ATLANTA – Davey Martinez has managed games of far more significance since joining the Nationals in 2018, but since Day One he has treated every single one of them the same way, forever looking just to "go 1-0 today."

So Martinez managed his 1,000th career game with the same goal as any of the previous 999, which meant doing whatever he thought necessary to try to beat the Braves tonight in another tight, low-scoring affair.

That meant pulling starter Jake Irvin after 5 1/3 innings with a pitch count of 83 and entrusting a big moment to Robert Garcia, a move that backfired and ultimately led to the Nats’ 4-2 loss before a sellout crowd at Truist Park.

Pitching for the third straight day, Garcia gave up the game-tying and go-ahead runs during a ragged bottom of the sixth that defined this affair. And when fellow left-hander Joe La Sorsa surrendered an insurance run in the eighth and the Nationals lineup continued to come up short with runners in scoring position (0-for-9), Martinez’s 550th career loss became official.

The Nats also missed out on a second straight opportunity to clinch a season series against the Braves for the first time since 2017. They’re still 6-4 against Atlanta this year, still needing to win one of the final three head-to-head matchups.

When the Nationals traded Hunter Harvey to the Royals, there was concern about replacing such an important member of the bullpen. When they traded Dylan Floro to the Diamondbacks, the challenge of getting the ball to closer Kyle Finnegan became even more daunting. And when Derek Law landed on the injured list, the situation looked downright bleak.

Now consider how well the Nats bullpen has actually performed despite those seemingly killer losses: Over the last two weeks, the remaining group owns a 1.95 ERA, tops in the majors.

It’s true. The team might be 5-9 during that span, but rarely has it been the bullpen’s fault, with only two of the losses charged to relievers. All this in spite of the fact manager Davey Martinez has been forced to adjust roles on the fly, often using inexperienced arms in situations of consequence out of necessity.

“All of these guys, they’ve just got to be ready,” Martinez said. “Mainly right now, it’s matchups and how we see fit.”

For much of the season’s first half, Martinez’s mid-to-late-game strategy was fairly simple. Finnegan was the closer, with Harvey the setup man. Floro usually pitched the seventh inning, unless the opponents had several left-handed hitters due up, in which case Robert Garcia would get the assignment. Law would be used prior to that point, often entering in the sixth or even fifth inning if needed.

It’s been more than two months since Joey Gallo last played for the Nationals, a significant hamstring strain having brought his season to an immediate halt on July 11 in Detroit. The team’s lineup that evening included a host of names no longer affiliated with the organization: Lane Thomas, Jesse Winker, Eddie Rosario, Nick Senzel.

Finally activated off the 10-day injured list today, Gallo is healthy but not in the Nats lineup for tonight’s series opener against the Rockies. The lineup instead includes a host of names playing at Triple-A two months ago: James Wood, Juan Yepez, Alex Call, Andrés Chaparro, José Tena.

“It’s funny, because when I was down there, a lot of these guys I met down there. And now they’re up here,” Gallo said “I actually know everybody really, really well. I don’t know if it’s a good thing that I know everybody, because I was hurt. But it’s cool. It’s a new clubhouse, but it’s the guys I already knew and was hanging out with down there.”

Gallo spent the last two weeks at Rochester on an extended rehab assignment, during which he hit three homers, drove in eight runs, walked 11 times, struck out 12 times and saw action both at first base and in right field.

The extra work, he believes, was necessary after the long layoff.

The last week was not especially kind to the Nationals, who went 2-4 on their road trip to Baltimore and Philadelphia, at times looking overmatched by two of the best teams in baseball. The good news: They’re back home and facing a team with a worse record in the Rockies. At 46-79, Colorado is tied with Miami for the worst record in the National League, with only the wretched White Sox even worse than them across the majors.

