MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
Will I Am
William Contreras is batting .359 (33- for-92) with 9 doubles, 3 HR and 17 RBI in 22 games in July, posting a .388 OBP/.554 SLG/.942 OPS…..his 9 doubles in July are tied for the most in the NL while his 33 hits are tied for second most in the league.
Burnes-ing Up
Corbin Burnes is 4-1 with a 1.64 ERA (33ip, 6er) in 5 starts in July…..the NL Pitcher of the Month candidate ranks among NL leaders for July in the following categories:
Category NL Rank
AVG (.108) ………………………………………..1st
WHIP (0.64)……………………………………..1st
H/9 (3.00)………………………………………..1st
Wins (4)…………………………………………..T1st
Strikeouts (42)…………………………….T2nd
ERA (1.64)………………………………………..3rd
IP (33.0)…………………………………………..3rd
K/9 (11.45)……………………………………….3rd
Providing a Spark
Sal Frelick has reached base safely 14 times (7h, 7bb) in his first 8 career games, the most times on base by any Brewers player over their first 8 career games…..the franchise record for times reaching base through 9 career games is 15 by Danny Thomas in 1976 and Doug Loman in 1984.
Rebel Yeli
In his last 45 games, Christian Yelich has hit .330 (59-for-179) with 35 runs, 9 HR and 34 RBI while he has a .403 OBP/.587 SLG/.990 OPS.
NL Leaders – RBI at First Base
Player RBI at 1B
Matt Olson, ATL………………………………. 88
Freddie Freeman, LAD…………………….73
Pete Alonso, NYM…………………………… 69
Christian Walker, ARI …………………….. 68
Carlos Santana, PIT-MIL ……………… 51
Santana’s Greatest Hits
Carlos Santana (291) is 10th in MLB history for homers by switch-hitters.
Player HR
- Chili Davis …………………………………..350
- Reggie Smith………………………………314
- Ruben Sierra ……………………………..306
- Carlos Santana ………………………291
BREWERS vs. NATIONALS
SUMMARY: Are 88-76 all-time, went 3-3 last season and are 19-9 in the last 28 games against Washington. at MIL: Are 52-32, going 44-25 at American Family Field and 8-7 at County Stadium…..are 17-7 over the last 24 home games against the Nationals, including 2-1 last season.
at WSH: Are 36-44 all-time, going 22-24 at Nationals Park, 3-7 at RFK Stadium, 2-1 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium (Expos) and 9-12 at Olympic Stadium (Expos)…..went 1-2 in 2022.
TONIGHT’S GAME: Is game 4 of a 6-game trip (0-3) to Atlanta (0-3) and Washington (3g)…..the Brewers are coming off a 3-3 homestand against Atlanta (1-2) and Cincinnati (2-1)…..following this road trip, the team returns to American Family Field for a 7-game homestand against Pittsburgh (4g) and Colorado (3g).
IN THE TRAINER’S ROOM: INF/OF Brian Anderson (lower back), LHP Aaron Ashby (left labrum), LHP Wade Miley (left elbow), OF Garrett Mitchell (left shoulder), 1B Darin Ruf (right knee), LHP Bennett Sousa (left shoulder), RHP Julio Teheran (right hip), 1B Rowdy Tellez (right forearm/left ring finger), LHP Justin Wilson (left lat), OF Jesse Winker (back) and RHP Brandon Woodruff (right shoulder) are on the injured list….. Ashby, Mitchell, Ruf and Woodruff are on the 60-day IL.
IN THE STANDINGS (123 days): The Brewers have spent the following number of days alone or tied at each position in the NL Central standings: FIRST: 73, SECOND: 48, THIRD: 2, FOURTH: 0, FIFTH: 0…..the team is currently in second place, trailing the first-place Reds by half a game.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Brewers are 18-15-1 in series play.
Game 1: 16-18, Game 2: 19-15, Game 3: 18-15, Game 4: 4-1
Sweep Wins (5): vs. NYM (3g, 4/3-4/5), at SEA (3g, 4/17-4/19), vs. KC (3g, 5/12-5/14), vs. PIT (3g, 6/16-6/18), at CIN (3g, 7/14-7/16)
Sweep Losses (4): at COL (3g, 5/2-5/4), vs. OAK (3g, 6/9-6/11), at MIN (2g, 6/13-6/14), at ATL (3g, 7/28-7/30)
AT HOME: The Brewers are 29-24 at home, going 9-7-1 in series play…..the team went 46-35 at home last season, going 15-8-4 in series play.
