Good Morning, Washington Nationals Fans,

Here are the latest headlines and analyses around the Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball for today, April 1.

Welcome to the Morning Briefing! Haden here. Let’s talk about this weekend’s games and today’s home opener!

Leading this Morning’s Briefing: Nats split weekend games in tight games

The Nationals were scrappy on Saturday, pulling off a three-run top of the ninth to take the lead. The Nationals got big performances from CJ Abrams, Keibert Ruiz, and Jesse Winker.

Abrams showed off some improved discipline over last season, taking three walks. Abrams needed to improve his selectivity at the plate to have long-term success as a leadoff hitter and an all-star caliber player. And you can see why in a game like Saturday’s. On top of the three walks, he stole three bags, which immediately catapulted him into one of the top base runners so far this season. Oh, and he hit a triple. The Nationals need to extend him ASAP if they want to retain him post-2028 when he enters free agency at the young age of 28.

Ruiz went 3 for 4 with a home run and caught a runner stealing. The defensive gains have been wonderful in the small sample size so far, and while it is mostly just making the easy plays, that is what he struggled with in 2023. Keep an eye out for him cementing himself as a frontline catching option this season.

Winker went 2-4 with a walk and an outfield assist. The veteran has looked good since joining the Nationals organization and is quickly becoming the most promising trade candidate by this trade deadline (although that’s more so because of Nick Senzel’s broken thumb and Joey Gallo’s struggles).

Nationals get their first win of the season against the Reds

Richard • Mar 30, 2024

The Nats Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Cincinnati, OH - Trey Lipscomb got called up to the major’s and appeared in his very first Major League game comes as the Washington Nationals got their first win of the 2024 season.

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The Nationals got walked off yesterday by a double, followed by back-to-back home runs, all with two outs. The Nationals offense did their job, scoring five runs, but poor outfield defense and some bad luck helped the Reds secure a victory. Trey Lipscomb hit his first major league home run and Abrams hit one of his own.

Jake Irvin struggled to get opposing hitters to chase outside of the zone, leading to an inefficient outing. On the bright side, the stuff looked sharper than last year, a positive carryover from spring training.

Late-Inning Heartbreak: Nationals Suffer Defeat with Back-to-Back Ninth-Inning Home Runs (Updated with Quotes)

Richard • Mar 31, 2024

Cincinnati, OH—The Washington Nationals concluded their first road series with a heartbreaking loss against the Cincinnati Reds. The Nationals found themselves one out away from securing another comeback win, only to have their hopes dashed by a series of impactful plays. Despite their efforts, the Nationals ultimately succumbed to a defeat in a highly …

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But hey, today is the home opener, in which MacKenzie Gore will take on left-handed pitcher Marco Gonzales. For me, the biggest thing to keep an eye on is how manager Davey Martinez structures the lineup against a left-handed hitter. The Nationals have a very left-handed heavy roster at the moment, and they have been hesitant to platoon their batters in the past (see Dominic Smith).

At a minimum, I expect to see an improved outfield defense with Victor Robles patrolling center field today. I am also curious to see where they shift Trey Lipscomb. He played at every infield spot last season, and while shortstop is unlikely, he could move to second or first base in deference to Ildemaro Vargas at third base.

After throwing the past two days, expect Kyle Finnegan and Hunter Harvey to be unavailable.

Down in the Minors

Starting pitchers Thad Ward and Jackson Rutledge shoved in their starts this weekend. Ward threw four innings and struck out six. Rutledge threw five innings and struck out seven. James Wood has crushed it so far, with a walk in a third of his plate appearances, four hits, and just three strikeouts.

Rochester will have the day off today and will take on the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs for this week’s series.

Harrisburg and Wilmington begin their seasons on Friday.

Rochester Red Wings Manager Matthew LeCroy hopes to prepare and develop a culture of winning for the Nationals prospects

Richard • Mar 29, 2024

One of the primary areas of focus for Matthew LeCroy, the manager of the Nationals' top minor league team, is the development of future Washington Nationals players. He has been entrusted with the responsibility of nurturing prospects like James Wood

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Featured Stories of the Day

Giants DFA former top prospect Bart via MLB Trade Rumors

Oakland to present A’s with five-year lease extension via ESPN

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