WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
SINGLES NIGHT
The Washington Nationals recorded 14 hits – 12 singles – en route to a 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night…Each hitter in the lineup collected at least one hit, while five hitters posted multi-hit efforts.
• Mason Thompson (Hold, 0.2 IP), Hunter Harvey (Hold, 1.1 IP, BB, 2 SO), Carl Edwards Jr. (Hold, 1.0 IP, 2 SO) and Kyle Finnegan (Save, 1.0 IP, SO) combined to toss 4.0 innings of no-hit, shutout relief with five strikeouts and one walk.
ROSTER MOVE
The Nationals recalled infielder Jeter Downs from Triple-A Rochester and placed infielder/outfielder Ildemaro Vargas on the 10-day Injured List (retroactive to April 10) with a left shoulder strain on Tuesday.
• Downs joins the Nationals for the first time this season after being claimed off waivers from the Boston Red Sox on Dec. 22, 2022….He entered the 2023 season as one of only three Minor Leaguers with at least 80 doubles, 70 home runs and 100 stolen bases since the start of 2017…Downs was rated as high as the No. 2 prospect in Boston’s Minor League system, according to Baseball America, in 2020 before coming in at No. 3 in 2021 and No. 6 in 2022.
PLAYIN’ THE HITS
Washington’s offense leads the National League (3rd in MLB) with 103 hits and ranks third in the NL with a .274 batting average (6th in MLB)…The Nationals have recorded double-digit hits in three of their last four games.
• Nationals hitters have struck out just 75 times, third-fewest in the National League (5th in MLB).
ROLLIN’ ROBLES
Victor Robles ranks in the National League in batting average (4th, .412), on-base percentage (5th, .487) and hits (T8th, 14).
• He is 12-for-24 (.500) with two doubles, four RBI, two walks, two stolen bases and four runs scored over his last seven games…He’s hit safely in six of the seven games with five multi-hit efforts.
• Robles has struck out just three times this season and his 7.3% strikeout rate ranks third in the National League (6th in MLB).
START ME UP
Jim Hickey’s starting rotation ranks third in the National League (8th in MLB) with 56.2 innings pitched… The rotation also ranks in the National League in walks per 9.0 innings (4th, 3.34), fewest walks (T5th, 21) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (7th, 2.14).
OFF AND RUNNING
CJ Abrams matched a Nationals record (2005-pres.) with two triples on Saturday night…It was the second two-triple game in Major League Baseball this season (also: LAD James Outman, 4/3 vs. COL).
• Abrams is 8-for-25 (.320) with a double, two triples, five RBI, two walks, one hit by pitch and three runs scored over his last seven games…This comes after starting the season in an 0-for-10 stretch.
• Abrams has drawn three walks in 10 games this season…He drew one walk in 44 games with the Nationals and five walks in 90 games total in 2022.
ALEX, DOM AND LANE
• Alex Call leads the Nationals and ranks tied for sixth in the National League with eight walks…He went 6-for-17 (.353) with a double, homer, three RBI, three walks and six runs scored over his last four games…He has reached base safely in a career-high eight straight games.
• Dominic Smith is 6-for-16 (.375) with three RBI, three walks and three runs scored over his last four games…He’s reached safely in eight of nine games this season and has hit safely in seven of nine.
• Lane Thomas is tied for fifth in the National League with 15 hits, while his .341 batting average ranks 14th…He has hit safely in nine of 11 games this season and has reached base safely in 10 of the 11.
OPPONENT
LOS ANGELES ANGELS
The Nationals and Angels will face off three times in 2023, all in Los Angeles…GM Mike Rizzo spent four seasons as a minor league infielder in the Angels organization…First base coach, Eric Young Jr. played parts of two seasons (2017-18) with them… Third base coach, Gary DiSarcina, spent his entire Major League career with the Angels from 1989- 2000…Hunter Harvey’s dad, Bryan, recored 126 saves across six seasons (1987-92) with the Angels, including a career-high 46 during his AL AllStar season in 1991…Nationals broadcaster Kevin Frandsen spent part of the 2010 season as a member of the Angels…Anthony Rendon was a member of the Nationals for seven seasons (2013-19)… Ali Modami, the Nationals former batting practice pitcher, serves the Angels in the same role.
