Good Morning, Washington Nationals Fans,

Here are the latest headlines and analyses around the Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball for today, April 17.

Welcome to the Morning Briefing! Haden here. Let’s talk about this loss.

Leading this Morning’s Briefing: Dodgers even the series in a 6-2 win

Well, it was Patrick Corbin bump day and it went about as well as you would expect with him facing the Dodgers lineup. Corbin walked four, struck out five, and allowed five earned runs over his 6.1 innings. Corbin came out for the seventh inning, but after a Mookie Betts double and Freddie Freeman walked, Corbin’s night was over. Derek Law came in as the team’s fireman and allowed Betts to score.

Jesse Winker was the standout performer offensively, going 2-3 with a double, home run, and a hit by pitch. He now has a 1.108 OPS, which is fifth in the majors. This offensive breakout is fueled by a strikeout more in line with his offensive breakouts in 2019 and 2021. While it is unlikely Winker remains a .373/.500/.608 hitter, getting a strong offensive season from Winker is a huge boon for the Nationals as they continue to restock the farm.

The Nationals continue to steal, with Lane Thomas and Jacob Young each getting a steal last night. The team is one of the best baserunning teams in the league, but their below-average offense and below-average defense pushes them to a below-average roster.

See the problem for the Nationals is that they have a ton of everyday players who are below average offensively. Joey Gallo, Joey Meneses, Trey Lipscomb, Keibert Ruiz, Eddie Rosario Lane Thomas, and Jacob Young are all among that group. Recently, we saw Lipscomb get sent down and Meneses move to the bench, but that is three bats in the lineup that put up poor production.

Young makes up for it thanks to his premium baserunning and defense, but in offensive-minded positions like first base and the corner outfield, the Nationals need more output. Thankfully, it is still early in the season, and one hot week can flip the narrative.

But hey, at least James Wood is almost here, right? Right?

In the Clubhouse

Jeremy Lapidus and I will be breaking down the past week of Nationals baseball on the Nats Report YouTube channel at 6:30 pm ET tonight. Tune in if you want to hear more of my Nats ramblings!

Down in the Minors

Rochester Red Wings 2, Toledo Mud Hens 0: Joan Adon and the Nationals C bullpen (Amos Willingham, Richard Bleier, and Jacob Barnes) shut out the Mud Hens offense. Travis Blankenhorn provided the bulk of the offense with a two-run home run and a double.

Harrisburg Senators 3, Richmond Flying Squirrels 2: The Senators walked off the Flying Squirrels thanks to a ninth-inning Robert Hassell III triple that was followed up by a Dylan Crews single. Kyle Luckham struck out four in his six innings of work. Brady House doubled.

Wilmington Blue Rocks 7, Greenville Drive 6: Daylen Lile went 2-4 with a walk and Sammy Infante went 2-3 with a home run and two walks. T.J. White drove in three runners.

Fayetteville Woodpeckers 1, Fredericksburg Nationals 0: Liam Sullivan struck out eight over five innings, but it was not enough as the Fred Nats offense could only muster four hits. Gavin Dugas and Caleb Farmer both doubled.

Featured Stories of the Day

TEX SP prospect Leiter gets the call via MLB Trade Rumors

Why Mike Trout wants to win only with the Angels via ESPN

Dodgers OF prospect Pages called up via MLB Trade Rumors

If you haven’t already, please consider supporting this publication with a paid subscription so you don’t miss a thing.

The Nats Report is an independent reader-supported project with both free and paid subscriptions and not affiliated with the Washington Nationals.

Those who opt for the paid edition are providing vital assistance to bolster our independent coverage of the Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball.