The Nationals dropped their first matchup with the Cardinals. Can they turn it around to win game two of the series? Here are three things to watch for.
1. Don’t look now, but the bullpen may finally be turning the corner in Washington. The relief unit as a whole has thrown 12 consecutive scoreless innings across the last two games, including four innings against the Cardinals Monday night.
Joe Ross has looked like a welcome addition to back end of the group, and his stuff plays up well in a single inning. Trevor Rosenthal, who has been one of the biggest culprits during the team’s struggles in the early going, is rehabbing in the minors now, leaving a spot open for someone to prove they can add stability in the late innings.
The question everyone is asking is whether this is a sign of things to come, or just a blip in the radar? We’ll find out soon enough. For now, just be thankful they no longer have the worst ERA in Major League Baseball.
2. What’s the latest on Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman? Rendon was held out of the lineup again Monday night, and it’s now been over a week since his initial elbow injury in Miami. The team has referred to him as “day to day” for several days in a row at this point, and the Nationals need Rendon to get healthy as soon as possible if they’re going to turn around their recent slide.
Thankfully for Washington, Howie Kendrick (in place of Rendon) and Matt Adams (in place of Zimmerman) have hit really well in the starters’ absence. Kendrick and Adams both find themselves in the Top 10 of Statcast’s Barrels/PA % stat, a sign of how consistently they’re making the best possible contact at the plate.
As long as they keep hitting the way they have, the Nationals are in good hands. That doesn’t change how badly they want to have Rendon back in the lineup, though.
Live look at your 2019 NL Strikeout Leaderboard:
1. Max Scherzer — 54
2. Stephen Strasburg — 48
3. Patrick Corbin — 44#TheyreAllOnOurTeam // #OnePursuit pic.twitter.com/kcyJ4jatjJ— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) April 30, 2019
3. How will Anibal Sanchez pitch? The number four starter in the Nationals’ rotation has allowed at least three earned runs in four of his five starts in 2019, and has just one quality start this season. He has just 20 strikeouts in 27 innings this season, and has walked a whopping 16 batters, so his 6.00 ERA is well-deserved.
The Nationals don’t need him to be on the same level as Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin, but they do need a certain degree of reliability if they’re going to make the most of this season. Sanchez doesn’t have a huge burden to bear, but in just five starts (an admittedly small sample size) he hasn’t been up to par yet. How he performs against a potent Cardinals lineup will go a long way in determining if the Nationals can tie the series Tuesday night.
Download the MyTeams app for coverage from NBC Sports Washington of the Nationals-Cardinals game on Tuesday. The game broadcast will be at 7:05 p.m. ET on 106.7 the Fan and MASN.
