Young went 1-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases in Monday's 7-2 win over the Marlins.
Both pilfers came in the fifth inning, as Young stole second then teamed up with CJ Abrams on a double steal after the shortstop drew a walk. Young's 12 stolen bases on the season are third in the majors behind Elly De La Cruz (18) and Brice Turang (13), and he's slashing .328/.368/.391 through 21 games. Victor Robles (hamstring) is set to begin a rehab assignment this week as he nears his return from the IL, but Young seems to have a firm hold on the starting job in center field for the Nationals.
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Nationals' CJ Abrams: Productive in big win
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Abrams went 1-for-3 with two walks, a two-run home run, a second run scored and a stolen base in Monday's 7-2 win over the Marlins.
The 23-year-old shortstop was once again the engine of the Nationals' offense from the leadoff spot, as Abrams took Trevor Rogers deep in the third inning then teamed up with Jacob Young for a double steal in the fifth. Abrams has reached base safely in 15 straight games, and on the season he's slashing .297/.377/.634 with seven homers, six stolen bases, 17 RBI and 21 runs in 25 contests.
Irvin (2-2) picked up the win in Monday's 7-2 victory over the Marlins, giving up two runs on four hits over six innings. He struck out three without walking a batter.
The right-hander delivered his third quality start of the season in efficient fashion, tossing 59 of 84 pitches for strikes and taking a shutout into the sixth inning before Jazz Chisholm launched a two-run homer to center field. Irvin will carry a 4.28 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 26:7 K:BB through 33.2 innings into his next outing, which lines up to come at home this weekend against the Blue Jays.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Touches 98 mph in live BP
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Nationals manager Dave Martinez said that Cavalli's (elbow) fastball averaged 96 miles per hour and touched 98 mph in a 20-pitch live batting practice session Monday, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
Martinez came away impressed with how the right-hander looked, noting that Cavalli threw the ball "really well." Cavalli would appear to be nearing a rehab assignment, although he might be asked to throw another live BP or two at extended spring training first. He's working his way back from March 2023 Tommy John surgery and could be ready to return from the 60-day injured list at some point in June.
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Nationals' Victor Robles: Ready for rehab assignment
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Robles (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester on Tueday, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
Robles has been sidelined for most of April with a left hamstring strain but has progressed enough to get in some game action in the minors. The plan is for him to see action both at designated hitter and in the outfield while he's on assignment with Rochester. Jacob Young has played well for the Nationals in center field and might hold down an everyday role even after Robles is activated from the 10-day injured list.
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Nationals' Luis Garcia: Out against lefty again
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Garcia is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins.
The lefty-hitting Garcia will hit the bench for the second day in a row while the Marlins bring another lefty (Trevor Rogers) to the hill. The Nationals will turn to the switch-hitting Ildemaro Vargas to replace Garcia at the keystone.
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Nationals' Eddie Rosario: Out against lefty again
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Rosario is out of the lineup for Monday's game in Miami.
With the Nationals facing a left-handed starting pitcher for the second consecutive day, the lefty-hitting Rosario will cede his spot in the lineup to the right-handed-hitting Alex Call. As a strong-side platoon player, Rosario should still see the bulk of the starts in right field while the Nationals are without Lane Thomas (knee) and Joey Gallo (shoulder).
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Steals home Sunday
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Vargas went 2-for-5 with a double, a run scored and a stolen base in Sunday's win over the Marlins.
With one out in the sixth inning, Vargas cracked a double off Bruch Smith, advanced to third on a single, then raced home as part of a double steal with Trey Lipscomb. Vargas got the start at second base Sunday with lefty Ryan Weathers on the mound for Miami, and a short-side platoon role at the keystone might be all that's available for the 32-year-old utility player right now with Lipscomb, Nick Senzel and Luis Garcia all producing at the plate. Vargas has been making an impact of his own when he gets the chance though, slashing .304/.396/.413 through 53 plate appearances with two steals, four RBI and five runs.
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Nationals' Trey Lipscomb: Three runs in comeback win
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Lipscomb went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a stolen base in Sunday's win over the Marlins.
