The Morning Briefing: September 4

Good morning, Washington Nationals fans.

Here are the latest headlines and analyses around the Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball for today, September 4.

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Welcome to the Morning Briefing!

Leading this Morning's Briefing: Is the Future Closer Already Here?

Two years ago the Nationals sent southpaw reliever Jose A. Ferrer to the Futures Game, and it felt like that was at least in part because they didn't exactly have a wealth of options in the high minors to nominate. And Ferrer's path to finding a place in the majors has been a little bumpy, with a very high walk rate last year and a teres major strain that caused him to miss the entire first half of this season. His 2024 season debut involved some carnage, as he allowed three runs while recording just one out on July 19th against the Reds. But folks, the Nats might have something here. Ferrer averages 98 mph with both a four-seam and a two-seam fastball, and has a very respectable 88-mph changeup. He has been barreled exactly zero times this season, and might be the rare reliever who can both miss a good number of bats and induce a lot of ground balls. Over his last dozen appearances (including last night), Ferrer has allowed seven hits - all singles - and a walk in twelve innings while striking out ten for an opponents' line of .171/.191/.171. Assuming good health, he should be a high-leverage reliever from the jump in 2025.

Last Game Out

The Nationals staked Patrick Corbin to a four-run lead early enough that the Marlins never truly threatened to shake things up and mount a serious comeback in the later innings. Joey Gallo and Keibert Ruiz provided the fireworks, with Gallo hitting a "Weaver" (three-run homer) and Ruiz adding a solo shot as part of a three-hit game that left him a triple shy of the cycle (and we all know that something weird - like an outfielder stepping into another dimension that lands them in Narnia - would need to happen for Ruiz to get that triple). Jacob Young also had a fantastic night at the plate with three hits.

Nationals Headline of the Day: Ruiz Putting in the Work

Paige Leckie of MLB.com wrote about the work Keibert Ruiz has been putting in in the wake of his three-hit performance yesterday. Hopefully Ruiz can figure out how to get off to a good or at least decent start to the season in 2025, something that has beguiled him each of his first three seasons as a National.

Down on the Farm

Fresh off of being named last week's Carolina League Player of the Week, Seaver King reached base three more times last night for the FredNats in their win over Lynchburg. That team should win the second-half division crown and play in the playoffs with two studs (Travis Sykora and Alex Clemmey) in the rotation and a roster so full of legitimate prospects that they don't have room for all of them in the lineup.

Featured Baseball Story of the Day

Will Leitch of MLB.com writes about nine players who might call it a career at the end of the 2024 season. No current or former Nats on the list.

Former National of the Day

The last homegrown reliever for the Nats who had a strong debut performance was Koda Glover, an eighth-round pick out of Oklahoma State in 2015 who pitched for the Nats 2016-18. Glover had the look and the stuff of a closer, but he eventually hurt himself and didn't tell the team about it, which ended his career at age 25 after just 55 1/3 innings and 9 saves.

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