The Nats still need to play well the next three days, of course, and they’ll hope DJ Herz can keep up what he’s been doing the last few weeks on the mound. After a midseason hiccup, Herz has gotten back on track, with a 3.04 ERA over his last five starts, including a quality start last week at Camden Yards. He struggled a bit at Coors Field earlier this summer, though, lasting just 3 2/3 innings in the thin mountain air.

The Nationals did not see Austin Gomber in that late-June series in Colorado. The left-hander enters with a 4.82 ERA and 24 homers allowed in 125 innings but did produce quality starts in two of his last three outings. The Nats have a big bat back in the lineup, with Joey Gallo finally activated off the 10-day injured list after a two-week rehab stint at Triple-A Rochester. He replaces Travis Blankenhorn, who was optioned to Triple-A.

The Nats also activated Robert Garcia off the bereavement list and optioned Orlando Ribalta to Rochester, giving them three lefties in the bullpen for the first time this season.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. COLORADO ROCKIES
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 6:45 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 88.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 73 degrees, wind 11 mph in from left field

PHILADELPHIA – The Nationals figured they were going to need bullpen help after seven relievers combined to cover almost 10 innings over the last two games. They just didn’t figure an injury would also creep up on one of their most trusted relief pitchers.

Right-hander Derek Law landed on the 15-day injured list this afternoon with a right elbow flexor strain, while left-hander Robert Garcia was placed on the bereavement list. To fill their spots in the ‘pen, the Nats selected the contract of left-hander Joe La Sorsa and recalled right-hander Joan Adon from Triple-A Rochester.

Law’s injury comes after he pitched an important scoreless eighth inning last night on 12 pitches to give the Nats a chance to rally in the ninth. The right-hander said he was supposed to go back out for the ninth of a newly tied game, but he and the Nationals decided it wasn’t a good idea with his elbow bothering him, leading to closer Kyle Finnegan coming in and surrendering the game-winning run without recording an out.

“Well, personally, I don't think it's really an injury. I feel pretty good,” Law said by his locker in the Nats clubhouse before tonight’s game. “Like today, I feel like I could throw. It's just kind of when I get up to the max-effort level for the last two weeks, I kinda have been grinding through it.

“The elbow has just been kind of barking. I think it's the flexor area. Honestly, it kind of came up during that rain game. When I was throwing, it was just soaking wet. I kind of felt something in there and I was just battling through it for a little bit. And finally, it just caught up yesterday. I was supposed to go back out for that ninth and I came in, not that there was no way I could do it, but I just didn't think it was the right decision to go back out there and do that. So I think just a little time off. Sadly, it has to be 15 days. I think I probably only need five or six, maybe seven. But I'll take my time, get right and be back in September.”

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Joe La Sorsa, recalled right-handed pitcher Joan Adon, placed left-handed pitcher Robert Garcia on the Bereavement List and placed right-handed pitcher Derek Law on the 15-day Injured List with a right elbow flexor strain on Saturday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

La Sorsa, 26, has pitched to a 2-2 record with a 2.25 ERA in 56.0 innings pitched for Triple-A Rochester this season. He has worked more than 1.0 inning in 24 of his 42 games this season and has produced 31 scoreless appearances. La Sorsa allowed just six of 42 inherited runners (14.3%) to score this season, including only three of his last 34 (8.8%) dating to May 9. Over his last five games, he has allowed one run in 5.2 innings (1.59 ERA) and has held opponents to a .190 batting average (4-for-21).

The Mount Kisco, N.Y. native appeared in 23 games for the Nationals in 2023 after he was claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays on June 8. La Sorsa went 1-0 with a 4.76 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 28.1 innings pitched in those games. He did not allow a run and struck out eight over his final six appearances, totaling 9.0 innings, including 3.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts against the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 10.

Adon, 26, returns to the Nationals for his fourth Major League stint this season. Since transitioning to the bullpen in Rochester on June 25, he has a 2.51 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 14.1 innings. He’s gone multiple innings in four of his 10 games in relief and has worked seven scoreless appearances.

