The Nationals enter Thursday with a 15-16 record in the midst of their hottest play of the season on a 4-game winning streak. However, that just makes them 5-5 in their last 10 games. What is going wrong with this team that won 97 games last season and only improved over the off-season?
Their starting pitching has been fantastic. Max Scherzer has a 1.79 ERA, Gio Gonzalez has a 2.67 ERA, Stephen Strasburg has a 3.47 ERA, and Tanner Roark has a 3.55 ERA. However, their bullpen has disappointed this season even though they thought they had addressed their perennial weak spot over the off-season. The only relief pitcher with an ERA under 3.48 is their closer, lefty Sean Doolittle who is currently sporting a 2.08 ERA.
We’ve addressed the main problem which may eventually need an outside addition to cure, but the team has also been hit with an outbreak of injuries early in the season. The most significant of these are the injuries to three of their most productive hitters: 3B Anthony Rendon, LF Adam Eaton, and 2B Daniel Murphy.
Murphy has yet to even take a swing this season after undergoing knee surgery last November. Unfortunately for both the player and team, it was reported yesterday that he is still experiencing pain in that knee while he runs and until that subsides he cannot start his comeback. There is no timetable for his return. Utilityman Howie Kendrick has been filling in admirably, proving he still has what it takes to be a starter in the MLB. So far, he has hit an even .300 with 4 homers, 11 RBIs, and a steal while covering at second base.
The 13-17 Dodgers got hit with some bad news earlier this week. Their best position player, SS Corey Seager, will miss the rest of the season (and possibly the beginning of next season) after undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair the torn UCL in his elbow. This immediately makes the Dodgers the top suitor for star Orioles SS Manny Machado on the trade market this season.
Their roster is in shambles right now as they take hit after hit like Ivan Drago at the end of Rocky IV. 3B Justin Turner has not yet played this season due to a fractured wrist and was supposed to start a rehab assignment this week, but will not. They have also just lost RF Yasiel Puig and have been without 2B Logan Forsythe for a few weeks, however he should be coming back in a week or two. Every one of their bench players, and even top prospect OF Alex Verdugo, have seen a large uptick in playing time, meaning the quality of Dodgers baseball has gotten worse. The only offensive players who are playing well right now are 1B Cody Bellinger, C Yasmani Grandal, and (surprisingly) OF Matt Kemp.
Their starting pitching has been pretty good with Clayton Kershaw exuding his usual dominance, yet getting no run support. He has a 2.86 ERA with only 1 win. Comeback candidate Hyun-Jin Ryu was pitching to a 2.12 ERA before he was bit by the injury bug this week with a significant left groin strain which will leave him out of action until the second half of the season. The Dodger bullpen has also been pretty good, except for a uncharacteristically bad start to the season for star closer Kenley Jansen. The offense really needs to heat up or the Dodgers may find themselves in the cellar of the NL West before too long. If the Dodgers struggle in the month of May, big moves will be on the horizon as they look to right the ship.