WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
OPPONENT – NEW YORK YANKEES
The Nationals and Yankees will face off three times in 2023, all in New York…Nationals Assistant Hitting Coach Pat Roessler worked as the director of player development for the New York Yankees for 10 seasons (2004-13)…Josiah Gray graduated from New Rochelle High School and went to Le Moyne College…Former Montreal Expo/Washington National Brad Wilkerson (2001-05) is New York’s assistant hitting coach.
RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD
The Washington Nationals close out this three-game series with the New York Yankees with a rubber match on Thursday afternoon…The Nationals are 10-5 in rubber games this year.
- A win would give Washington its fourth series win in a row and the sixth in its last seven series.
- Following the game, the Nationals will travel to Miami for a three-game series this weekend before finishing up the road trip in Toronto next Monday through Wednesday.
ROSTER MOVE
The Nationals recalled infielder Jeter Downs from Triple-A Rochester and placed outfielder Stone Garrett on the 10-day Injured List with a fractured left fibula.
STATUS CHECK
The Nationals have won eight of their last 11 games and are 30-22 (.577) since June 24…It is the best 52-game stretch for Washington since they capped the 2019 season going 35-17 (.673) in the last 52 games.
- Since July 8, Washington is 24-15 (.615), the third-best record in the National League and the fifth-best record in Major League Baseball behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers (26- 10, .743), Seattle Mariners (27-13, .675), Baltimore Orioles (26-13, .667) and Chicago Cubs (25-14, .641).
BACKSTOP BATS
Keibert Ruiz leads Major League catchers in average (.339), on-base percentage (.399) and is second in slugging percentage (.556) and hits (42) since July 9.
- Ruiz is 16-for-43 (.372) with three doubles, three homers, nine RBI, three walks and nine runs scored over his last 10 games.
- He ranks seventh in the National League with a .361 average with runners in scoring position.
- Riley Adams has produced multi-hit efforts in eight of his last 13 starts and has hit safely in 10 of the 13…He is hitting .380 (19-for-50) with nine doubles, a homer, 10 RBI, five walks and four runs scored during this 13-game stretch.
START ME UP
Washington’s starting rotation has pitched to a 2.35 ERA (10 ER/38.1 IP) and a .168 opponents average over its last seven starts…The Nationals are 5-2 in those seven starts.
- Josiah Gray (6.0 IP, H, ER, HR, 5 BB, 4 SO), Trevor Williams (6.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 SO), Jake Irvin (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 SO) and MacKenzie Gore (6.1 IP, H, 2 BB, 7 SO) each tossed at least 6.0 shutout innings during this stretch.
BORN TO RUN
Since being moved to the leadoff spot on July 7, CJ Abrams is hitting .278/.335/.433 with six doubles, a triple, six homers, 14 RBI, nine walks, five hit by pitch, 22 stolen bases and 27 runs scored.
- Of his 13 home runs this season, five have given the Nationals the lead at the time…Abrams is tied for 10th in the National League with 10 go-ahead RBI this season.
- Abrams third in the National League with 33 stolen bases…He stole 25 consecutive bases without being caught from May 5 to Aug. 10, the longest streak in Nationals history (2005-pres.) according to the Elias Sports Bureau…It was the longest active streak in MLB at the time.
OK, KYLE
Kyle Finnegan has 11 saves, five holds and has pitched to a 1.17 ERA (4 ER/30.2 IP) with a .157 opponents’ average in his last 29 appearances.
- He ranks seventh in the National League with a career-high 22 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 1.70 ERA (10 ER/53.0 IP) with 54 strikeouts and five home runs allowed in 51 games since that date.
NEXT ON 20-20: LANE THOMAS
With five more stolen bases, Lane Thomas would record the sixth 20 home run – 20 stolen base season in Nationals History (2005-pres.) and the first since 2016.