Adon’s last two appearances for Washington have been scoreless, working a perfect ninth inning against San Francisco on August 7 and retiring one of two batters he faced on August 8 against the Giants. In all, he is 0-0 with a 6.48 ERA in six games, including one start, for the Nationals this season.

The situation practically begged for James Wood to do something big. Though the Nationals were leading at the time, the prospect of pulling off a 1-0 victory given the current state of their bullpen felt risky at best.

So here was a golden opportunity to extend that lead: Bases loaded, one out in the bottom of the sixth, Wood at the plate as the crowd tried to will the rookie outfielder to a clutch hit.

And when Wood’s sinking liner to left got past a diving Jackson Chourio and rolled all the way to the wall, that crowd roared as four Nationals sprinted around the bases, three of them scoring in front of Wood, who stopped at third with the clutch triple that proved the difference in a tight, 4-3 victory and a series win over the Brewers.

"That was a big moment, and he came through," manager Davey Martinez said of his 21-year-old phenom. "The kid's going to be OK."

It was the latest in a string of clutch hits by Wood, the 21-year-old phenom whose first month in the big leagues has featured plenty of ups and downs and still leaves much to be desired. But what Wood has lacked in consistency, he has made up for in frequently rising to the occasion in big spots.

After a rough start to the season on South Capitol Street, the Nationals have actually played better at home than on the road recently. Their .460 winning percentage at Nationals Park outpaces their .441 mark on the road. That bodes well for the remainder of the year, during which the Nats play 31 of their final 53 games at home.

Tonight started their longest homestand of the season, a 10-game stretch against the Brewers, Giants and Angels. To get to benchmarks of an improving season – such as a better overall record (71-91) and better home record (34-47) than last year – having a strong homestand over these next 10 days would go a long way.

But in the opener against the Brewers, who they took two of three against in Milwaukee right before the All-Star break, the Nats came up short to lose their fifth straight game by a score of 8-3 in front of 22,132 fans in D.C.

Jake Irvin appeared to be the right man to send to the mound to begin this three-game set. Although he struggled to end the first half, including being charged with seven runs (six earned) in four innings against these very Brewers at American Family Field, the rest during the break seemed to benefit him entering the second half. He allowed only four runs with 12 strikeouts over 12 ⅓ innings against the Reds and Cardinals, with the Nats winning both of those games.

However, Irvin wasn’t as efficient tonight, leading to an exit with two outs in the sixth due to a high pitch count.

ST. LOUIS – When the bottom of the eighth arrived Friday night at Busch Stadium, the Nationals and Cardinals knotted at 6-6, the visitors bullpen door swung open and Davey Martinez’s top setup man emerged: Robert Garcia.

This was the spot that had been reserved all season for Hunter Harvey, but the hard-throwing right-hander was dealt to the Royals just before the All-Star break. Martinez could have stuck with another righty, probably Dylan Floro or Derek Law, but he chose to use those veterans in the sixth and seventh.

So the assignment went to Garcia, the 28-year-old lefty with only 70 games of big league experience, even though only one of the three Cardinals due up bat left-handed. No problem, because Garcia promptly retired the side, striking out both right-handers to keep the game tied and ultimately set the Nationals up to win 10-8 in 10 innings.

“It’s something that I’ve worked towards, and it feels good that I’ve been given the opportunity to be put in that role,” he said. “It’s somewhere I see myself. I think I have very good stuff and have the ability to be in the later innings and take over that role.”

That’s the bet the Nats are making as they adjust bullpen roles on the fly. Harvey is now in Kansas City, Floro is a strong candidate to be traded as well before Tuesday’s deadline and Finnegan also could be had if any contender is willing to meet Mike Rizzo’s high asking price.

