Apr 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Colorado Rockies first base Michael Toglia (4) runs after hitting a grand slam dwelling run within the third inning in opposition to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Photographs The Washington Nationals had sooner or later off scheduled for the final two weeks, however they bought an surprising one Friday when their sport on the Colorado Rockies was postponed as a result of snow.
The groups will now match their three-game collection into two days, beginning Saturday afternoon in Denver and concluding with a break up doubleheader on Sunday.
Washington will ship Brad Lord (0-1, 4.82 ERA) to the mound in opposition to Colorado lefty Kyle Freeland (0-3, 4.88) on Saturday.
The Nationals have dropped 5 of their first seven on their 10-game street journey, together with three of 4 at Pittsburgh this week. Thursday’s 1-0 loss got here with supervisor Dave Martinez serving a one-game suspension after reliever Jorge Lopez was ejected from Wednesday night time’s sport for throwing at Andrew McCutchen’s head.
Lopez was handed a three-game suspension however is interesting, so he will probably be obtainable this weekend till his attraction is heard.
Lord made his main league debut in a reduction look on March 30. He has appeared in 5 video games, the final two as a starter, and took the loss on the Pirates on Monday. He has by no means confronted the Rockies.
“He assaults the strike zone,” Martinez stated just lately. “He comes after hitters. I like that. I actually like that — rather a lot.”
Washington will not have infielder Paul DeJong, who was positioned on the injured checklist on Wednesday. DeJong was hit within the face with a pitch from Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller on Tuesday night time and suffered a fractured nostril.
Colorado did not play Thursday, so Friday gave them an additional day without work to regroup after an 0-6 street journey at San Diego and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Rockies, at 3-15, have the worst file within the majors. Their .220 batting common is third-lowest within the Nationwide League and so they’ve struck out 195 instances, most within the NL.
That lack of manufacturing led the membership to alleviate hitting coach Hensley Meulens of his duties. He was changed with Clint Hurdle, who has been serving as a particular assistant to the final supervisor since 2021.
Hurdle managed Colorado from 2002-2009 and led the membership to its solely World Collection look in 2007. He takes over one of many youngest lineups within the majors.
A kind of kids, first baseman Michael Toglia, has struggled out of the gate. He was hitting .167 after Monday’s loss to the Dodgers and supervisor Bud Black sat him on Tuesday night time to assist him reset. Toglia responded with a grand slam in Wednesday’s sport, his first dwelling run of the season.
“It has been irritating,” Toglia stated. “Nevertheless it’s an extremely lengthy season, and it is a sport of runs in each instructions, sadly. So that you simply must journey out when it is not going so properly and simply belief the method and know it will get higher.”
Freeland is accustomed to these ups and downs, and this season has been powerful on the Denver native. He had a 2.13 ERA by way of his first two begins however has allowed 5 earned runs in every of his final two outings.
He has pitched properly in 9 profession begins in opposition to the Nationals, posting a 5-2 file and a pair of.05 ERA.
–Discipline Stage Media