ON THE ROAD: The Brewers are 28-25 on the road, going 9-8-0 in series play…..from 7/1-7/16 had a season-high 5-game road winning streak…..the team went 40-41 on the road last season, going 9-12-5 in series play.
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made 24 replay challenges this season, going 10-14…..their last challenge (won) came on 7/29 at Atlanta as a safe call on a pickoff attempt at first base (Ronald Acuña Jr.) was overturned.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: #39 – RHP CORBIN BURNES (21gs, 9-6, 3.46)
BURNES AT A GLANCE: Corbin Burnes, 28, will be making his 22nd start of the season…..Burnes last started last Tuesday vs. Cincinnati and had a 4-game winning streak snapped in a 4-3 defeat (6ip, 3h, 2r, 2er, 1bb, 6k, 1hbp, 93 pitches)…..the team is 12-9 in his starts…..he has 14 quality starts and five in a row…..opponents are batting .195 (90-for-461, 14hr)…..Burnes was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of St. Mary’s (CA) College…..he is under club control through 2024.
TRIFECTA!: Burnes is the fifth player in franchise history to make three straight All-Star Games, joining Ryan Braun (5), Josh Hader (4), Dan Plesac (3) and Don Money (3).
CY BURNES: Burnes won the 2021 National League Cy Young Award after going 11-5 with a Major League-best 2.43 ERA in 28 starts…..he became the third pitcher in franchise history to win a Cy Young Award, joining Rollie Fingers (1981) and Pete Vuckovich (1982)…..he became the first pitcher in franchise history to lead his league in ERA.
CAREER: Is 44-25 with a 3.26 ERA in 156 games/95 starts (643ip, 233er)…..is in his sixth Major League season, all with the Brewers (2018-23)…..is 36-22 with a 3.05 ERA as a starter (561ip, 190er) and 8-3 with a 4.72 ERA in relief (82ip, 43er)…..Burnes is a three-time All-Star (2021-23) and was a 2021 All-MLB First Team selection.
CAREER AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD: Is 21-15 with a 3.56 ERA in 76 games/49 starts (331ip, 131er)…..is 4-3 with a 4.01 ERA in 10 starts this season (58.1ip, 26er).
CAREER ON THE ROAD: Is 23-10 with a 2.94 ERA in 80 games/46 starts (312ip, 102er)…..is 5-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 11 starts this season (69ip, 23er).
CAREER vs. NATIONALS: Has made 3 appearances against the Nationals, all coming in relief (3ip, 2h, 0r, 0bb, 3k) in 2018 (2g) and 2019 (1g).
WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
OPPONENT – MILWAUKEE BREWERS
The Nationals and Brewers will face each other six times in 2023 (3 in D.C., 3 in MIL)…The Nationals advanced to the 2019 NLDS with a 4-3 win over the Brewers in the Wild Card game…Nationals bullpen coach Henry Blanco played two seasons in Milwaukee (2000-01)…Alex Call is from River Falls, Wisc. and attended River Falls High School.
QUICK STOP AT HOME
The Washington Nationals open a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers before heading back out on the road for a seven-game road trip against the Cincinnati Reds (3 G) and Philadelphia Phillies (4 G).
- The Nationals enter this series having won seven of their last eight games at Nationals Park.
STATUS CHECK
The Nationals have won six of their last 10, 10 of their last 18 and are 16-15 (.516) since June 24.
- This stretch includes series victories over the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies.
ROSTER MOVE
The Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Hobie Harris and placed right-handed pitcher Trevor Williams on the Bereavement List on Monday…Harris returns for his second stint with Washington after making the Nationals’ 2023 Opening Day roster.
BORN TO RUN
CJ Abrams is tied for fourth in the National League with 24 stolen bases…He has stolen 21 consecutive bases without being caught… Abrams was last caught stealing on May 3 vs. Chicago (NL)…According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it is tied for the longest active streak in MLB this season with Trea Turner…It is the second-longest streak in Nationals history (2005-pres.) behind Roger Bernadina (24 G, June 9, 2010 to June 24, 2011).
