WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
GRAY’S DAY
The Washington Nationals dropped the first game of this three-game weekend series with the Atlanta Braves, 3-2, in walk-off fashion…Josiah Gray (5.0 IP, 2 H, ER, 4 BB, 6 SO) improved his road ERA to 2.36, the second-lowest mark in the National League.
- Following this series, the Nationals will enjoy a day off on Monday in Houston before continuing the road trip with a three game series against the Astros on Tuesday.
ON-BASE MACHINE
Joey Meneses has reached base safely in a career-high 16 straight games, the longest active on-base streak in Major League Baseball…He is hitting .355 (21-for-62) with a .437 on-base percentage (9 BB, 8 SO) during this streak.
- He’s reached safely in 26 of his last 27 games, hitting .355/.420/.486 with nine doubles, one triple, one homer, 21 RBI, 12 walks and 15 runs scored during the stretch.
- Meneses ranks in the National League in average with runners in scoring position (3rd, .435), hits (5th, 74) and batting average (7th, .305).
- Meneses is hitting .512 (22-for-43) against right-handed pitchers with runners in scoring position, the best mark in Major League Baseball ahead of Miami’s Luis Arraez (.485).
- He’s recorded eight three-hit games this season, tied for second in the National League.
MAY AND EVERYTHING AFTER
Lane Thomas is hitting .294/.340/.552 with eight doubles, one triple, nine homers, 18 RBI, nine walks, four stolen bases and 28 runs scored since May 1…He’s hit safely in 30 of the 35 games and has reached safely in 32 of the 35.
- He ranks in the National League in hits (T5th, 42), homers (T10th, 9) and slugging percentage (10th, .552) since May 1.
- All of his nine team-leading home runs have come since May 1.
- On defense, Thomas has recorded six outfield assists, tied for the most among National League outfielders.
WE WANT CANDY!
Jeimer Candelario ranks second among National League third basemen in wins above replacement (1.7) behind only SFG J.D. Davis (1.8) and is third among National League third basemen with two defensive runs saved, according to FanGraphs.com.
- He also ranks second among NL third baseman with 17 doubles.
LEFT IS RIGHT
The Nationals rank third among National League clubs in batting average (.292) and second in on-base percentage (.357) against left-handed pitching this season.
- Dominic Smith (2nd, .338) and Luis García (10th, .290) rank among National League left-handed hitters against left-handed pitchers this season.
- Lane Thomas is tied for second in the National League with 27 hits against lefties and seventh with a .360 average against left-handed pitchers.
CHECKIN’ IN ON THE ‘PEN
A few of Washington’s relievers find themselves among the best in baseball:
- Carl Edwards Jr. is tied for second in the National League with 13 holds
- Hunter Harvey ranks tied for seventh in the National League with 11 holds.
- Kyle Finnegan is tied for fifth in the National League with 11 saves.
- Thaddeus Ward is tied for ninth among National League relievers with a .158 opponents’ batting average (12-for-76) and 11th with 4.76 hits allowed per 9.0 innings.
STARTING PITCHER – #1 MACKENZIE GORE
Left-handed starter was acquired by Washington at the 2022 Trade Deadline…Entered 2020 as the No. 6 prospect in all of baseball and 2021 as the No. 10 prospect, according to Baseball America …Was cited by Baseball America as having the “Best Fastball” in San Diego’s system entering the 2022 season and the “Best Slider” in 2021 and 2018…Was the 2017 Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year, just the second baseball player to win the award at the time (Dylan Bundy in 2011; Bobby Witt Jr. in 2019).
LAST START
Struck out six batters in 6.0 innings of work on June 3 against Philadelphia…Allowed three earned runs on nine hits and took the loss as the Nationals took a 4-2 defeat.
vs. ATLANTA
Faces the Braves for the third time in his career…Made one start against them in 2022, tossing 5.1 innings of two-run, three-hit ball on April 15, 2022 against Atlanta…On April 2, 2023, Gore threw 5.1 innings, allowed just one earned run on three hits, walked four and struck out six hitters in his first win of the season.
