With something to prove, future ace, rookie and veteran show promise

CHICAGO -- Over the final two months of the season the Nationals are playing for more than just wins and losses. It’s an opportunity for players to prove themselves in the big leagues. Players like Josiah Gray, Joey Meneses and Victor Robles have all come to Washington in different ways, and they each have something to prove down the stretch.

Those three players showed glimpses of their impacts on Wednesday afternoon in the Nationals’ 4-2 loss against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

“I gave the team a chance, [and] it was a quality start,” Gray said. “The numbers are numbers, and I gave my team a chance to win.”

At 37-76, the Nats don’t have much to play for the rest of the way. But that won’t stop players from doing all they can to compete and win every game. These players have something to prove on the field.

Some have gotten that chance for years and are still looking to make a difference, and some are just getting that chance. On Wednesday, Gray, Meneses and Robles showed fight on the field and will continue to prove themselves for the rest of this season.

Josiah Gray
Wednesday’s stat: Longest start since 6/25

No one has more to prove than Gray.

The 24-year-old was acquired along with catcher Keibert Ruiz in the package trade deal that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers last July. It was a move meant to bolster the Nationals’ starting rotation in the future.

After allowing a career-high four home runs in his last start, Gray bounced back on Wednesday and showed his control on the mound. He gave up two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts across 6 1/3 innings. What’s more impressive was that for the third time in his career, he issued no walks.

“That’s a great outing for him after a couple of games of struggles,” manager Dave Martinez said. “We made some adjustments and [he’ll] continue to build off of that.”

Entering Wednesday with an 8.53 ERA over his past four starts, the right-handed pitcher worked hard to get back to where he wanted to be. He’s shown glimpses of his potential this season, but he hasn’t seen those results recently.

So Wednesday’s quality start is a big step forward for Gray as he continues to gain confidence on the mound.

“It feels good,” Gray said. “My year hasn’t gone my way for the majority of it. But it’s always an opportunity to build off of it and go into the next outing with some positives.”

Joey Meneses
Wednesday’s stat: 3rd consecutive game with homer

What a week it has been for Meneses.

After spending 10 years in the Minor Leagues, the 30-year-old rookie has finally gotten his chance in the Majors. On Tuesday, he hit the go-ahead home run for the Nationals, and on Wednesday, he continued his hot streak with another homer and a 2-for-3 day at the plate.

With four deep blasts in seven career MLB games, Meneses became the first player in franchise history (since 1969) to record four home runs in his first seven Major League games.

“It’s very special,” Meneses said via a translator. “It’s something that I’ll always keep with me and remember. I’ve been looking forward to this my whole career. I’ve worked very hard to get to this point, and I want to enjoy every moment.”

Victor Robles
Wednesday’s stat: 40% catch probability

Being the Nationals' No. 1 prospect from 2017-19, Robles hasn’t quite yet reached that potential in the big leagues. Washington probably expected more than a .235 career average for their former top prospect in his sixth season.

But Robles has shown that he can be a defensive anchor in center field. In the fifth inning, Robles robbed Cubs first baseman P.J. Higgins of a hit in the gap with a diving grab.

And the stats back up the spectacular catch:

Sprint speed: 29.6 ft/sec (30.0 is elite)
Distance covered: 77 ft
Jump: 3.2 ft

Yet there are times when Robles still has stuff to learn, like when he airmailed a throw home in the seventh inning that allowed runners to move into scoring position. Plays like that are what Martinez is hoping the 25-year-old can learn from over the next couple of months.

“You just got to understand the portion of the game, and that’s something he needs to start learning,” Martinez said. “He can be electric out there, but it’s those little things.”