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Friday, April 8, 2021 Washington Nationals @ LA Dodgers 4:30 pm EDT
Saturday, April 9, 2021 Washington Nationals @ LA Dodgers 9:10 pm EDT
Sunday, April 10, 2021 Washington Nationals @ LA Dodgers 4:10 pm EDT
Countdown Clock: 97 Days to the 2021 MLB All-Star Game (Coors Field in Denver, CO)
Today's Morning Briefing was written by Richard and edited by Jonathan.
Today's Top Story: Washington Nationals Get Swept in the Doubleheader and now head for LA to face the 2020 World Series Champions the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Well, the first game of the 2021 Season went really well! The second and third games, not so good. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Washington Nationals were unable to capitalize on a dominating performance by Stephen Strasburg, losing 2-0 to the Atlanta Braves. In his 2021 debut, Strasburg struck out eight in six scoreless innings and also had the team's only extra-base hit with a first-inning double. Strasburg only threw a total of 85 pitches.
Despite all the hard work by Strasburg in the second game, the Nationals were unable to score a run and Atlanta pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval slugged a go-ahead, two-run homer against Tanner Rainey in the seventh. In the first game of the doubleheader, Trea Turner homered for the second straight day and Starlin Castro had three hits and three RBI, but the Nats dropped a 7-6 decision to Braves. Erick Fedde struggled in his own 2021 debut, lasting just 1 2/3 innings and giving up six runs on six hits and three walks.
During the first game of the double header, Sam Clay made his MLB debut and it was pretty impressive. Clay struck out NL MVP Freddie Freeman and Marcell Ozuna back-to-back, while pitching a scoreless fourth inning. Now the Washington Nationals head West to LA to face off with the 2020 World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers and then head to St. Louis to play the Cardinals, the schedule seems familiar right?
We will have the series preview up on the site soon!
First Impressions of the First Series
I take a closer look at some of the highs and lows of the first series against the Atlanta Braves. From the article: "Over the years we have seen two different Stephen Strasburgs. Early in his career, he was a pitcher who would start to spiral out of control whenever something went wrong after he executed his pitch. Over the past year or two, that has changed significantly."
Click here to read the full article
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Podcast Alert: In the Clubhouse with the Nats Report
Need your Nationals fix already? Take a listen to my great interview with Washington Nationals Pitching prospects Cade Cavalli and Jackson Rutledge. After listening to these two interviews, you will definitely be excited for the pitchers of the future!
Jackson Rutledge
Apple: apple.co/2OknEKM
Spotify: spoti.fi/3cNsz0a
Web: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/AMPM4728575640.mp3?updated=1617540175
Cade Cavalli
Apple: https://apple.co/3t61rzi
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3s6Ppoc
Web: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/AMPM5385708759.mp3?updated=1614092559
Coming up on the Podcast: I recently had a chance to sit down with the President of the Harrisburg Senators and we talked all about the amazing partnership between the Nationals and the Senators. During the interview, he gives a sneak peak of the upcoming bobbleheads that the Senators will be giving away this season! Make sure that you add us to your podcasting feed today!
Must Reads: Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball Headlines
- Mets get makeup dates for COVID-19 postponed Nationals games via The Nats Report Twitter
- Washington Nationals embracing “The Replacements” attitude to start 2021 via Federal Baseball
- One unforgettable day at Nationals Park was the culmination of 18 months — and 50 years — of waiting via The Washington Post
- Nats could get some players back in L.A., but it’s complicated via MASN Washington
- Nationals: 3 shocking statistics from the first series via District on Deck
- Strasburg snuck into a Little League field to stay fresh last week via NBC Sports Washington
- 1 iconic baseball card for every team via MLB
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he will boycott Major League Baseball events after the league pulled its All-Star Game from Georgia via Texas Tribune
- White House pushes back on conservative argument over Georgia, Colorado voting laws amid MLB dispute via Yahoo! Sports
- Sen. Kennedy blasts MLB commissioner: ‘Go to Amazon, buy a spine and answer questions’ via Fox News
- LA Angels: Why Mike Trout is still the best player in baseball via Halo Hangout
- Dodgers: Trevor Bauer subject to MLB ball inspection after first inning vs Athletics via Dodgers Way
- Major League Baseball's Owners 'Blindsided' by Decision to Move All-Star Game via NewsMax