MILWAUKEE – If anyone was worried the grind of 17 games in 17 days to close out the season’s first half – not to mention 13 losses over the last 17 games – would leave the Nationals a dejected bunch this evening, Jesse Winker and Co. made sure to allay those fears right off the bat tonight.

And if anyone was worried Jackson Rutledge wouldn’t be up to the challenge of his first big league start of 2024 against the first-place Brewers, the big right-hander also made sure to allay those fears right from the get-go.

Rutledge allowed only two runs in a strong-if-abbreviated spot start, and Winker led a balanced offensive attack with an RBI double and a solo homer against his former team as the Nats topped the Brewers, 5-2, and snapped their five-game losing streak with an all-around impressive showing.

An exhausted roster arrived in Milwaukee late Thursday night following a series sweep in New York and had to muster up the energy to take on the Brewers in the final weekend of this daunting stretch before everyone can enjoy a well-deserved All-Star break.

"That's your job. That's what you sign up for, to come in and grind it out," Winker said. "It's hard. It's a hard game. It was a tough stretch of games, and we've been playing a lot of really good teams, but it's a good league. It's our job to keep coming in, put the work in and grind stuff out."

James Wood has spent all of two nights in the big leagues. Each time, the Nationals’ top prospect has found himself stepping to the plate to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning in a tie game. Each time, he hasn’t been able to score the winning run.

And each time, the Nats went on to lose to the Mets after a disastrous top of the 10th.

The script was basically the same tonight, New York scoring five 10th-inning runs after exploding for six in Monday’s series opener. The Nationals didn’t have a last-ditch rally in them and thus lost their fifth straight to their division rivals, this time by a more lopsided score of 7-2.

"I think I've kind of been learning quick that how close these games really are," Wood said, "and one play can really make a difference."

Kept off the bases his first three times up tonight, even though he scorched the ball each time, Wood finally got a chance to face a right-hander in his fourth plate appearance of the game, his ninth overall in the big leagues. He saw six pitches from the Mets’ Jose Butto, didn’t swing at any of them, and wound up drawing the walk.

DETROIT – If they wanted to pull off their first six-game winning streak since the final week of the 2019 regular season, the Nationals were going to need not only quality work from Patrick Corbin in an unexpected start. They were going to need not only run production from their lineup. They were also going to need a set of relievers not accustomed to closing out close games to finish the job on a day when the usual suspects weren’t available.

So even though they got quality work for Corbin, and even though they got just enough offense to leave the game tied in the seventh inning, the Nationals did not get the critical last part of today’s required winning formula and emerged with a 7-2 loss to the Tigers.

Seeking a series sweep and the team’s first six-game winning streak in nearly five years, the Nats watched as relievers Derek Law and Robert Garcia combined to allow six runs in 1 1/3 innings, turning a tight game into a lopsided one.

In winning five straight games for the first time since June 2021, the Nationals leaned heavily on their top three late-inning relievers: Kyle Finnegan, Hunter Harvey and Dylan Floro. The domino effect of all that: None figured to be available for today’s series finale, leaving the fate of the game in the hands of others.

"Look, we rely on these guys throughout the whole year, and they've done really well," manager Davey Martinez said. "It just didn't happen today. ... It's just one game. We won the series. We get to home now and start a fresh one."

CLEVELAND – A bleary-eyed Nationals team showed up for work this evening, flying high from a series win in Atlanta but dragging from a delayed flight following a getaway night that didn’t have them in bed until about 5 a.m.

Was a lack of sleep to blame for their eventual 7-1 loss to the Guardians? Or was it just another rough night at the plate for an offensively challenged club? Or was Cleveland’s pitching staff just that good?

Take your pick. Any or all of those reasons could be valid. Whatever the explanation, the Nats lost yet another ballgame that was low-scoring and tight late to a talented opponent. It’s happened before, and it’ll probably happen again. But it’s not cause for panic, especially if they stay true to form and bounce back Saturday after they get a well deserved good night’s sleep.