- Thomas ranks in the National League in hits (4th, 143), doubles (5th, 31), total bases (7th, 238), runs (8th, 85) and average (8th, .286)…He leads Major League Baseball with a career-high 13 outfield assists
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
Worked 6.0 innings, allowed one earned run on four hits, struck out six and did not walk any batters on August 17 against Boston…He earned the win in the Nationals’ 10-7 victory
vs. NEW YORK (AL)
Faces the Yankees for the fourth time in his career…Corbin is 0-0 with an 2.33 ERA (5 ER/ 19.1 IP) in previous three appearances against New York (AL).
RECENCY BIAS
Corbin is 4-2 with a 3.86 ERA (23 ER/53.2 IP), 40 strikeouts and 15 walks over his last nine starts… Over his last three starts, he is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA (4 ER/ 17.1 IP) with eight walks and 10 strikeouts… He tossed 7.0 shutout innings on June 28 at Seattle (9 SO, 0 BB) and 7.0 innings of one-run ball on July 9 vs. Texas.
GLOVE WORK
Corbin leads Major League Baseball pitchers with 24 assists and six pickoffs…His six pickoffs are a career-high.
1,500 STRIKEOUTS
With a strikeout of Jonathan Schoop on May 20 vs. Detroit, Corbin recorded his 1,500th career strikeout…He became the fourth Nationals pitcher to record 1,500 strikeouts in a Nationals uniform, joining Stephen Strasburg (2019), Gio González(2017) and Max Scherzer (2015) per the Elias Sports Bureau.
- Corbin ranks 18th among active pitchers with 1,563 strikeouts, behind Carlos Carrasco (1,572)…He is one of 231 players in baseball history with at least 1,500 strikeouts.
APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT, FELLAS
Since joining the Nationals in 2019, Corbin is 33-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 41 starts when he throws at least 6.0 innings and receives at least three runs of support…
The Nationals are 38-3 in those games.
NEW YORK YANKEES NOTES:
AT A GLANCE: The Yankees complete their six-game homestand today with the final game of a three-game series vs. the Washington Nationals (1-1 thus far.)…are 1-4 on the homestand after being swept by the Boston Red Sox in a three-game set this past weekend and splitting their first two games vs. the Nationals…after this homestand, will embark on a season-long 10-game, three-city road trip to Tampa Bay (Fri.-Sun.), Detroit (8/28-31) and Houston (9/1-3).
Snapped their season-high nine-game losing streak on Wednesday…was their longest losing streak since a nine-game streak from 9/13-21(G1)/82.
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Yankees defeated the Nationals, 9-1, on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium…RHP Luis Severino (6.2IP, 1H, 0R, 2BB, 2K) earned the win after allowing just one hit over 6.2 scoreless innings…DH Aaron Judge (3-for-4, 3R, 3HR, 6RBI) recorded his first career three-HR game, hitting a solo HR in the first inning, a grand slam in the second inning and a solo HR in the seventh inning…was the 25th player in Yankees history to hit at least 3HR in a regular season game (34th time)…LF Everson Pereira (0-for-4, 1R, 1RBI) recorded his first career RBI on a fielder’s choice in the second inning… 1B DJ LeMahieu (1-for-4, 1R, 1HR, 1RBI) hit his ninth HR of the season with a solo shot in the seventh inning…SS Anthony Volpe (1-for-4, 1RBI) hit an RBI single in the seventh inning… CF Harrison Bader (2-for-3, 2R, 1 double, 1BB) reached base three times…RHP Ian Hamilton (1.1IP, 1H, 3K) tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief…LHP Wandy Peralta (1.0IP, 1H, 1ER, 3K, 1HR) allowed 1ER in the ninth inning.
TO THE LEFT, TO THE LEFT: The Yankees are 11-5 in their last 16 games vs. left-handed starters (since 5/8/23).
Since 7/26, Yankees batters are hitting .327/.366/.561 (56-for-171) with 7 doubles, 11HR and 11BB off lefthanded pitchers.
DARTH BADER: OF Harrison Bader reached base three times on Wednesday…is batting .383/.424/.767 (23-for-60) with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 4HR, 4BB and 1HP vs. left-handed pitchers this season.
