Nats can't solve deGrom, drop series opener

Before Friday’s game, Nationals manager Dave Martinez said that his team's offense was a bit like a seesaw -- hitting one week and not hitting another. He chalked it up to facing elite pitching. Well, going up against Jacob deGrom was no exception, and the Nationals were handed their fourth shutout of the season, 6-0, at Citi Field.

This marked the first time in team history the Nats have been shut out four times in their first 17 games of the season (the Expos faced this fate three times: 1975, 1982, 2004).

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The Nats offense couldn’t find their groove, though that is easier said than done when facing deGrom, who recorded 15 strikeouts in his second career shutout -- becoming the third pitcher to strike out 14 or more in three straight starts, joining Pedro Martínez (1999) and Gerrit Cole (2019).

“I've been in this league a long time,” joked Dave Martinez when asked about deGrom’s outing. “That's one of the better ones that I've seen. He was just good. You just gotta tip your hat off some days.”

In his pregame bullpen session, deGrom said he felt strong, which added a bit of pressure.

“I literally was thinking, 'Hey, you've got to keep that focus throughout the whole game,’” deGrom said. “So actually walking in, I was a little nervous. But then once I got out there, calmed down and was executing pitches, I felt good and was just trying to keep us in the ballgame."

When facing an elite pitcher, Nats right-hander Erick Fedde said he does think about it leading up to the game. And once the game starts, his focus shifts to putting up zeros.

Even though deGrom was putting up record-breaking numbers, Fedde kept his team in the fight. Through 4 1/3 innings, Fedde shut out the Mets offense before things began to unravel.

“I loved it until the fifth, I thought my stuff was great,” Fedde said. “I mean, I had all four pitches working. If anything, that makes it even more frustrating to see that. I'm just mad that when I do give up a hit, I put two guys on base for free.”

After hitting J.D. Davis with a pitch and walking Jeff McNeil, Fedde faced deGrom with one out in the fifth. deGrom tormented Washington from the pitcher's mound, and also from the batter's box; his RBI double drove in the first of three runs that scored in the frame.

“You have to try to treat every pitcher that you face thinking, ‘That guy can do damage,’” Fedde said. “I feel like when you start trying to treat them differently [is] when you start to get more in trouble.”

Fedde used his sinker 39 percent of the time, deployed his cutter 33 percent of the time and went to his changeup 21 percent of the time -- greater usages than his other two offerings. He said that comes from confidence from his pitching staff.

“Two years ago, if you would have told me today I would have got the most outs with a changeup and a cutter, I would have told you you're crazy,” Fedde said. “And now that's something that it's nice to see some success with.”

Martinez said the outing from Fedde was positive and he is excited for his next start.

“I told him, ‘If you keep us in the ballgame like that, you know, we're gonna be in good shape,’” Martinez said. “'Don't beat yourself up tonight. We'll come back and then you pitch again in five days.'”