- Since being moved to the leadoff spot on July 7, Abrams is hitting .338 (26-for-77) with two doubles, a triple, three homers, seven RBI, six walks, two hit by pitch, 13 stolen bases and 19 runs scored…He’s hit safely in 16 of the 19 and has reached safely in 17 of the 19.
- In 34 games since June 19, he is hitting .328 with a .508 slugging percentage (7 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR) and is 18-for-18 in stolen base attempts.
- Of note this series, Abrams is 25-for-68 (.368) with five doubles, one triple, two homers, four RBI, four walks, seven stolen bases and 17 runs scored in 20 games against the NL Central this season.
NOBODY SHUTS OUT THE NATS
The Nationals have not been shut out since April 19 vs. Baltimore, a streak of 88 straight games…It is the longest single-season streak in Nationals history (2005-pres.) and the longest streak in MLB this season ahead of Arizona (87 G, March 30-July 5).
- The next longest single-season streak is held by the Seattle Mariners (97 G, June 12-Oct. 3, 2021).
CANDY CAN DO IT
Jeimer Candelario is third in the National League with 30 doubles and is tied for sixth with 48 extra-base hits…With 30 doubles and 16 home runs in 99 games, he’s already surpassed his 2022 totals (19 2B, 13 HR in 124 games).
OK, KYLE
Kyle Finnegan has three saves, five holds and has pitched to a 0.93 ERA (2 ER/19.1 IP) with a .159 opponents’ average (10-for-63) in his last 17 appearances.
- He’s set a new career-high and is 10th in the NL with 14 saves this season.
- Finnegan surrendered seven earned runs and three home runs in his first three outings…Since the next outing on April 7 at Colorado, he has pitched to a 1.73 ERA (8 ER/41.2 IP) with 42 strikeouts and three home runs allowed in 39 games.
BACKSTOP BATS
Some notes on Washington’s catchers:
- Riley Adams has produced multi-hit efforts in his last four starts and in five of his last six…During this six-game stretch, he is 11-for-25 (.440) with five doubles, a homer and six RBI.
- Keibert Ruiz is hitting .373 (19-for-51) with four doubles, two homers, eight RBI, four walks, one stolen base and seven runs scored over his last 14 games…He’s hit safely in 13 of the 14 games.
LANE TRAIN
Lane Thomas ranks in the National League in hits (4th, 119), doubles (T4th, 26), average (7th, .285), and runs (9th, 69).
- He leads the National League (T1st in MLB) with a career-high 11 outfield assists.
STARTING PITCHER – #74 JAKE IRVIN
Tall right-handed starter was added to Washington’s 40-man roster following the 2022 season…Has the “Best Control” in Washington’s system, perBaseball America…Joins other University of Oklahoma pitchers Cade Cavalli (2020 Draft) and Jake Bennett (2022 Draft) in the Nationals organization….Is the 25th pitcher drafted/signed and developed by the Washington Nationals to start a game for Washington (2005-pres.).
LAST START
Allowed four earned runs on six hits, walked two and struck out seven in 6.0 innings against Colorado on July 26…He took a no decision in the Nationals’ 5-4 victory.
vs. MILWAUKEE Has never faced the Brewers.
RECENCY BIAS
Since having his turn in he rotation skipped in early June for rest, Irvin has pitched to a 4.36 ERA (21 ER/43.1 IP) with 37 strikeouts and 12 walks allowed in eight starts…He has allowed 13 extra-base hits (3 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR) while holding opponents to a .255 average…His best start came on July 21 against San Francisco when he allowed three earned runs on five hits with nine strikeouts and one walk in 6.2 innings.
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
Irvin is 1-1 with a 4.95 ERA (11 ER/20.0 IP) in four road outings…He has yet to make a road start east of the Mississippi River (at SFG, at LAD, at SEA, at STL).
FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE WIN
Earned his first Major League win on May 8 at San Francisco…Tossed 6.1 shutout innings with five strikeouts, three walks and four hits allowed…With the outing, Irvin became the first pitcher in Nationals history (2005- pres.) to finish one of his first two career starts with at least 6.0 scoreless innings.
THE STORY OF HIS CURVEBALL
As told to Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post: “To Irvin, baseball was more about having fun than plotting a future. He learned his curveball grip by messing around in the backyard. He honed the pitch by throwing it from shortstop to first base during practice, a way of messing with his teammates.”
- Opposing batters are 16-for-87 (.184) with 22 strikeouts against his curveball.
