ATLANTA — Luis García Jr. knows what this weekend means. Even as he attempts not to pay attention, he understands that it could be his last in a Washington Nationals uniform, the only one he’s ever worn in MLB. His name is circulating in trade rumors, and, with Monday’s deadline quickly approaching, there is a chance the Nationals could move him.
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Whether that happens depends largely how this four-game series against the Atlanta Braves plays out. A good showing will keep the Nationals in the hunt and help convince the front office not only to keep the team intact, but also to add pieces that can help them contend. A poor performance will push them further out of the playoff picture, perhaps persuading the team to trade players like García to acquire pieces who can help them in the future.
On Thursday, García did his part to help push them in the right direction, hitting a home run, a triple and a double to finish a single shy of the cycle. Daylen Lile contributed with two home runs. But starter Jake Irvin gave up five runs in his return from the injured list, and the Nationals wasted opportunities with runners in scoring position in the 5-4 loss.
The Nationals (55-55) are 2 1/2 games out of the third National League wild-card spot.
“Really frustrating,” García said through an interpreter. “As much as personally I had a really good night at the end of the day you want to go home with a win.”
The Nationals’ trade deadline fate isn’t decided yet. But the pressure on the team to perform in these next three games is now sky high if the clubhouse is to stay intact.
“I love this team,” García Jr. said before the game. “I love this clubhouse. I love this organization. This is the organization that gave me the opportunity to play baseball, and I want to stay here.”
Even with the heightened stakes, and with most of the team playing in meaningful games after the all-star break for the first time, the clubhouse has remained calm. García said he’s heard from President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni multiple times to make sure ‘things are clear’ about where he stands. CJ Abrams, who’s name has also been floated in rumor mills, said he’s been pretty chill this deadline because Toboni, like he’s done with García, has been communicating with him.
Manager Blake Butera has been checking in with players, too. While he’ll probably be looped in early to potential moves, the power ultimately rests with the front office. Butera doesn’t know what the outcome will be for his players, but he wants to be a resource if they need him.
He thinks the clubhouse is handling the uncertainty as well, he said.
“I don’t think anyone likes this time of year,” Butera said. “I think it’s a good sign that these guys don’t want to leave, I think that means there’s something special here, and I think we’re doing a good job that these guys are not worried about it, but it’s in their heads.”
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Thursday’s loss doesn’t drastically alter much for the Nationals, they still have three more games in Atlanta to fight their way up the standings before the deadline. Time, though, is starting to run out. And this one, like so many of their losses, could have easily gone their way.
Irvin was expected to be limited to around 75 pitches in his first start back since a shoulder strain sidelined him two months ago. He was efficient through the first five innings, allowing three runs. Irvin said he spent his rehab starts fine-tuning his cutter and changeup and throwing it in different counts, which he was able to translate to the first five innings of his outing.
With Irvin’s pitch count hovering around 50, Butera sent his starter out for the sixth, and he issued back-to-back walks. That ended his start, and Ozzie Albies hit a two-RBI single off Carson Palmquist to give the Braves a 5-3 lead.
“He was really efficient,” Butera said of Irvin. “He was in the zone a ton until that sixth inning and that was also the first time he’s had a sixth up since he came down.”
The Nationals jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the fourth inning thanks to the solo home run from García and two from Lile. They scored one more run in the seventh inning after James Wood walked and García hit a triple. They had other chances throughout the game to add on, but went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position, failing to move runners in critical spots.
The team needs to be more selective in those situations, Butera said, and is expanding the zone too much.
“These guys want to win so bad,” Butera said. “I think everybody wants to be the hero. I love that they want it that badly, but its honing that in a little bit and understanding that you almost need to do less at those times.”
Note: Left-hander Mitchell Parker underwent a ligament repair with an internal brace Wednesday. The recovery timeline is typically 12 to 15 months.
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