Wire Taps: Max Scherzer sets Nationals’ K record; Trea Turner’s 162-game season

Welcome to what will likely be the last competitive day of the Nationals’ 2018 season!

Here’s the scoop from South Capitol:

Trea Turner’s durability is on display down the stretch for the Nationals (WaPo)
Turner is only hitting .268, but he’s hit more homers and driven in more runs than he ever has this year — and he’s played in every game.

No days off have been no problem for Turner (MASN)
“I appreciate the fact he goes out there and plays every day,” manager Davey Martinez said. “It’s hard to do these days. I talk to him and ask if he needs a day off, and he’s good to go. He loves to play.”

Trea Turner on track to play in 162 games (MLB.com)
Turner has not missed a single game this year, and doesn’t intend to take a day off until the season ends in about a week.

Max Scherzer sets Nats’ record for most K’s (MLB.com)
The previous record-holder was... himself.

Martinez wants young starters Fedde and Rodriguez to seek out strike zone (MASN)
Erick Fedde is *almost* there. Jefry Rodriguez... less so. Either way, to compete for a slot in the 2019 rotation, Davey Martinez stressed that both will need to improve their command.

Short Relief: Space Oddities (Baseball Prospectus)
Front offices know how important it is to have a Triple-A affiliate remotely near the parent club, yet one of them finds themselves with an affiliate sitting in a chair about 3,000 miles away, which is arguably worse than no chair at all.

Can the Nats develop starting pitching? (Nationals Baseball — Sweetspot)
The Nats have developed two or three A-grade starters, and they haven’t seen a new one since 2013 or so with Tanner Roark’s debut.

Bryce Harper is ejected for first time this season in Nationals’ loss to Mets (WaPo)
“He was walking away,” Martinez said. “I mean I don’t know what he said, I haven’t talked to him. But he was walking away, it should be a done deal, whatever. When the umpire threw him out I was really surprised.”