GameNotes: Washington Nationals V. Atlanta Braves (September 12, 2020)

by Richard Wachtel

Updated September 12, 2020

Game Details:

Latest Headlines About The Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals placed relief pitcher Sean Doolittle on the ten-day injured list and called up Left-hander Ben Braymer from the Nats' alternate site to take his spot on the roster.

Manager Dave Martinez told reporters that while his MRI results aren't yet available, Martinez described Doolittle's injury as a "pretty good" strain.

Doolittle was acquired alongside Ryan Madson back in 2017 and has spent four seasons in the Washington Nationals organization — much of it as the team's closer. Doolittle has pitched 142 2/3 innings of 3.03 ERA ball with 10.3 K/9 against just 2.1 BB/9 en route to 75 saves during the regular season. Doolittle's postseason work has been even better, as he's allowed only two runs on seven hits and a walk with 12 punchouts in 13 1/3 innings across the 2017 and 2019 playoffs. Doolittle tallied three saves and three holds in that time. Doolittle closed sealed wins in Game 1 and Game 6 of the 2019 World Series.

Today's GameNotes:

Washington's Patrick Corbin will have plenty of motivation on Saturday when he takes the mound against the visiting Atlanta Braves.

Not only is the left-hander looking for revenge from his last poor start against the Braves, but he's trying to improve upon his sterling record at Nationals Park.

What To Watch

Pitching

Patrick Corbin will take the mound tonight against the Atlanta Braves. Since joining the Nationals in 2019, Corbin is 9-3 with a 2.57 ERA in games played in Washington. Tonight's game marks his second start against Atlanta this season Corbin is 6-3 with a 2.44 ERA (19 ER / 70.0 IP) with 73 strikeouts and 32 walks in 13 career appearances (11 starts) against the Braves.

He was beaten the Braves' last time in Atlanta, where he gave up five runs in 5 1/3 innings. It was only the second time in eight starts that Corbin has allowed as many as five runs.

At Nationals Park this season, Patrick Corbin's has a record of 1-1 with an ERA of 3.33 with 28 strikeouts. The last time Patrick Corbin won a game was on August 10, 2020, against the New York Mets, where he pitched a total of six innings while giving up only two runs on five hits and struck out four.

Leaders Of The Pack

Juan Soto is still leading the Washington Nationals in Homeruns (11) and Runs Batted In with 31. Juan Soto's slugging percentage (.764) and On-Base Plus Slugging is leading the league. In 2020, Juan Soto has 106 at-bats, 11 home runs, 31 RBI's, and 25 walks. Soto's average at Nationals Park is .366 with two home runs and nine RBI's.

Since returning to the lineup on September 8, Juan Soto has reached base safely in 12 of 15 plate appearances and is 4-for-7 with two doubles, five RBI, eight walks, two stolen bases, and five runs scored during this stretch.

Soto has drawn at least one walk in a career-high seven consecutive games and is tied for the fourth-longest streak in MLB this season.

Trea Turner is still leading the Washington Nationals and the league with a batting average of .360. Over the past seven days, Turner has had 24 at-bats and has eight runs and four RBI's. In 2020, Trea Turner has 175 at-bats, nine home runs, 26 RBI's and 17 walks.

Trea Turner has hit safely in nine straight games, going 14-for-38 (.368) with two doubles, two triples, two homers, eight RBI, five walks, six stolen bases, and ten runs scored during the streak.

Turner is one of five players in MLB this season to record two hitting streaks of at least nine games, joining ATL Dansby Swanson, BAL Hanser Alberto, SEA Kyle Lewis, and COL Trevor Story...Turner is the only one; however, to have one of his streaks be at least 16 games.

Behind Home Plate

Combined, Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki are hitting .286, the third-best batting average among catching tandems in the National League. Both Gomes and Suzuki also rank among NL catching corps in doubles (T1st, 12), on-base percentage (4th, .341), and slugging percentage (4th, .455).

Suzuki has reached base safely in a career-high 18 straight games and is hitting .302 (19-for-63) with five doubles, one homer, seven RBI, 3 HBP, seven walks, and ten runs scored during the streak.

Gomes has hit safely in 13 of his last 16 games, going 21-for-61 (.344) with five doubles, one triple, three homers, 11 RBI, three walks, and nine runs. Gomes ranks among National League catchers (min. 80 PA) on average (3rd, .284), slugging percentage (4th, .500), and OPS (4th, .821).

On The Road Again

Tonight and tomorrow's games against the Atlanta Braves will mark the second to last time the Washington Nationals will play at home. The Nationals will be on the road for the final time this season, starting September 14 until September 21. The next two series the Nationals will play will be against the two Florida baseball teams: Flordia Marlins and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Game Lineups

Washington Nationals Lineup (Updated: 5:09 PM EST)

Holt (L) - LF
Turner - SS
Soto (L) - DH
Cabrera (S) - 3B
Thames (L) - 1B
Gomes - C
Garica (L) - 2B
Taylor - CF
Hernandez (L) - RF

Atlanta Braves Lineup

Ronald Acuña Jr. CF

Freddie Freeman 1B

Marcell Ozuna LF

Travis d'Arnaud DH

Dansby Swanson SS

Austin Riley 3B

Adam Duvall RF

Tyler Flowers C

Ozzie Albies 2B

Injury Report

Tanner Rainey, RP Day-to-day (Forearm tightness)

Dakota Bacus, RP 10-Day (right flexor strain)

Howie Kendrick, DH 10-Day ( left hamstring strain)

Sean Doolittle, RP 10-Day (oblique strain)

Today In Nationals History

2012 – John Lannan earned his third win in three starts as Washington completed a three-game sweep of the New York Mets with a 2-0 victory. After a 24-start stint with Triple-A Syracuse, Lannan jumped back into the Nationals rotation and fired 5.2 scoreless innings.

Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond hit solo shots to provide Lannan's offense and five relievers who combined on Washington's ninth shutout of the season.

Zimmerman's homer extended his hit streak to 16 and his RBI streak to nine games.