RANKS
Gore ranks first among all Major League left-handed pitchers and fourth in all of Major League Baseball (2nd in the NL) with 11.25 strikeouts per 9.0 innings…His 80 strikeouts are tied for 10th in the National League.
- He ranks fourth among NL lefties with a 3.66 ERA, fifth with a .258 opponents’ batting average and fourth with a .418 opponent’s slugging percentage.
SWING AND A MISS
Gore ranks fourth among all MLB left-handed pitchers (11th among all pitchers) with 177 swings and misses this season, according to MLB Statcast…On May 28 at Kansas City, he induced a career-high 23 swings and misses in 7.0 innings pitched.
TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE
Gore’s curveball boasts a 45.4% whiff rate (swing&miss/total swings), second among all MLB curveballs (min. 50 PA) and the highest among MLB lefties…The 45.4% ranks 19th among all Major League pitches this season…His .177 opponents’ batting average with the curve (11-for-62) ranks seventh among all MLB curveballs.
EARNING THE CAPITAL K IN MacKenzie
Gore’s 80 strikeouts through 12 starts are the fourth-most in Nationals history (2005-pres.) by any pitcher in his first 12 starts with the club behind Max Scherzer (97; 2015), Gio Gonzalez (89; 2012) and Patrick Corbin (83; 2019).
- Gore’s 11.25 strikeouts per 9.0 innings would rank fifth in a season in Nationals history (2005-pres.).
ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:
TODAY’S GAME: The Braves and Nationals today continue a three-game weekend series with what is the fifth of 13 games between the teams this season…The two will not meet again until the penultimate weekend of the season, September 21-24, for four games at Nationals Park.
- Atlanta beat Washington, 3-2, last night and has won three of the four games between the teams this season.
- The Braves went 14-5 against the Nationals last season, the second consecutive season in which Atlanta won 14 of the 19 matchups between the clubs…The Braves are 31-11 (.738) against the Nationals since the start of 2021.
- Atlanta has won the season set with Washington in each of the last five seasons dating to 2018, combing to go 58-32 (.644) versus the Nationals in that span.
- Atlanta scored 116 times in its 19 games against Washington last season, a year after outscoring the Nationals 101-73 (+28) in 2021…Last year marked the 11th time the Braves scored triple digits against a single team in a season since the turn of the century…The 2004 team has the most in that span, scoring 128 runs against the Expos.
- LH Jared Shuster made his major league debut against Washington earlier this season, April 2 at Nationals Park, and allowed six hits and four runs over 4.2 innings to take the loss…The 6-foot-3, 210-pound left-hander has won each of his last two decisions spanning three total starts, going 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA (6 ER/17.0 IP) dating to May 21…He pitches today on nine days of rest, last starting on May 31 at Oakland.
- LH MacKenzie Gore has made two career starts against Atlanta, compiling a 1-0 record and a 2.53 ERA (3 ER/10.2 IP)…He pitched against Shuster in that April 2 game, and allowed three hits and two runs over 5.1 innings to earn the win…The 6-foot-2, 192-pound native of Wilmington, NC, has made 12 starts for Washington this season, going 3-4 with a 3.66 ERA (26 ER/64.0 IP).
WIN: Atlanta scored twice in last night’s eighth inning to rally and beat Washington, 3-2…The Braves improved to 16-5 (.762) against the N.L. East this season.
- With tonight’s win, the Braves moved to a season-high 15 games over .500…At this point last year (by date), Atlanta was four games over .500 at 31-27 (.534)…Last year’s team would go on to finish 40 games over .500 at 101-61 (.623).
- The Braves have won each of their last five home games, a season-long streak here at Truist Park… Atlanta’s last home winning streak longer than three games was a 10-game run, August 31 to September 20 of last season.
- Atlanta failed to hit a home run last night, and won for just the second time this season when not doing so…The Braves only other win also came against the Nationals, on Opening Day.
COMEBACKS & LATE OFFENSE: Atlanta trailed, 2-1, in last night’s eighth inning before plating two runs and rallying to win…The Braves have trailed in all four games of this homestand, but have won all four.
- The Braves also rallied to beat Arizona on Sunday, and the club’s last five wins have all been come-from-behind efforts…Atlanta’s five-game run is its longest streak of wins in consecutive games when trailing since winning six straight such games in June of 2019.
