MILWAUKEE – If the Nationals were going to head into the All-Star break on a positive note, they had an uphill climb to battle.
Already having struggled this weekend against Brewers pitching, facing right-hander Freddy Peralta, who was selected for the upcoming All-Star Game but will not pitch in it, may have proved to be the Nats’ toughest challenge yet.
And they were shorthanded heading into the matchup, with their two best hitters sidelined before the game even started. For the first time in 174 games since he made his major league debut, James Wood was not in the starting lineup, the struggling All-Star slugger getting some extra rest before tomorrow’s Home Run Derby.
Then 30 minutes before first pitch, CJ Abrams was scratched from the starting lineup, with Paul DeJong taking over at shortstop and batting fourth. The Nats announced during the game (a change from the team’s policy under the previous regime) that the young shortstop was scratched with minor right shoulder soreness.
So it was that the Nationals lost the eighth of their last nine games, this one by a score of 8-1 to complete a sweep at the hands of the Brewers. With the loss, the Nats enter the All-Star break with a 38-58 record, which places them 20 games under .500 for the first time since finishing last season 71-91.
To be frank, it could have been much worse. The Nationals were no-hit by Peralta through the first five innings. And without Wood and Abrams, the chances increased that the Nats would suffer their third no-hitter, one in each of the last three seasons, after never having been no-hit between 2005-2022.
Alas, Jacob Young came to the rescue with one out in the sixth. He slapped a single right past the third baseman into left field to hear a collective sigh of relief in the Nationals' dugout and a groan followed by applause from the 32,135 fans at American Family Field.
Luis García Jr., who was the Nats’ only previous baserunner via a fielding error in the second inning, then doubled down the left field line in the seventh and came around to score on Daylen Lile’s single to right to avoid the shutout.
But that was the only run the Nats could score today, leaving the three unearned runs the Brewers scored off Jake Irvin enough for the home team to win.
Irvin, who was personally looking to end the first half on a positive note, did enough to feel better about himself heading into the break. For the most part, he held a tough Brewers lineup in check. It was just one inning that proved costly.
With two outs, the right-hander issued a two-out walk. Then a fielding error by Brady House at third let the next batter reach. And then when Irvin couldn’t cleanly field a soft chopper in front of the mound, the bases were suddenly loaded.
No. 9 Anthony Seigler then gave the Brewers a 2-0 lead with a two-run single to right, his first-career RBIs. Sal Frelick followed with his own RBI single to right to make it 3-0.
Aside from those costly mistakes, Irvin pitched well. He may have been able to get deeper into the game if not for his high pitch count of 93 after five innings. He was doomed by long at-bats, some of which went for as many as 10 pitches.
With the three unearned runs, Irvin’s first-half ERA lowered to 4.58, still more than a run higher than the 3.49 ERA he posted before last year’s All-Star break.
Jackson Rutledge giving up Jackson Chourio’s three-run homer and Brice Turang’s solo shot in succession, and Andry Lara (recalled from Double-A this morning) loading the bases and walking in another run in the eighth were just more salt in the wound.
But at long last, the All-Star break is here after a disappointing and tumultuous first half. Now the Nationals can rest, watch Wood participate in Monday’s Derby, and hope the young outfielder and their budding ace MacKenzie Gore get to play in Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic in Atlanta.
Speaking of looking ahead, the Nationals also own the No. 1 overall pick in tonight’s MLB Draft. In just a few hours, the organization will have another important piece for the future.