LEMACHINE: INF DJ LeMahieu hit his ninth HR of the season with a solo shot in the seventh inning on Wednesday…is batting .287 (31-for-108) with 9R, 6 doubles, 2HR, 4RBI, 16BB, and 1HP in his last 31 games (since 7/6)… has reached base safely in 28 of those 31 games.
Has hit .389/.421/.833 (21-for-54) with 3 doubles, 6HR and 3BB in his career off Washington’s LHP Patrick Corbin…his 6HR are his most vs. any pitcher in his career and are the most Corbin has surrendered to a single batter in his career.
Has batted .344/.390/.583 (56-for-163) with 26R, 8 doubles, 2 triples, 9HR, 26RBI and 11BB in 43 career games vs. the Nationals.
As a Yankee (since 2019), has hit .309 (108-for-349) with 64R, 17 doubles, 4 triples, 13HR, 35RBI and 48BB in 93 Interleague games.
FAN-TASTIC: The Yankees have averaged 41,500 fans per home gate this season, the highest home average attendance in the American League and the second-highest in the Majors, trailing only Los Angeles-NL (47,879). BRONX BOMBERS: Yankees batters hit a season-high tying 4HR on Wednesday (also 5/8 vs. Oakland and 6/3 at Los Angeles-NL).
Have hit 107HR in 68 home games this season, the third-most home runs by any team at home this year…trail only Atlanta (126HR) and Texas (113HR).
Have homered in each of their last 10 home games (since 8/2), hitting 20HR in that span.
GLEYBER DAY: INF Gleyber Torres is batting .316/.395/.500 (24-for-76) with 9R, 5 doubles, 3HR, 6RBI, 9BB, 1HP and 4SB in 20 games during the month of August…has hit safely in 15 of those games and has reached base in 17 of those contests.
PEN PAL: RHP Jonathan Loáisiga has retired 19-of-20BF since returning from the injured list on 8/7.
RIGHT HAND MAN: RHP Ian Hamilton tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief on Wednesday, striking out 3-of-5BF…has not allowed an earned run in 25 of his last 30 appearances (since 4/13), going 2-0 with one save, a 1.48 ERA (42.2IP, 7ER) and 49K in that span…his 1.48 ERA over that stretch (since 4/13) is the lowest among all AL pitchers and the third-lowest in the Majors in that span (min. 40.0IP).
In 33 games (three starts) this season, is 2-1 with one save, a 1.68 ERA (48.1IP, 9ER) and 58K.
ROARING TWENTIES: OF Everson Pereira (22 years old), INF Oswald Peraza (23 years old) and INF Anthony Volpe (22 years old) started each of he Yankees’ last two games… prior to this series, the Yankees had not had three players 23-or-younger start a game since 6/25/18 at Philadelphia (Miguel Andújar-23 years old, Jonathan Loáisiga-23 years old, and Gleyber Torres-21 years old)…these past two games have also marked the first time since 6/21/18 vs. Seattle that the Yankees had three such position players start (Andújar-23 years old, Clint Frazier-23 years old, and Torres-21 years old).
WALK IT OUT: Yankees batters have recorded 143BB since the All-Star break, tied with San Diego for the second-most in the Majors in that span, trailing only Houston (146BB).
TODAY’S PITCHER: RHP JHONY BRITO (4-6, 5.43 ERA)
RHP Jhony Brito is expected to make his 17th appearance of the season in today’s series finale vs. Washington…the 25-year old will pitch on extended five days’ rest due to Monday’s team off day…was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on 8/11…is in his fifth stint with the club (3/30-4/2, 4/8-5/20, 6/21- 27, 7/31-8/6, 8/11-present)…last pitched on Friday vs. Boston, taking the loss after allowing a career-high-tying 7R over 2.1IP (9H, 7R/6ER, 0BB, 1K, 1HR)…was just the fifth pitcher in Yankees history to allow 4H-or-fewer in five of his first eight career starts, joining Bill Burbach (five such starts in 1969), Dave Righetti (five such starts from 1979-81), Sam Militello (five such starts in 1992) and Luis Gil (five such starts in 2021)…became the first pitcher in franchise history to allow 3H-or-fewer in four of his first five career starts…became the first pitcher in Yankees history to throw at least 5.0IP, allow 3H-or-fewer and allow 1R-or-fewer in each of his first two career Major League starts…made his first career Opening Day roster this year…over parts of six minor league seasons in the Yankees organization (2016-17, ’19, ’21-23), has gone 28-23 with two saves and a 3.86 ERA (429.0IP, 415H, 219R/184ER, 97BB, 377K, 36HR) in 93 career appearances (77 starts)…was signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on 11/9/15.
