolade to be given annually recognizing a living individual who has made “significant contributions to the national game.”
Mays, who turns 90 on May 6, was chosen over five other finalists in voting by a panel of longtime baseball writers, broadcasters, historians and executives.
The Say Hey Kid appears on the cover of Baseball Digest for the fourth time.
Also selected as finalists were Hank Aaron, Roland Hemond, Rachel Robinson, Vin Scully and Joe Torre.