Wire Taps: Washington Nationals drop 2 of 3 in Boston; Next stop Philadelphia; Trade Deadline...

Davey Martinez’s club is 12-19 after losing two of three to the Red Sox this weekend but their manager hasn’t lost faith in his team.

“We’re starting to swing the bats, we’re hitting the ball, we’re scoring runs,” Martinez said on Sunday afternoon.

“We’ve just got to get our starting pitching figured out and then we’ll go from there. But, the lineup they’re starting to swing the bat. [Eric] Thames hit the ball hard today, took his walks.

“Trea [Turner] is being Trea. Adam Eaton smoked a double today. The bats are there, we’re starting to score runs, now we just got to get our starting pitchers to go deep into games and get our bullpen in there to only cover three innings instead of six or seven.”

Austin Voth went just two innings on Sunday. His role in the rotation is seemingly in jeopardy. Erick Fedde starts tonight in Citizens Bank Park.

Go read your links...

NATS BEAT:

Austin Voth puts Nationals in a hole, and their second half starts with another loss - (WaPost)
"The Nationals have a slim window to right their issues and find a groove. They just kept putting that off Sunday. They were again sunk by Voth."

Another bad start for Voth, another series loss for Nats - (MASN)
"The 2020 season is now more than halfway complete, and the defending World Series champs still have not won a three-game series."

Nationals-Red Sox features 2020 version of a fan storming the field - (NBC Sports Washington)
"Every once and a while, a Major League Baseball game will provide the chaotic moment of a fan making their way onto the field during live action."

Don’t expect Nationals to be very active at trade deadline - (NBC Sports Washington)
"The Nationals started the day with the second-worst winning percentage in the National League. But, they were also just three games out of an extended playoff spot."

Trea Turner spends weekend setting records in Boston - (NBC Sports Washington)
"Trea Turner tied a Nationals record on Sunday when he picked up his eighth consecutive hit during a weekend torching of the Boston Red Sox. He also went on to set others."

After fortuitously timed signing, Holt hopes to help Nats - (MASN)
"The call came Friday from the Nationals, and Holt was eager to join the defending World Series champions as soon as possible."

Doolittle's key in return? To simplify (& Phish) - (MLB.com)
"Doolittle had to learn how to trust his body again. That meant less over-correcting and more doing what had led him to success as a late-inning reliever."

Last-place Nationals need Aníbal Sánchez to be the best version of himself - (NBC Sports Washington)
"Aníbal Sánchez’s start to the 2020 season has looked a lot like his start to the 2019 campaign."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

Dakota Bacus goes from SCC to the Big Leagues - (The Hawkeye)
"Bacus was cut from his high school baseball team his sophomore year and did not plan to go out for the sport his junior years."

NL EAST UPDATES:

Girardi: 'I like how our team stacks up' - (MLB.com)
"The Phillies’ front office has been contacting teams about potential deals, but there are indications that nothing is imminent."

Edwin Díaz struggles in loss to Yankees - (MLB.com)
"Since joining the Mets last season, Díaz is 28-for-38 with a 5.80 ERA in save opportunities."

Miami falls below .500 in Alcantara's return - (MLB.com)
"Not even the return of Sandy Alcantara could reverse the Marlins’ fortunes in Sunday's Citrus Series finale, and now the club finds itself under .500 for the first time this season."

Acuña departs early with tight hamstring - (MLB.com)
"Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. exited Sunday night’s game against the Phillies with right hamstring tightness, a move the Braves called 'a precaution.'"