Getting the start at third base and batting sixth, Lipscomb played a big role as the Nationals made a stunning comeback from an early 7-0 deficit, eventually winning 12-9. The rookie has been getting consistent playing time since returning to the majors April 24, and he's responded with three straight multi-hit performances to boost his slash line on the season to .292/.356/.354 with one homer, five steals, four RBI and 13 runs in 73 plate appearances. Lipscomb has started all three of those games at third base, while Nick Senzel handles DH duties and Jesse Winker moves to left field. Expect the Nats to continue finding room for Lipscomb in the lineup as long as he's swinging a hot bat.
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Nationals' Derek Law: Records win Sunday
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Law (2-1) picked up the win in Sunday's comeback victory over the Marlins, pitching two scoreless innings and allowing two hits. He struck out three without walking a batter.
Patrick Corbin got chased after coughing up seven runs (four earned) in four innings, but Law steadied the ship in the fifth and sixth and watched the Nationals offense come to life, erasing a 7-0 deficit. The 33-year-old right-hander remains in a low-leverage role, but he's pitched reasonable well to begin the season with a 3.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 19:6 K:BB through 18 innings.
Young went 3-for-5 with a double, three RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases during Sunday's 12-9 victory over the Marlins.
Young's three hits were a season high and represented his third consecutive multi-hit effort while he also stole two bags for the second-consecutive game. The young center fielder is up to 10 steals on the season, good for fifth in all of baseball despite accumulating only 60 at-bats and one walk. His average now stands at .375 with four doubles, seven RBI and 14 runs scored.
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Nationals' Nick Senzel: Launches two more dingers
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Senzel went 2-for-6 with two home runs and five RBI during Sunday's 12-9 win over the Marlins.
Senzel's two home runs came in consecutive innings, with the two-run homer in the fourth cutting the lead to two, then the three-run blast in the fifth giving the Nationals a lead they wouldn't relinquish. The third baseman got off to a late start with the Nationals after fracturing his thumb prior to Opening Day but has found his groove over the last six games, as each of his five hits during that stretch have cleared the outfield fence. The power is legit for Senzel, who was never quite able to put things together during his five seasons in Cincinnati but has been thriving in his first season with Washington.
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Nationals' Kyle Finnegan: Cruises to ninth save
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Finnegan walked one in a scoreless ninth to pick up the save during Sunday's 12-9 victory over the Marlins. He struck out one.
Finnegan needed 21 pitches to finish the game but kept Miami off the scoreboard to match the league lead with his ninth save in 10 opportunities. He lowered his ERA to 2.19 with a 0.97 WHIP and 11 strikeouts over 12.1 innings.
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Nationals' Patrick Corbin: Lit up during no-decision
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Corbin did not factor into the decision during Sunday's win over the Marlins, allowing seven runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out four.
Corbin labored through 93 pitches in just four innings, digging his own grave by starting just eight of 22 batters with a first-pitch strike. The veteran southpaw shut down a potent Dodgers lineup during his last start but couldn't carry the momentum into this matchup with the Marlins, allowing all seven runs during the first two innings. Following the rough start, Corbin did face the minimum through his final two innings, providing a bit of a silver lining over the bad start and allowing the Nationals an opportunity to come all the way back and secure the victory. Corbin's next start is tentatively scheduled to take place during a home set next weekend against the Blue Jays.
Alu cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Rochester on Sunday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Alu was designated for assignment Tuesday and will stick in the organization after he went unclaimed on waivers. The 27-year-old struggled to .538 OPS in 65 plate appearances at Rochester before he lost his place on Washington's 40-man roster.
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Nationals' Eddie Rosario: Hits bench against lefty
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Rosario is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.
Though his playing time against right-handed pitching should be stable for the foreseeable future while Lane Thomas (knee) and Joey Gallo (shoulder) are on the shelf, the lefty-hitting Rosario is still expected to sit regularly versus southpaws. Rosario will hit the bench Sunday with lefty Ryan Weathers on the hill for Miami, paving the way for the righty-hitting Alex Call to draw a start in the corner outfield.
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Nationals' Luis Garcia: Moves to bench Sunday
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Garcia is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.
With southpaw Ryan Weathers on the hill for Miami, the lefty-hitting Garcia will hit the bench for the first time since April 14 while Ildemaro Vargas steps in at second base. While manning the keystone for each of the last 11 games, Garcia went 11-for-42 (.262 average) with one home run, four stolen bases, five RBI and one run.