- In three of Atlanta’s wins during this streak it has trailed in the eighth inning, including each of the last two nights…The Braves are now 7-19 (.269) when trailing in the eighth inning, easily the best record in baseball…For reference, the league-average winning percentage when trailing in the eighth is just .105.
- The Braves have scored 73 total runs in the eighth and ninth innings this season, second most in the majors behind just St. Louis (76)…Atlanta’s 22 home runs in these innings are most in the N.L., and trail just Tampa Bay (25) for the most in baseball.
- In the eighth inning and on, Eddie Rosario (.382) and Ozzie Albies (.373) have the third- and fourth-best batting averages among qualified hitters, respectively.
- Atlanta is 16-23 (.410) in games it which it trails at any point this season, the second-best record in the National League…Only Arizona (18-24, .429) has been better.
WINNING STREAK: Atlanta has won each of its last six games in total, dating to June 3 at Arizona…The run is tied for the longest active streak in the National Leauge.
- The Phillies have also won their last six games, while Tampa Bay has won a majors-best seven straight.
- Atlanta has just one longer winning streak this season, winning eight straight from April 10 to April 18.
- The Braves run has pushed their National League-leading record to 39-24 (.619), and Atlanta’s run differential of +71 trails just Texas (+149) and Tampa Bay (+140) for the largest in baseball.
VERSUS LEFT-HANDERS: LH MacKenzie Gore starts this afternoon for Washington and Atlanta has gone 10-5 (.667) against left-handed starters this season, the best such record in the National League.
- Just one team in baseball, Tampa Bay at 10-3 (.769), has been better versus lefties this season.
- Atlanta is batting .304/.363/.546 against left-handers as a team this season, and they lead the majors in average, slugging and OPS (.910) versus lefties.
- Since the start of 2018, Atlanta has gone 122-84 (.592) against lefties, the fourth-best record in baseball in that span…Only the Astros (174-90, .659) Dodgers (157-93, .628) and Yankees (134-85, .612) have been better
Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #45 Jared Shuster LHP
2023 Record: 2-2, 4.99 ERA • 2023 MiLB Record: 2-0, 3.28 ERA
vs. RHB: .210 (17-81), 1 HR • vs. LHB: .179 (5-28), 1 HR
Home: 1-0, 4.60 ERA (7/9.2) • Away: 1-2, 5.40 ERA (9/15.0)
Tonight’s Game
- Set to make his seventh career start.
- Earned his second win of the season while allowing three hits, two runs, and four walks over 5.1 innings pitched in his last start against Oakland.
- Pitching to a 3.68 ERA through four starts since being recalled on May 16.
- Owned a 8.31 ERA in his first two outings before being optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on April 17.
- Has a 0.91 WHIP in his last four starts and a 2.42 WHIP in his first two.
- Is 2-0 with a 3.28 ERA and 23 strikeouts in five starts with the Stripers.
- Averaging 8.39 strikeouts per nine innings with Gwinnett while having a 6.86 rate with Atlanta.
2023 Recap
- On May 21 Shuster became just the second pitcher in Braves franchise history (dating to 1901) to hold an opponent to one hit or less while pitching at least 6.0 innings and recording seven or more strikeouts in one of his first five career starts… Ian Anderson became the first pitcher in the organization to do so on September 9, 2020.
- Held Seattle to one hit, a solo home run, with seven strikeouts over 6.0 innings of one-run ball.
- Recalled to Atlanta on May 16.
- Was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett after last start against San Diego on April 7.
- Made his major league debut against Washington on April 2.
- Allowed six hits, four runs and five walks through 4.2 innings pitched.
- Was the third player from the Braves’ 2020 First-Year Player Draft to debut with the club.
- Joined Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder as the other hurlers from the ‘20 draft class to play for Atlanta.
- Became the eighth Braves pitcher to debut with a start against the Nationals/Expos.
- Pitched to a 1.74 ERA in six appearances, four starts, with 19 strikeouts through 20.2 innings pitched in Spring Training.
- Began the Spring without allowing a run in his first four outings (12.2 IP).
- Made his first Opening Day Roster.
