2024 Season
With the season winding down and after yet another player was promoted to Rochester, the Senators had their best week in awhile, taking four of six games from the Bowie Bay Sox, scoring 29 runs in the process. While they will not make the Eastern League playoffs (Fredericksburg is the only affiliate that will be playing in the postseason), it was nevertheless an encouraging return to form from a group that has had some listless stretches over the second half.
Scores & Standings
Harrisburg 5, Bowie 2 (Tuesday); Harrisburg 7, Bowie 5 (Wednesday); Bowie 8, Harrisburg 3 (Thursday); Harrisburg 6, Bowie 3 (Friday); Bowie 3, Harrisburg 1 (Saturday); Harrisburg 7, Bowie 3 (Sunday). The Senators are 27-36 in the second half, tied with Bowie for fifth place in the Southwest Division, 13 games behind Akron.
Pitcher of the Week - Chase Solesky, RHP
Solesky beats out Andry Lara this week on the basis of pitching well in two starts and not just one, totaling 11 strikeouts in 12 innings while allowing 4 runs on 5 hits and a walk for a 0.50 WHIP. Much like Kyle Luckham, Solesky is in a second tier of "break glass in case of emergency" starting pitchers that might factor into the Nats' plans next year if things go sideways. There are currently ten guys in the organization - eleven if you believe that Jackson Rutledge won't be moved to the bullpen - who have better-than-zero odds to start an MLB game next season: Jake Irvin, MacKenzie Gore, DJ Herz, Mitchell Parker, Cade Cavalli, Brad Lord, Tyler Stuart, Andrew Alvarez, Andry Lara, and Thaddeus Ward. Solesky and Luckham would be in the next level down from that, but both are going to have an opportunity to compete for a spot in the Red Wings' rotation for 2025.
Hitter of the Week - Yohandy Morales, 1B/3B
Morales only played four games this week, but went 9-for-16 with 3 walks (for a cool .563/.632/.625 line), driving in 5 Senators along the way and importantly only striking out once. Since returning to the lineup from his lengthy IL stint and brief rehab assignment in Fredericksburg, Morales is hitting .323/.438/.462 in 26 games, in what is a very pitcher-friendly park and league. He should be a lock to open 2025 in Rochester, and as I have done with every other legitimate prospect that has made the trip north, I will bet that his numbers jump substantially in a better offensive environment and with the MLB baseball - especially the 55/60 power.
Other Notes
Andry Lara threw five scoreless innings with a hit, a walk, and five strikeouts in his start this week, a far cry from his two-inning disaster last time he faced Bowie...Daylen Lile went 7-for-22 with seven walks, two triples, and three steals to push Morales for HOTW honors - an outfield of Lile, Robert Hassell III, and Andrew Pinckney in Rochester should be a lot of fun next year...Cortland Lawson crashed back to earth like Wile E. Coyote with a 2-for-20 week...Cayden Wallace, activated from the IL for the first time since arriving from the Royals' organization in the Hunter Harvey trade and struggled in his first Eastern League exposure, going 4-for-20 with a double...Michael Cuevas, Todd Peterson, Jack Sinclair, and Samuel Reyes all had multiple scoreless appearances out of the bullpen.
Roster Moves
Activating Wallace and promoting Hassell to AAA were the two major moves of consequence that happened over the past week, and nothing has yet been announced for this week (i.e., T.J. White getting promoted for a taste of AA now that the high-A season is over).
Coming Up
The Senators finish their 2024 campaign with a week at home against the Reading Fightin' Phils, who are in fifth place in the Northeast Division. Next Monday will be the final Filibuster of the season!
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