40 JOSIAH GRAY
Right-hander was acquired by the Nationals from the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2021 Trade Deadline…Was Los Angeles’ No. 2 prospect entering 2021 and its Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2019…Was originally selected by Cincinnati in the second round (No. 72 overall) of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York…Was acquired by the Dodgers on his 21st birthday, Dec. 21, 2018…Is the Player Ambassador to the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy.
LAST START
Allowed one earned run on eight hits with six strikeouts and one walk in 6.0 innings of work on April 6 at Colorado…It was his sixth career start of at least 6.0 innings and one earned run allowed and his first of 2023.
• Gray generated 19 swings and misses (including 11 on sliders) of his 102 pitches, tied for the fourth-most in a start in his career.
vs. LOS ANGELES (AL)
Faces the Angels for the second time in his career…Earned the win on May 7, 2022 at Los Angeles, allowing three earned runs on five hits in 5.1 innings of work.
THE STORY OF HIS CUTTER
As told to Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post in a recent story: “At the start of spring training, Gray debuted a cutter he learned from Erasmo Ramírez, who drew his grip on a baseball Gray practiced with until he lost it at the gym during the offseason. Gray joked that some Florida teenager could be throwing Ramírez’s cutter in high school games. Yet by the time he misplaced the ball, Gray knew where to put his fingers. The pitch felt like a natural complement to his slider, moving more side-to-side while his gyroscopic slider drops almost straight down.”
2023 SPRING TRAINING
Gray led Major League Baseball with a 0.55 ERA (1 ER/16.1 IP) in five starts…He struck out 14 batters, walked two and did not allow a home run.
2022
In his first full Major League season, ranked ninth in the National League (min. 135.0 IP) with 9.32 SO/9.0 IP…Led the Nationals with 154 strikeouts…Ranked eighth in MLB in slider whiff percentage (38%)…Recorded three 10+ strikeout games…Went 2-0 with a 1.24 ERA (4 ER/29.0 IP), 31 strikeouts, three homers and .155 opponents’ average in five starts from May 29-June 25…Tossed 17.0 consecutive scoreless innings from June 3-25, the second-longest streak on the Nationals behind Erasmo Ramírez (18.0 IP)…Tossed a career-high 7.0 innings on June 25 at Texas…Struck out a career-high 11 batters on July 6 at Philadelphia…In his final start of the season, allowed one earned run on two hits in 6.0 innings on Sept. 28 vs. Atlanta…2022 Pitch Mix: 4-Seam Fastball (39.2%) Slider (29.5%) Curveball (24.8%) Sinker (3.7%) Changeup (2.8%).
2021
Was acquired by the Nationals at the Trade Deadline and reported to D.C…Made his first start with Washington on Aug. 2 vs. Philadelphia (5.0 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 2 SO)…Struck out a career-high 10 batters in his second start on Aug. 7 at Atlanta…Became just the second pitcher in Nationals history (2005-pres.) to record at least 10 strikeouts in one of his first two starts with the team (Stephen Strasburg, first start on 6/8/2010 vs. PIT)…Earned his first career win on Sept. 22 at Miami (6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 8 SO)…Finished the season strong, going 2-0 with a 3.12 ERA (6 ER/17.1 IP), a .203 opponents’ average, 19 strikeouts and six walks in his final three starts of the season…Allowed just two home runs in his final four starts after surrendering 17 home runs in his first 10 outings of the season…With Los Angeles, had his contract selected on July 20 and made his Major League debut that day against the San Francisco Giants…Tossed 4.0 innings out of the bullpen behind an opener (4 ER, 4 H, 7 SO)…Gray made his first Major League start on July 25 vs. Colorado (4.0 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 6 SO)…2021 Pitch Mix: 4-Seam (51.7%) Curve (25.1%) Slider (20%) Changeup (3.2%).
