WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
MOVING ON
The Washington Nationals open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night after splitting a four-game series with the Colorado Rockies this weekend.
• Washington dropped a back-and-forth affair with Colorado, 7-6, on Sunday afternoon…Stone Garrett (2-for-5, R) and Victor Robles (2-for-4, RBI, R) each posted multi-hit efforts.
ROLLIN’ ROBLES
Victor Robles ranks in the National League in batting average (5th, .387), on-base percentage (7th, .472) and hits (T9th, 12).
• He is 10-for-21 (.476) with two doubles, three RBI, two walks, one stolen base and four runs scored over his last six games…He’s reached safely in five of the six games.
• Robles has struck out just three times this season and his 8.1% strikeout rate ranks fourth in the National League (9th in MLB).
PLAYIN’ THE HITS
Washington’s offense ranks tied for fourth in the National League with 89 hits and fifth with a .265 batting average this season.
• Over the last three games, the Nationals rank second in Major League Baseball with 38 hits and a .342 batting average while their .405 on-base percentage ranks third.
START ME UP
Jim Hickey’s starting rotation ranks third in the National League (8th in MLB) with 51.2 innings pitched so far this season…The rotation also ranks in the National League in walks per 9.0 innings (3rd, 3.14), fewest walks (T5th, 18) and strikeout to walk ratio (7th, 2.33).
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 went 3-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored in addition to the two triples…He is tied for the Major League lead with two triples.
• Abrams is 7-for-21 (.333) with a double, two triples, three RBI, two walks, one hit by pitch and three runs scored over his last six games…This comes after starting the season in an 0-for-10 stretch.
• Abrams has drawn three walks in nine games this season…He drew one walk in 44 games with the Nationals and five walks in 90 games total in 2022.
ALEX AND LANE
• Alex Call leads the Nationals and ranks tied for fourth in the National League with eight walks…He went 4-for-12 (.333) with a double, homer, three RBI, three walks and five runs scored over his last
three games.
• Lane Thomas is tied for fifth in the National League with 14 hits, while his .359 batting average ranks 12th…He has hit safely in eight of 10 games this season and has reached base safely in nine of the 10.
NOTHING BUT A NUMBER
The Nationals were one of six teams that had least three players in the top 50 youngest players in Major League Baseball to start the season…The Arizona Diamondbacks (5), St. Louis Cardinals (5), Detroit Tigers (3), Pittsburgh Pirates (3) and Seattle Mariners (3) also had three players in the top 50.
• CJ Abrams (22) is the third-youngest player in Major League Baseball, while Luis Garcia (23) is 15th and Keibert Ruiz (24) is 50th.
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, recorded 126 saves across six seasons (1987-92) with the Angels, including a career-high 46 during his AL All-Star 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.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER – #46 PATRICK CORBIN
Left-handed pitcher signed a six-year contract with the Nationals on Dec. 7, 2018…Was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series…Is a two-time National League All-Star (2018, 2013)… Has started at least 30 games for five consecutive full seasons (2017-19, 2021-22), joining Gerrit Cole as the only pitchers since 2017 to accomplish the feat.
LAST START
Allowed six earned runs on ten hits with three strikeouts, no walks and two home runs allowed in 6.0 innings of work on April 5 vs. Tampa Bay…Held the Rays to three earned runs through 5.2 innings before surrendering three two-out runs before finishing his outing.
vs. LOS ANGELES
Has faced the team that drafted him just once, Aug. 21, 2018 at Arizona as a member of the Diamondbacks…Allowed two earned runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and two walks in 6.0 innings in Arizona’s 5-4 walk-off win.
2023 SPRING TRAINING
Corbin went 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA in five Spring Training starts…He struck out 15 batters and walked just two in 18.0 innings of Grapefruit League action…One start was cancelled due to rain which led to a simulated game in it’s place.
• Corbin’s best start came on March 20 vs. New York (NL) when he tossed 6.0 innings of one-run, five-hit ball…He struck out five and did not walk a batter.
APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT, FELLAS
Since 2019, Corbin is 27-3 with a 2.63 ERA when he throws at least 6.0 innings and receives at least three runs of support…The Nationals are 30-3 in those games.
2022
Led Nationals pitchers with 31 starts and 152.2 innings pitched…Pitched to a 1.96 ERA (4 ER/18.1 IP) with 13 strikeouts and four walks in three starts from Aug. 21-Sept. 3…Enjoyed his best extended stretch of the season from Aug. 16 to Sept. 20, going 2-2 with a 3.35 ERA…Walked just six batters along the way…Threw his sixth career complete game on May 4 at Colorado (8.0 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 3 SO)…..Matched a career high with 12 strikeouts on June 28 vs. Pittsburgh (8.0 IP, 5 H, ER, 12 SO, 2 BB)…2022 Pitch Mix: Sinker (43.5%) Slider (29.4%) 4-Seam Fastball (18.8%) Changeup (8.3%).
