⚾️⚾️ The Morning Briefing: Nats option Luis García and cut Corey Dickerson
Plus, Nationals take the series against the Brewers
Good Morning Washington Nationals Fan,
Here are the latest headlines and analyses around the Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball for today, August 3rd. My name is Haden Raymer and this is your morning briefing. Yesterday the Nationals took the series against the Brewers. Let’s talk about it.
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Leading today’s Morning Briefing: Nats take game three and series against the Brewers
MacKenzie Gore put up one of the best starts of his young career yesterday, going six innings while striking out five while allowing two earned runs.
The Nationals’ offense was quiet yesterday, with Alex Call getting the only extra-base hit. Jake Alu, Joey Meneses, Dom Smith, and Michael Chavis were the only other Nats to record a hit.
The Nats were down one heading into the bottom of the ninth, but Devin Williams loaded the bases, which lead to this.
The walk-off on an improbable 2-run error with no outs and bases loaded. The error was from the player, Andruw Monasterio, who Mike Rizzo traded for Yan Gomes after the 2018 season.
— Talk Nats (@TalkNats)
Aug 2, 2023
The Nats Report Player of the game is MacKenzie Gore. The next game is tomorrow at 6:40 p.m. on MASN2.
Today's #Nationals Player of the Game is
LHP MacKenzie Gore
Gore went 6 innings, giving up only 2 runs, on three hits. Now that's some serious #Natitude
— TheNatsReport ⚾ 🇺🇸 (@TheNatsReport)
Aug 2, 2023
Nationals DFA Corey Dickerson; option Luis García
After the game yesterday, the Nationals DFA’d Corey Dickerson and optioned Luis García to Triple-A. To replace them, the Nats selected the contract of outfielder Blake Rutherford and infielder Jeter Downs. Rutherford is a former first round pick and top prospect out of high school. He’s been raking in the upper minors and at 26 years old, there’s more interest and value in getting to see how he hits in the majors than Dickerson, especially now that the trade deadline has passed.
Optioning García is a bit strange. Yes, García has struggled a lot offensively and defensively this season. But what will happen when he goes down to Rochester and hits? On the other side of it, why Jeter Downs? The last time Downs hit above .200 in any level of play was in 2021 during the Arizona Fall League. Before that? 2019. We will see who gets a bulk of the plate appearances at second base this weekend, but I would not be shocked if it was not even Downs. Strange move.
In the Clubhouse is back!
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Down on the Farm
The Rochester Red Wings lost 8-1 to the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Darren Baker went 2-4 with a home run. Travis Blankenhorn went 1-3 with a double and a walk.
The Harrisburg Senators won 10-3 against the Erie SeaWolves. Trey Lipscomb went 4-5 with two home runs. James Wood went 2-5 with a home run. Jacob Young went 2-5 with two doubles.
The Wilmington Blue Rocks lost 3-0 to the Hudson Valley Renegades. Carter Kieboom went 1-3 with a hit. Jeremy De La Rosa went 1-3 with a walk.
The FredNats won 7-1 against the Salem Red Sox. Andrew Pinckney went 3-4 with a double. Marcus Brown went 2-4 in his Low-A debut. Yohandy Morales and Elijah Nunez both went 1-4. Starting pitcher Erik Tolman had a freak injury, snapping his leg and ankle while running out to start the third inning. We wish him a speedy recovery.