"It's tough. I still think getaway days should be at 1 (p.m.)," starter Patrick Corbin said. "You never know what can happen. We play every day. It's tough, but it happens to everybody. You have to try to find ways to battle through it. Hopefully guys can get some rest tonight and come back tomorrow."

The shame of this loss was that it came on a night Corbin was quite good. The veteran left-hander, who entered with a 6.12 ERA, became the fourth straight Nationals starter to allow two or fewer runs. Somehow, he still emerged with a loss, his sixth of the year.

PHILADELPHIA – For the first time in a week, the Nationals hit a ball out of the park. Two of them, as a matter of fact. It was a welcome sight for a power-starved, run-starved lineup.

Then again, it doesn’t matter much when those two long-awaited home runs proved to be your only hits of the day until the eighth inning. Even more so when your pitching staff falls apart during the critical two-inning stretch that loomed large in what wound up a lopsided 11-5 loss to the Phillies.

Eddie Rosario and Jesse Winker’s blasts off Aaron Nola weren’t nearly enough for the Nats, who saw the game come undone in the fifth and sixth innings and wound up dropping their fifth straight game in the process.

Runs have been in short supply during the losing streak, the Nationals scoring a grand total of 10 in these five games. Even so, they were still in prime to position to win each of the previous four games, not to mention every other game on this 2-7 trip, thanks to stellar pitching that kept every game close.

"I feel like we've played a ton of games on the road, and they've all been really close," said Winker, whose team indeed has played far more games on the road (28) than at home (17). "We ran into Boston, who I think has one of the best ERAs in baseball right now. Then we ran into Chicago, who is playing really well and pitched lights out. And then you come to Philly, and they have the best record in baseball. It was nine really good baseball games. You hang your hat on that, then you get back home tomorrow and get some home cooking and give it hell."

BOSTON – The Nationals returned to Fenway Park on Saturday afternoon in search of a series win over the Red Sox. A victory today would lock up their second series win in their last three and third in their last five. Plus, it would put them two games over .500 for the first time since June 30, 2021.

But despite Jake Irvin pitching one of the best starts of his career, a late Red Sox rally buried the Nats in a 4-2 loss.

Robert Garcia entered the eighth inning of a 2-2 game looking to keep the game tied. Pinch-hitter Rob Refsnyder hit a one-out infield single that dribbled up the third base line and never went foul. Garcia got pinch-hitter Romy Gonzalez to hit a ground ball to CJ Abrams, but the young shortstop tried to turn the double play by himself and threw the ball into the Red Sox dugout.

With Gonzalez on second, the Nats intentionally walked the right-handed Tyler O’Neill to bring up the lefty Rafael Devers, who proceeded to end a seven-pitch battle with a two-run double to left to send the 30,995 fans in Boston into a frenzy.

“Tried to throw a slider first pitch and see if I can get him to swing. It wasn't a great one, it moved away," Garcia said after the game. "I fell down 2-0, which was fine. I got right back in the count, evened it out 2-2. I threw a high fastball and he looked very uncomfortable. Surprised, kind of taken aback about, probably, the velo and the way it was thrown. So I figured that we're gonna go there. Because that's my best pitch. Fastball has been my best pitch, we're going right after him in that situation. I didn't execute my location and he beat my best pitch today.”

BOSTON – The Nationals arrived at Fenway Park with a rough history in the landmark ballpark.

Entering tonight’s opener of a three-game series, they were 15-24 all-time against the Red Sox and 5-13 at Fenway.

But the 2024 Nationals do not care much for history. They came to face a streaky Red Sox team with a similar record as their third straight American League East opponent. And they came away victorious.

The Nationals beat the Red Sox 5-1 to get back over .500 on a cold 51-degree Boston evening in front of an announced crowd of 31,313 fans. And they did so with some nifty two-out hitting and gutsy pitching, including from starter Patrick Corbin.