A SEASON TO REMEMBER
Ranked in the National League in strikeouts (4th, 238), innings (5th, 202.0), fWAR (6th, 4.8), ERA (8th, 3.25) and strikeouts per 9.0 IP (8th, 10.60) in 2019… His 238 strikeouts ranked first among National League left-handed pitchers…His 2.40 home ERA ranked sixth in Major League Baseball, fifth in the National League and third in a single season in Nationals history (2005-pres.)…Held opposing left-handed hitters to a .248 slugging percentage (2 2B, 2 HR) and .190 batting average (26-for-137), the best marks among Major League left-handed starting pitchers.
• Made his career Postseason debut, starting in Game 1 of the NLDS…Went on to make two more starts (Game 4 NLCS, Game 4 WS) and five relief appearances…In Game 4 of the NLCS against St. Louis, he struck out 12 batters in 5.0 innings pitched and allowed four earned runs on four hits with three walks…He matched Stephen Strasburg for the most strikeouts in a Postseason game in franchise history and became the first pitcher in MLB Postseason history to log 12 strikeouts while not pitching more than 5.0 innings…He also became first pitcher in Postseason history to start a potential series-clinching game with four straight strikeouts in that game…Tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in Game 5 of the NLDS vs. Los Angeles and tossed 0.1 scoreless inning in Game 2 of the NLCS…Earned the win after tossing 3.0 innings of scoreless ball in Game 7 of the World Series
LOS ANGELES ANGELS NOTES:
LEADING OFF: Today, the Angels play the fourth (1-2) of six games on the opening homestand of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays (1-2) and Washington Nationals (April 10- 12)…Halos went 4-2 on first road trip of year against Oakland (2-1) and Seattle (2-1), marking first time winning each of first two series of a season since 2018 (won first five series).
BALLY SPORTS SO CAL TONIGHT: Tonight’s game will air live on Bally Sports So Cal…The Los Angeles Kings game against the Vancouver Canucks will be airing on Bally Sports West.
ANGELS RECENT RECORDS TO BEGIN SEASON
AFTER NINE GAMES: AFTER 10 GAMES:
2023: 5-4 2023: ???
2022: 5-4 2022: 6-4
2021: 6-3 2021: 7-3
2020: 3-6 2020: 3-7
2019: 3-6 2019: 4-6
EVERYTHING IS BASICALLY FINE: José Suarez is set to make his first home start of the season tonight and first start of his career against the Nationals…Has allowed three-or-fewer runs in five of his last six starts at Angel stadium. ON WITH THE SHO: Dating back to last season, Shohei Ohtani has reached base safely (via hit, walk, or HBP) in a career-high 32 consecutive games…It’s the second-longest active streak
in the Majors, behind Aaron Judge (42 games)…Additionally, the streak is tied for the ninth-longest in Angels history; if the on-base streak continues tonight, he would tie Tony Phillips (1997) and Darin Erstad (2001) for the seventh-longest streak in Club history.
VS. WASHINGTON: Today is the first 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 14-8 alltime against the Expos/Nationals, including a 7-4 mark at The Big A.
VETERAN ROSTER: The Angels Opening Day active roster featured just one rookie: Logan O’Hoppe.
ROOKIE RAKING: Logan O’Hoppe has driven in a run in five of his seven starts this season…His nine RBI this season are tied for the team lead with Mike Trout…He was the first player to have an RBI in each of the Angels first three games of a season since Mike Trout in 2017…Before Trout, it last happened in 2007 by both Vladimir Guerrero and Casey Kotchman.
LEGENDARY COMPANY: Mike Trout enters today’s game with 298 career doubles…With two more doubles, he would become the fourth player in MLB history with 300+ doubles, 300+ home runs and 200+ stolen bases by his age-31 season, joining Willie Mays, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez.
CANNING ON REHAB: Thursday night, RHP Griffin Canning made a rehab start for Low-A Inland Empire…He struck out 10 across 5.0 innings of work and allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits with two walks.
ON BASE TRIO: Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout and Taylor Ward have all reached base safely (via hit, walk, or HBP) in all nine 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 261-223 (.539) all-time Interleague record…The 261 all-time Interleague wins are third most all time behind Red Sox (288) and Yankees (285)… Last season, Halos went 7-13 against N.L. opponents.
