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The Caps may be out, but the good news is that the Nats are playing so well you’ll hardly notice?
On second thought, maybe go check out DC United instead.
Here’s the scoop from South Capitol:
History lesson: These call-ups set the bar for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (ESPN)
Juan Soto's case—called up in late spring near his 20th birthday—is quite similar to Vladdy Jr.'s, as it turns out.
The Trevor Rosenthal Situation Has Gone From Funny To Gloomy To Dangerous (Deadspin)
Trevor Rosenthal has the yips — no doubt about it at this point. Soon, the Nationals will run out of patience with him, despite what Davey Martinez is preaching — and it's disheartening to watch.
Trevor Rosenthal struggles, Nats lose series to Rockies (MLB.com)
“It feels like the harder I try, the more it hurts me,” Rosenthal said. “ … In the past, when I wanted to put something extra on [a pitch], it worked, and good things would happen. Right now, I just don’t feel like I’m at that place.”
Juan Soto, Ryan Zimmerman dinged up at Coors (MLB.com)
Hitting the ball off themselves: no team does it better than the Nationals.
Anthony Rendon nears return to Nationals’ lineup (MLB.com)
Rendon hasn't played since a HBP on the elbow last Saturday, but very well could return by Friday, when the Nats come home to face the Padres. In the meantime, Adam Eaton claims to be healthy and Justin Miller is rehabbing in Potomac.
‘We expected better’: Nationals close road trip with another series loss at Colorado (WaPo)
The Nationals should have gone 4-2 at least on this road trip. Two sweeps would have been equally important. Instead, they put up 2 wins and 4 losses as their offense went dormant yet again and the bullpen limped to the finish line. (Also, the defense struggled with, you guessed it, the fundamentals.)
Nats can't sustain momentum, drop another series (MASN)
The Nats are stuck in a brutal pattern of winning one, then losing one, then winning again. They've looked downright dominant and completely pathetic. Nobody is happy, Trevor Rosenthal is unusable, and Aníbal Sánchez suddenly has a 6.00 ERA.
Victor Robles states his case to remain near the top of Nationals’ lineup (WaPo)
“You know what, right now with the injury to Trea and Rendon not able to play yet, he fits the bill right there,” Manager Dave Martinez said after the win. “But we’ll see what happens later on.”
NL Least is Dead. Long Live the NL Least (Sweetspot — Nationals Baseball)
The Nats took advantage of the Phillies, Marlins, Mets, and Braves all struggling together for six consecutive seasons. This year, things were supposed to be different — but the division is just a hodgepodge of mediocrity, with the worst combined record, worst leader, and worst top four teams in the NL. Man, if only two pitchers were out there to help fix literally any of these teams' situations!
MASN’s hidden camera captured Nats closer Sean Doolittle on a nature walk at Coors Field (WaPo)
Coors Field has, as it turns out, a "miniature nature preserve" with a pond and rock formations. Sean Doolittle ended up walking through and found MASN's miniature camera in center field, then going into "full conspiracy theory mode."
Five things we learned from MLB's Opening Day payrolls (ESPN)
The Nationals poured $191.6 million into their major league team, behind the Dodgers and the three $200m+ teams. It, uh, hasn't paid dividends thus far.
Melanie Newman and Suzie Cool made history on Tuesday night. The hardest part comes next (The Athletic)
The Salem Red Sox broadcast team featured two women, the first all-female broadcast team at any level of baseball ever. It happened in Woodbridge against the P-Nats, the first of roughly 35 they'll work together. It's a low-level job for both of them, but the playing field was even, and that's what counts, at least for one day, even as inequality reigns in the field of sports journalism for women.