LAST TIME OUT: Last pitched on Friday vs. Boston, taking the loss after allowing a career-high-tying 7R over 2.1IP (9H, 7R/6ER, 0BB, 1K, 1HR).
His 9H allowed also marked a career high.
Has allowed just 2BB over his last four appearances after walking seven batters over his previous three outings.
DOWN ON THE FARM: In seven starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year, has gone 2-2 with a 5.45 ERA (36.1IP, 22ER) and 33K…has allowed 3ER-orfewer in five of his seven starts.
VS. WASHINGTON/INTERLEAGUE: Is expected to make his first career appearance vs. Washington today…is 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA (14.0IP, 5ER) in three appearances (two starts) vs. National League opponents this season…earned the win in his Major League debut vs. San Francisco on 4/2 at Yankee Stadium (5.0IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 6K), did not record a decision on 5/20 at Cincinnati (4.0IP, 4H, 4ER, 4BB, 6K, 1HR) and tossed 5.0 innings of relief on 8/12 at Miami (3H, 1ER, 0BB, 1HP, 6K).
HOME SWEET HOME: Is 2-3 with a 6.75 ERA (28.0IP, 21ER) and 22K in eight career appearances (seven career starts) at home.
Has allowed 2ER-or-fewer in five of those eight outings.
The Yankees are 4-3 in his seven starts at Yankee Stadium this season.
2023: Is 4-6 with a 5.43 ERA (64.2IP, 39ER) and 48K in 16 appearances (13 starts) this season…is in his fifth stint with the club (3/30-4/2, 4/8-5/20, 6/21-27, 7/31-8/6, 8/11-present)…has tossed at least 5.0IP and allowed 2ER-or-fewer in seven of his 16 appearances, including 1ER-or-fewer in five of those games… has recorded two scoreless starts this year.
As a starter, is 3-6 with 6.32 ERA (52.2IP, 37ER) in 13 starts.
Has made three relief appearances this season, going 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA (12.0IP, 2ER) in those games.
Became just the third pitcher in Yankees history to allow 4H-or-fewer in five of his first six career starts, joining Dave Righetti (five such starts from 1979-81) and Luis Gil (five such starts in 2021).
Became the first pitcher in franchise history to allow 3H-or-fewer in four of their first five career starts.
Became just the third pitcher in Yankees history to allow 1R-or-fewer in three of his first four career starts, joining Chase Whitley (three such starts in 2014) and Luis Gil (three such starts in 2021)…marked his third start this season with 3H allowed-or-fewer…became just the second Yankees pitcher in franchise history to allow 3H-or-fewer in three of their first four career starts (Luis Gil, three such starts in 2021).
Became the first pitcher in Yankees history to throw at least 5.0IP, allow 3H-or-fewer and allow 1R-or-fewer in each of his first two career Major League starts (also 5.0IP, 2H, 0R in his Major League debut on 4/2 vs. San Francisco).
Became just the seventh pitcher in Yankees history to toss at least 5.0IP and allow 1R-or-fewer in each of his first two career appearances, joining Cliff Markle (first five appearances from 1915-16), Luis Gil (first two in 2021), Orlando Hernández (first two in 1998), Rich Beck (first two in 1965), Jack Quinn (first two in 1909) and Slow Joe Doyle (first two in 1906)…is just the sixth to do so as a starter (Markle made his first career appearance as a reliever).
Became the 15th pitcher in franchise history to win each of his first two career starts and the first since Orlando Hernández in 1998.