SHO TIME TOMORROW: Tomorrow night, 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 1972-73 seasons).
THE 11 SPOT: Last Saturday afternoon at Oakland, the Angels plated 11 runs in the top of the third inning, marking the Halos highest scoring frame since July 2, 2016 (11 runs in the 7th inning at Boston)…It was the sixth 11+ run inning in franchise history.
BABY BACKSTOP: With his start on Opening Day, Logan O’Hoppe (23 years, 49 days) became the youngest Opening Day catcher in Angels history (previous was Buck Rodgers – 23 years, 237 days in 1962)…He was the first Angels rookie catcher to start on Opening Day since Bengie Molina in 2000.
WELCOME TO THE RENAISSANCE: With Anthony Rendon, Hunter Renfroe & Luis Rengifo hitting 4-6 in the Angels Opening Day batting order, it was 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).
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – LHP JOSÉ SUAREZ
0-1, 12.46 ERA
Making first career start vs. Nationals
• TODAY’S GAME: Making second start of the season and first at home…Is in fifth Major League season with Angels…Made Opening Day roster for second consecutive season.
• LAST TIME OUT: Took the loss in season debut on Tuesday at Seattle after tossing 4.1 innings and allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits with no walks and four strikeouts…The six earned runs allowed matched his career high (fifth time).
• VS. WASHINGTON: Tonight marks first career appearance vs. Nationals.
• INTERLEAGUE PLAY: In seven career games (six starts) against National League opponents, is 0-5 with a 10.50 ERA (24 IP – 28 ER) and 19 strikeouts…Last season, made one Interleague start on July 16, 2022 vs. Dodgers (L; 3.2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO).
• AT ANGEL STADIUM: In 30 career games (25 starts) at The Big A, is 6-12 with a 5.19 ERA (138.2 IP – 80 ER)… Last year, was 5-4 with a 5.19 ERA (58.2 IP – 27 ER) in 11 home games (10 starts)…Began career with 12 consecutive winless starts at Angel Stadium, (which was most all-time to begin a career in ballpark history), before earning CG victory Sept. 4, 2021 vs. Texas.
• SPRING RECAP: Totaled three starts for Angels during Cactus League season and went 2-1 with a 4.15 ERA (8.2 IP – 4 ER) with six strikeouts…Was winning pitcher in each of last two spring starts.
• 2022 IN REVIEW: Set new career highs in innings pitched (109.0), starts (20) and strikeouts (103) and equaled single-season best with eight wins…Allowed three-or-fewer runs in 16 of 20 starts and two-or-fewer runs in 10 of 20 starts…In 11 starts following All-Star Break, pitched to a 2.81 ERA (64 IP – 20 ER) with 58 strikeouts…The ERA ranked 14th in the A.L. over that span (min. 60 IP).
• CHASING PERFECTION: Carried a perfect game through 5.1 innings in home start on Aug. 16, 2022 vs. Seattle, before allowing four consecutive singles and exiting the game.
• AVOID THE TOP: Last season, hitters in the top three spots in the opposing batting order hit .319 (51/160), while batters in the 4-9 spots batted .198 (52/263).
• GOOD NIGHT: Last season, made 13 appearances (12 starts) in night games and went 6-4 with a 2.96 ERA (67 IP – 22 ER), compared with a 2-4 record and 5.57 ERA (42 IP – 26 ER) in day games.
• THE COMPLETE GAME: Tossed first career complete game on Sept. 4, 2021 vs. Texas…Allowed one earned run on five hits with no walks and eight strikeouts…Carried shutout into 9th inning; only run allowed came on RBI groundout for second out of 9th inning…Marked first career winning decision at Angel Stadium (13th start)…Had not pitched more than 5.2 innings prior to that start.
• LITTLE LEAGUE CLASSIC: Was Angels starting pitcher in the Little League Classic vs. Cleveland on Aug. 22, 2021 in Williamsport, PA (L; 4 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO).
• VENEZUELAN HALOS: Became the 18th different Venezuelan-born player to pitch for the Angels…Became seventh Venezuelan native to start for the Halos, following Kelvim Escobar, Urbano Lugo, Jhoulys Chacin, Anthony Ortega, Luis Sanchez and Yusmeiro Petit.
• CAREER NOTES: Native of Naguanagua, Venezuela…Signed with Angels as an international free agent July 3, 2014…Selected to Angels 40-man roster Nov. 20, 2018…Made Major League debut June 2, 2019 at Seattle.
