Despite being sellers ahead of the 2024 MLB trade deadline, the Washington Nationals have been playing some solid baseball in recent weeks. They have won two out of their last three series entering a major matchup with their rivals and World Series contenders, the Baltimore Orioles.
The next chapter of the Beltway Series got underway Tuesday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. It was a blowout 9-3 game, but not for the team many people would have predicted to come out on top.
It was the Nationals who came away victorious on the back of six solid innings from Jake Irvin. He allowed seven hits and issued two walks, resulting in two earned runs while striking out three.
Washington was able to hit Trevor Rogers hard. They got to him for seven hits and two talks, turning that into five earned runs in a game that the Nationals never trailed in. Baltimore paid a hefty price to acquire Rogers from the Miami Marlins ahead of the deadline, but he has not fared well through three starts.
Heading into Game 2 of the series on Wednesday night, the Orioles have been installed as pretty heavy favorites. Dean Kramer, who is 4-9 on the season with a 4.70 ERA will take the mound for Baltimore against DJ Herz, who is 2-4 with a 4.41 ERA.
Baltimore is listed at -170 on the moneyline, while Washington is +142. An over/under of 8.5 runs has been set, as the pitching matchup hints at a potentially high-scoring affair.
The Nationals have been pesky as the underdog this season, winning 44.4 percent of the 99 instances they have been installed as one. The Orioles have won nearly 60 percent of the 93 games they have been favored in.
If Washington is going to pull off the upset again, their young emerging stars will have to play a role. On Tuesday, All-Star CJ Abrams, star prospect James Wood and Andres Chaparro, who was making his major league debut, all recorded multiple hits and runs scored.
They combined to go 10-for-13 with seven runs scored and two RBI. Wood had one double in the game while Abrams hit two and Chaparro hit three.
A repeat performance anywhere near that level of productivity and the Nationals could be in line for their fourth win in five games. However, it won’t be easy.
Herz will have his hands full navigating this explosive Orioles lineup. Anthony Santander is one of the best power hitters in baseball, while Gunnar Henderson is putting together an MVP campaign behind him.
Irvin was able to hold the Baltimore bats in check; will Herz be able to accomplish the same feat?
