Jake Irvin showed an impressive performance in the Washington Nationals' series finale against the Cleveland Rangers last Sunday in the MLBpitching six innings and throwing a total of 98 pitches, 68 of which were strikes. The game ended with Washington winning by a score of 5 - 2.
Launch Strategy
During his outing, Irvin allowed five hits, conceded one base on balls and allowed two clean runs. He struck out six of the 23 batters he faced. One notable aspect of Irvin's strategy was his increased reliance on the curve, throwing it 41% of the time, a significant increase over his season average of 32.1%.
This adjustment proved effective as he managed six strikeouts sung with the curve and a total of 20 strikeouts sung, nine of which came from this pitch. Irvin emphasized the strategic importance of mixing his curve with his straight to keep hitters off balance and highlighted his growing confidence in his curve.
Davey Martinez, the team's manager, praised Irvin for his ability to get ahead in counts and effectively use his curve. Martinez praised Irvin's aggressiveness inside the strike zone and his willingness to throw strikes. He also noted the positive impact of Irvin's use of the cutter to secure outs.
Early Team Support
Irvin himself acknowledged the importance of the early run support he received from his teammates, which gave him a 4-0 lead, allowing him to settle down and focus on attacking hitters. He expressed his gratitude for the offensive contributions of his teammates, which made his job easier and bolstered his confidence on the mound.
Offensively, the team was sparked by key hits, including a Joey Meneses double that drove in two runs in the second inning.
This was followed by an RBI single by Ildemaro Vargas and another RBI by Lane Thomas, who hit a line drive to right field, extending the lead to 4-0. Martinez praised the offense's approach and performance, specifically mentioning the crucial hits by Vargas and Meneses.
Reflecting on the team's performance on the road, Martinez expressed satisfaction with the Nationals' performance, highlighting their 3-1 record against the Atlanta Braves and a 4-3 overall record. He emphasized the importance of keeping the momentum going and preparing diligently for the upcoming games.
Jake Irvin today
6.0 IP
5 H
2 ER
1 BB
6 KHis ERA on the season is now 3.39 pic.twitter.com/LfuZOioyM9
- optimistic nats fan (@optimistic5518) June 2, 2024
CJ Abrams in May
In terms of individual performances, CJ Abrams had a strong start to the 2024 season, posting a .295/.373/.619 batting line with five doubles, four triples, seven home runs, 11 base on balls and 20 strikeouts in 119 plate appearances through April.
However, his performance declined in May, batting .205/.216/.304 with five doubles, two home runs, one base on balls and 29 strikeouts in 116 plate appearances. Martinez planned to talk to Abrams to help him reboot and focus on the new month, encouraging him to swing at strikes and be more selective at the plate.
Abrams faced adjustments and challenges as pitchers began throwing him more breaking balls, which affected his timing and led to lower batting averages against both straights and breaking balls in May.
His on-base percentage decreased significantly from 9.2% in March/April to 0.9% in May, resulting in a decrease in his fielding percentage from .373 to .216.
Martinez emphasized the need for Abrams to focus on hitting strikes and being ready for straights. He also monitored Abrams' defensive performance to make sure his offensive struggles did not affect his fielding, and was prepared to give him days off if necessary to prevent burnout and aid in his recovery.
Abrams also dealt with injury concerns after a fall and shoulder injury during a play in the first game of the series on Friday, which caused him to momentarily faint and subsequently sore his shoulder.
He was subsequently removed from Saturday's game as a precaution and eliminated from Sunday's lineup, although he reported feeling better and was expected to return to action soon.
