 Max Scherzer was rusty in his return from the injured list. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post) With his Nats three outs away from completing a four-game sweep, Dave Martinez's bullpen options were limited in the ninth inning yesterday at Nationals Park. Closer Sean Doolittle, who saved both games of Wednesday's split doubleheader, was unavailable. That left Fernando Rodney, Javy Guerra, Michael Blazek and U.S. Women's National Team defender Ali Krieger, who threw a ceremonial first pitch strike before the matinee. Krieger had at least as much zip on her "fastball" as Orioles outfielder Stevie Wilkerson, who became the first position player in baseball history to earn an official save early this morning.  | Martinez went with the 42-year-old Rodney, who, like Doolittle, pitched in both games Wednesday, and had never made three appearances in two days in his 17-year MLB career. What happened next was hardly surprising. Rodney allowed a game-tying home run to the first batter he faced, former National Ian Desmond. After a walk, a wild pitch and a single, another ex-Nat, Daniel Murphy, beat out a potential double play ball, allowing the go-ahead run to score in Washington's eventual 8-7 loss. Here's Boz on what led Martinez to decide Rodney was the best man for the job: On most, perhaps almost all, teams, Doolittle would have been unavailable Thursday and, because of his age and his value as a free off-the-scrap-heap discovery, so would Rodney. But Martinez, as a Tampa Bay Rays bench coach, saw the burly right-hander at the peak of his career in 2012 in Tampa Bay, when he had an unthinkable 0.60 ERA in 76 games. Martinez thinks he knows the key to the man with a cocked hat worthy of Bluebeard's crew. Fernando loves work. The more he pitches, the better. That led Martinez, last week, to take a loss when he brought Rodney back for a second inning in a game the Nats had just tied. Now he takes a loss in a three-games-in-two-days situation that few managers would risk. There were no good options. But at times you just tell your second-tier relievers that the late innings are theirs. Do your best. We will live with it. "They ask me before the game. I said, 'Yes.' Any chance I have, I'm ready to go," said Rodney, who touched 95 mph but didn't quite have his normal velocity. "I try never to say, 'No.' " The loss underscored the Nationals' need for relief pitching help ahead of Wednesday's trade deadline and the fact that Rodney, for as good as he's been since Mike Rizzo signed him last month, should not be called upon to protect a one-run lead in the ninth inning down the stretch. The bullpen's collapse overshadowed Max Scherzer's return from the injured list and another pinch hit "Baby Shark" attack by Gerardo Parra. Scherzer said he felt "rusty"" after throwing 86 pitches over five innings and that he wouldn't know if his previously inflamed bursa under his right shoulder blade was back to 100 percent until sometime today. Things don't get any easier for the Nationals over the remainder of their homestand. MVP candidate Cody Bellinger and the Dodgers arrive today with the best record in the National League (67-37) and the best run differential (+163) in baseball. On Monday, Washington begins a three-game series against the division-leading Braves. How 'bout that stat above? How 'bout Dan tweeting while on vacation to let you know he hasn't forgotten about you? (Please root for Justin Thomas to hit 'em straight over the final three days of the WGC so Dan is in a good mood when he returns to the office on Monday.) Have a great weekend. - On the first day of Redskins training camp, Derrius Guice, who tore his ACL in Washington's 2018 preseason opener, said last year was the longest of his life. (Read more)
- The Redskins' QB decision will be tricky — unless Dwayne Haskins makes it for them. (Read more)
- Case Keenum was the best quarterback on the field yesterday. (Read more)
- With Trent Williams a no-show, the left tackle job belongs to Ereck Flowers for now. (Read more)
- The Redskins plan to work out free agent tackle Donald Penn. (Read more)
- New Wizards guard CJ Miles underwent foot surgery. (Read more)
- Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard better start playing more video games. (Read more)
- It's anyone's guess how Katie Ledecky's body will respond in Saturday's 800 freestyle final at the world championships. (Read more)
- The fields at McLean Little League ballpark were destroyed by flash floods earlier this month. The recovery process is underway. (Read more)
Tonight on TV: The Nationals host the Dodgers at 7 on MASN. (To the reader who asked, you can listen to the game on 106.7 The Fan.) The Orioles are in Anaheim to play the Angels at 10 on MASN2. The Washington Kastles visit Philadelphia at 7 on CBS Sports Network. |
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