LOS ANGELES ANGELS NOTES:
LEADING OFF: Today, the Angels play the fifth (1-3) of six games on the opening homestand of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays (1-2) and Washington Nationals (0-1; April 10-12)…Angels have lost two straight games for first time this season…Halos went 4-2 on first road trip of year against Oakland (2-1) and Seattle (2-1).
SHO DAY: Tonight, Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to make his third pitching start of the season and first at home…This season on the mound, he has allowed one earned run across 12 innings pitched (0.75 ERA) and has allowed two-or-fewer runs in nine consecutive pitching starts, which ties a franchise record (Nolan Ryan had a nine game streak across the 1972- 73 seasons).
CITY CONNECT SEASON DEBUT: The Angels will wear their City Connect uniforms today for the first time this season… The Halos unveiled their Nike MLB City Connect Series Uniform in June 2022, which blends the Club’s iconic red with retro Southern California beach and surf style.
WELCOME TO THE RENAISSANCE: Today’s Angels lineup is scheduled to be the second time this season that Anthony Rendon, Hunter Renfroe & Luis Rengifo hit consecutively in the order…On Opening Day, the trio hit in the 4-6 spots, marking the first lineup in franchise history to feature three straight players who have the same first three letters of their last name…The last MLB occurrence was by Detroit on July
20, 2015 (Victor Martinez, J.D. Martinez, Jefry Marte).
BIG A RUN LEADER: Last night, Mike Trout scored his 523rd career run at Angel Stadium, which established a new all-time record for the ballpark…Garret Anderson scored 522 runs at The Big A.
ANGELS RECENT RECORDS TO BEGIN SEASON
AFTER 10 GAMES: AFTER 11 GAMES:
2023: 5-5 2023: ???
2022: 6-4 2022: 6-5
2021: 7-3 2021: 7-4
2020: 3-7 2020: 4-7
2019: 4-6 2019: 5-6
ON WITH THE SHO: Dating back to last season, Shohei Ohtani has reached base safely (via hit, walk, or HBP) in a career-high 33 consecutive games…It’s the second-longest active streak in the Majors, behind Aaron Judge (43 games)…Additionally, the streak is tied for the seventh-longest in Angels history; if the on-base streak continues tonight, he would tie Lee Thomas (1962) for the sixth-longest streak in Club history.
VS. WASHINGTON: Today is the second (0-1) of three games this season in the only series of the year between the Angels and Nationals…Last year, the Halos won two of three meetings with the Nats, including a Mother’s Day walk-off hit by former National Anthony Rendon in the series finale… LAA is 14-9 all-time against the Expos/Nationals franchise, including a 7-5 mark at The Big A.
CANNING COMEBACK: RHP Griffin Canning (left groin strain) is scheduled to return from the injured list tomorrow to make a start on the mound…It will be his first MLB appearance since July 2, 2021 vs. Baltimore…Missed final two months of 2021 season and all of 2022 on the IL with a low back stress reaction…He made a rehab start for Low-A Inland Empire on Thursday and struck out 10 across 5.0 innings of work.
ON BASE DUO: Shohei Ohtani and Taylor Ward have both reached base safely (via hit, walk, or HBP) in all 10 of the Angels games this season…In 2013, Mark Trumbo set the franchise record after reaching base safely in each of the Angels first 20 games (Rod Carew held previous record with a 19-game streak in 1981).
INTERLEAGUE PLAY: LAA owns a 261-224 (.538) all-time Interleague record…The 261 all-time Interleague wins are third most all time behind Red Sox (288) and Yankees (285)… Angels won four of first five Interleague games in 2022, but are 3-13 vs. N.L. opponents since.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – RHP SHOHEI OHTANI
1-0, 0.75 ERA
Has allowed two-or-fewer runs in each of last nine starts
• SHO TIME: Making third pitching start of the season and first at home…Is in sixth Major League season with Angels.
• OFF THE BOARDS: Has allowed two-or-fewer runs in each of his last nine pitching starts, which ties a franchise record (Nolan Ryan had a nine game streak across the 1972-73 seasons)…Overall, has yielded two-or-fewer runs in 18 of last 21 starts and one-or-fewer runs in 15 of last 21 starts.