Facing right-hander Tanner Houck, who entered tonight’s start with a 1.99 ERA and 0.971 WHIP over his first seven outings, the Nats were able to put pressure on him with two outs in the early innings.

Three times in the last week, the Nationals put themselves in a position to get over a hump that for three years now had felt more daunting than the October hurdle they waited years to clear. They kept getting themselves to the .500 mark. They could not get themselves over it.

And then on attempt No. 4 tonight, they finally did it. The Nationals, for the first time since July 1, 2021, are a winning baseball team.

All it took? A 3-0 shutout victory over the Orioles, with Trevor Williams outdueling Corbin Burnes, the lineup manufacturing a few runs and the bullpen continuing its lights-out ways.

Yes, the Nats are 18-17, over the .500 hump at last. And happy not to have to talk about that longstanding negative fact anymore.

"I think it's the mentality that nobody sees us coming," closer Kyle Finnegan said. "We're kind of lurking in the shadows. And we know how good we are. Maybe the league will start to take notice." 

The Nationals made an expected roster move in the bullpen this morning, returning left-hander Robert Garcia from his rehab assignment and reinstating him from the injured list after a bout with influenza.

Garcia, 27, returns after missing 14 games. In one rehab appearance with Single-A Fredericksburg over the weekend, he struck out four without allowing a baserunner in two innings. Before landing on the IL, Garcia was tied for ninth among National League relievers with 13 strikeouts, achieving that mark in just 8 ⅓ innings. He also stranded all five runners he inherited this season.

He has been the only left-handed reliever manager Davey Martinez has used this season, having allowed just three extra base hits to lefty hitters in 68 career plate appearances.

The surprising part of the move was the decision to designate Matt Barnes for assignment to clear a spot on both the active and 40-man rosters.

“We needed to get Robert back. It was tough, but we definitely need a lefty,” Martinez said ahead of the Beltway Series opener against the Orioles. “I'd like to have more than one, but one right now will be good enough. But it was a tough call. Matty was such a professional. He's done it for a long time now. His velo just wasn't coming back like we thought it would. So we had to make a tough decision. I wished him all the best. We'll see where he ends up.”

The Nationals have a lefty in their bullpen again. They had to cut ties with a veteran right-hander to make it possible.

Robert Garcia was activated off the 15-day injured list, the club announced. The corresponding move: Matt Barnes was designated for assignment, likely ending his brief tenure with the organization.

Garcia was eligible to return after spending the last two weeks on the IL with the same influenza bug that previously sidelined catcher Keibert Ruiz. The left-hander initially tried to pitch through it but labored through four consecutive rough appearances before the Nats finally placed him on the IL and gave him time to fully recover.

Once healthy again, Garcia went on a rehab assignment to Single-A Fredericksburg over the weekend and pitched two scoreless innings in relief, striking out four. He’ll be available to pitch tonight in the Nats’ series opener against the Orioles.

When Garcia was shut down two weeks ago, the Nationals called up Jacob Barnes from Triple-A Rochester. The right-hander has performed well since, going 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 0.857 WHIP in seven games, earning the right to stay in the big leagues.

To the eye, the Nationals have played better defense this season, whether in the form of above-average plays in the infield, strong throws from the outfield or improved work behind the plate.

The metrics don’t quite see as much improvement yet.

The Nats enter today with minus-14 Defensive Runs Saved, which ranks 26th out of 30 major league clubs, according to Sports Info Solutions. They rate better in FanGraphs’ overall defensive metric, checking in at 19th in the majors.

The most encouraging sign of improvement is in the old-fashioned department of errors: The Nationals have been charged with only 14 of them this season (tied for fifth-fewest in the majors), and that includes the four errors they committed during Saturday’s ugly 6-3 loss to the Blue Jays.

“Just one of those days,” manager Davey Martinez said afterward. “We’ve been playing really good defense, and I harp on it all the time. Today just wasn’t that day.”