The Nationals need to get going, but the D-Backs will be a tough test for the struggling Nats
The Washington Nationals need some wins, and fast. They need to find a way to win this series against Arizona because the Dodgers are coming to town next. We do not want to be in a 2-7 or 1-8 hole with one of the greatest teams of all time coming to town. I am going to breakdown the matchup and discuss what the Nationals need to do to win.
Hitters to Watch for the Snakes:
Last season the D-Backs had a potent offense. Their .777 team OPS was second in baseball only behind the Dodgers. They were led by Ketel Marte, who hit 36 home runs and posted a .932 OPS last season.
Their young star Corbin Carroll got off to a brutal start last year, with a .635 OPS before the All-Star break. However, he was back to his transcendent ways in the second half with a .919 OPS and 17 of his 22 homers came after the midsummer classic.
Eugenio Suarez is another player that started slow before taking off in the second half. He has carried over that production into 2025. The veteran third baseman has already hit five home runs this season.
The Snakes did lose a fair bit of offensive punch this offseason. Notably, Joc Pederson and Christian Walker both left for Texas teams in the Rangers and Astros respectively. They replaced Walker with former Guardians slugger Josh Naylor who they acquired via trade. It is a potent offense and the Nationals pitchers are going to have to be very careful.
The Pitching Matchups:
In game one of the series, Jake Irvin will take on Brandon Pfaadt. Both Irvin and Pfaadt are innings eating middle of the rotation arms. Pfaadt actually just got a 5-year $45 million extension despite having a career ERA over 5. However, the right hander has been dependable and has gotten better every year. He tends to go pretty deep into games, but gives up a lot of hits.
Irvin is honestly pretty similar. Pfaadt has better strikeout numbers, but Irvin has been the better run preventer so far in his career. Neither lineup has seen that much of the other pitcher. It should be a fun matchup between two young pitchers looking to take that next step.
Game two pits two southpaws up against each other. Young Mitchell Parker is taking on the veteran Eduardo Rodriguez. E-Rod was injured for most of his first season in Arizona. After signing a 4-year $80 million contract, he only started 10 games, putting up middling results. However, Rodriguez has a long track record of being a reliable middle of the rotation starter. No Nat has a super long track record of hitting against Rodriguez, but Nathaniel Lowe is 4/7 against him with three RBI’s.
Mitchell Parker made one start against the Snakes last year, where he went five innings allowing two runs. He had a great season debut against the Phillies, going six scoreless innings. Parker won the fifth starter job out of camp and looks ready to run with it. He pounds the zone and his stuff plays up due to deception.
In the final game of the series, the Nats are facing the D-Backs new big money ace Corbin Burnes. The Snakes shocked the baseball world when they signed the former Cy Young winner to a 6-year $210 million deal. After a year in Baltimore, the ace decided to take his talents to the desert.
Burnes has been an All-Star for four straight seasons and is one of the games premier starters. However, some of the Nats have had success against him. Paul DeJong has a .318 average against him in 22 at bats with two homers.
The Nats were set to start Michael Soroka. However, he is headed to the 15 day IL with a biceps strain.
The Nats Need This:
With the hole the Nats have dug themselves, winning this series is important. You don’t want to be 2-7 with an all time great Dodgers team coming to town. However, this will be a tough task. The D-Backs just missed the playoffs last year and addressed their pitching weakness by signing an ace.
If the Nats fail to get things going, the heat is going to turn up on the team and specifically the staff. Davey Martinez made a bold and unpopular move by bringing back Darnell Coles. The offense was not good last year, yet he brought back the hitting coach. If the offense continues to sputter, Coles will be firmly on the hot seat.
Guys like Dylan Crews and to a lesser extent James Wood have not looked great to start the season. The Nationals have so much riding on these players and have to get them going. Is Coles the guy to get the best out of them, I have my doubts. Regardless, the Nationals need to get off the ground after yet another slow start to the season.