Young impresses in leadoff spot, Machado's homer woes continue

For 94 consecutive games, Davey Martinez filled out a lineup that featured one of two names in the leadoff position: Lane Thomas or CJ Abrams. Since mid-May, there hadn’t been any reason for the Nationals manager to consider anyone else for that job.

But when both Thomas and Abrams needed the night off Tuesday, Martinez was left to select another name for one of the most prominent roles on the team. He chose Jacob Young, knowing the rookie had led off all year in the minors, not to mention throughout the majority of his baseball life.

And though there wasn’t much positive to take away from an 11-5 loss to the Mets, the young leadoff man’s performance did qualify.

Young wound up going 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, a double and two runs scored, showing off both his bat and his legs in a solid all-around game.

“He got ready a little earlier tonight, looking for balls in the strike zone,” Martinez said. “He laid off some really good pitches. I’ve known that about him. He’s really good about that, and he’s been leading off his whole career. We’ll see, if Lane can’t play tomorrow, we might let him lead off again.”

Young’s first-inning at-bat was perhaps his most impressive. He lined a 1-2 pitch from Mets left-hander Jose Quintana to right-center, then burst out of the batter’s box and didn’t stop until he reached second base with a hustle double. He then raced home on Joey Meneses’ subsequent single to right, easily scoring the Nats’ first run of the game.

Young, a seventh-round pick in the 2021 draft out of Florida, would also drive in a run during the Nationals’ four-run eighth, then draw a walk with two outs in the ninth and take second base on defensive indifference. He has hit at the bottom of the lineup since debuting last week on the road, but his approach didn’t change when moved all the way up to the No. 1 position.

“I try to play the same game, pretty much, no matter where I’m hitting,” he said. “Get on base, let the big guys behind me try to drive me in. Early, late, just try to get the offense going.”

* Andres Machado gave the Nationals three important innings out of the bullpen after Patrick Corbin was pulled upon giving up eight runs in four frames. But Machado’s outing got off to a ragged start in a manner that has become all too familiar.

Entering from the bullpen for the top of the fifth with his team already trailing 8-1, Machado immediately served up a towering home run to Pete Alonso. It was the only run the right-hander allowed, but it was the latest example of a run he allowed in that manner.

Machado has made 32 appearances for the Nats this season. Shockingly, he has surrendered a home run to the first batter he faced in seven of those games.

“Know what you’re doing,” Martinez said. “You can’t come in and throw … if you’re going to pitch in, you better get the ball in. You can’t leave the ball out over the plate to Alonso. So know, when you’re coming in, what you’re doing. Have a game plan. And eliminate that.

“Overall, though, Machado gave us three really good innings. It was good.”

* Tuesday night’s loss means the Mets clinched the season series against the Nationals, having now won seven of the 12 games they’ve played to date. The Nats would’ve needed to sweep this two-game series to finish 7-6 against their division rivals.

After going an abysmal 17-59 against the NL East last year, the Nationals have gone a somewhat more respectable 15-29 this year (with their 2-11 record against the Marlins skewering those numbers). They finished 6-7 against the Phillies, could finish the same against the Mets and in theory could still finish with a winning record against the powerhouse Braves. They’re 2-4 so far this year against Atlanta, with seven head-to-head games remaining later this month.