• LAST TIME ON THE MOUND: Earned the win in last pitching start on Wednesday at Seattle after tossing 6.0 innings and allowing one earned run on three hits with four walks and eight strikeouts.
• VS. WASHINGTON: Today marks first career pitching appearance vs. Nationals.
• INTERLEAGUE PLAY: In five career games vs. N.L. opponents, is 2-1 with a 2.87 ERA (31.1 IP – 10 ER) and 43 SO.
• AT ANGEL STADIUM: In 33 career starts at The Big A, is 15-5 with a 2.02 ERA (196 IP – 44 ER) and 252 strikeouts…In 14 starts last year, was 7-4 with a 1.82 ERA (89 IP – 18 ER)…In 2021, went 6-0 with a 1.95 ERA (78.1 IP – 17 ER) and 93 strikeouts after 13 home starts.
• OPENING DAY STARTER: Was Angels Opening Day starter for second consecutive season…Also made two Opening Day pitching starts in Japan for Nippon-Ham Fighters…Became first Angels pitcher to start consecutive Opening Days since Jered Weaver (2010-15)…Became fourth pitcher in Angels history with 10+ strikeouts on Opening Day, joining Nolan Ryan (12 SO; 1973 & 1975), Andy Messersmith (11 SO; 1970) and Jered Weaver (10 SO; 2012).
• 10 K: Tallied 10 strikeouts in first start of season at Oakland…Recorded 10+ strikeouts in 10 starts last season, which was the most such games in the A.L.; joined Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers in franchise history with 10+ strikeouts in at least six consecutive games.
• WBC MVP: Named Most Valuable Player of the 2023 World Baseball Classic…Made three pitching appearances (two starts) for Japan, going 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA and 11 strikeouts and earned the save in the Championship Game against the United States…Marked first relief appearance since October 16, 2016 in Game 5 of the Final Stage of the 2016 Pacific League Climax Series for Fighters.
• ONE AND ONLY: Last season, became only player to ever qualify for the league leaders as both a hitter and a pitcher in one season…Was the first A.L/N.L. player since Babe Ruth (1918) with 10+ wins and 10+ HR in the same season and the only player in MLB history with 10+ wins & 30 + HR.
• 2022 ON THE MOUND: Was the runner-up in 2022 A.L. MVP voting after winning the award in 2021…Finished 2022 with a 15-9 record, a 2.33 ERA (166 IP – 43 ER) and 219 strikeouts in 28 pitching starts, while holding opponents to a .203 average (124/610)…Led A.L. with an 11.87 SO/9 innings rate…Allowed two-or-fewer runs in 22 of 28 starts…Ranked among league leaders in strikeouts (219; 3rd), whiff% (33.0%; 4th), ERA (2.33; 4th), wins (15; T4th), WHIP (1.01; 5th) and opponent batting average (.203; 6th).
• 200K: Was the first Angels pitcher to reach 200 strikeouts since Jered Weaver in 2010 and the only player in MLB history with 200+ pitching strikeouts and 8+ home runs in one season.
• M V P: Was unanimously named the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player…Marked Angels sixth MVP award in franchise history, following Don Baylor (1979), Vladimir Guerrero (2004) and Mike Trout (2014, 2016 & 2019)… He is the second Japanese-born player to receive MVP honors in the Major Leagues, joining Ichiro Suzuki (2001).
• JAPANESE HALOS: Is one of five Japanese-born players to play for Angels, along with Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Hideki Matsui, Hisanori Takahashi and Junichi Tazawa.
• MLB CAREER NOTES: Signed with Angels as international free agent, Dec. 10, 2017…Made Major League debut as a DH on March 29, 2018 at Oakland and had first start as a pitcher on April 1, 2018 at Oakland…Named the 2018 American League Rookie of the Year and unanimous 2021 American League Most Valuable Player…First MLB player to ever be selected to the All-Star Game as both a pitcher and position player (2021 & 2022).
