spencernusbaum.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

11 months ago, Cole Henry thought that might be it for his baseball dreams. 11 months later, he’s been one of MLB’s best relief pitchers as a rookie. On that transition: How a pitcher learns to trust his right arm after four years on the IL: www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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The offense dried up in the finale, a 3-1 loss to the Diamondbacks, but the Nationals finished 4-2 on this road trip to Seattle and Phoenix, winning both series

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Called around a bit about Jim Smith, Maryland's new AD, to learn what he was most involved with while running business strategy for the Braves. It's nice when your old world and new collide. Read here: collegesportsmoney.substack.com/p/jim-smith-...

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Yes, the rumors are true. Jose A. Ferrer is teaching himself to play saxophone off YouTube videos. “He’s not quite Kenny G yet. But he’ll get there.” www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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The Nationals' offense comes alive in the 10th inning thanks to a rookie who just missed his first career home run in Seattle. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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The Nationals see just 88 pitches over eight innings from Mariners starter Logan Evans and succumb in opener of six-game road trip www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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A few weeks ago, I noticed a handful of Nationals had the same books in their lockers. Turns out, there’s a book club reading The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. More on the group’s journey to Middle-earth this season:

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I would like to thank the academy

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After a potential tying double went just foul, the Nationals left the tying run 180 feet away as the Giants held on to take the three-game series

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It hasn’t been the easiest season for Jake Irvin. But man, has he navigated through it. And man, did he shove today. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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There’s this look Dylan Crews and Luis García Jr. began to exchange in the Nationals dugout. “When he hits it hard, he just looks at me and I say, ‘I know,’” García said, laughing. What is it like to be two of the unluckiest players in MLB? I asked ‘em: www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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When I profiled Keibert Ruiz in 2022 — more than three years ago now — all he wanted was to have his parents see him play in the United States (and eventually join him here full-time). Last night, after his parents had four visa applications denied, they finally made it to Nationals Park.

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With Daylen Lile’s promotion, the Nationals now have nine players on the active roster born in the 2000s.

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Inside the tumultuous end of Brandon Hyde’s Orioles career: www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/oriol...

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“Every inning, I just looked there [and] I can’t believe they were in the stands.” “It still feels like a dream.” After five applications and a decade of waiting, Keibert Ruiz’s parents finally got to America. They finally got to see their son play again. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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How CJ Abrams fixed his swing and started hitting like a star (via @spencernusbaum.bsky.social)

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“Uh-oh. Good lord. Are you kidding me?” “Oh, no he didn’t.” “Yes, he did.” “No, he didn’t.” “Yes, he did.” “No way. How many other guys in baseball are doing that?” On James Wood, the announcers discovering his abilities, and the gift he already has. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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Robert Hassell III is, indeed, here in DC

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What’s made CJ Abrams look like one of the best hitters on Earth? He broke down his process and went from mashing mistakes to… well, mashing everything. “You can have a great approach. But if you show up to a gunfight with a squirt gun, it doesn’t matter.” www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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Also thought this was an insightful quote from Michael Soroka, who is now living in the zone a preposterous near-60% of the time:

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“We did so much work ... about hitting the ball a little bit more out front, getting the ball off the ground." “I always say the party’s out front.” The Nats are trying to hit the ball in the air. It's working. Now they have a sweep to show for it. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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Hours after the Orioles fired their manager, the Nationals racked up six first-inning runs and didn’t look back for a 10-6 win (via @spencernusbaum.bsky.social)

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Good reporting from @andrewgolden.bsky.social 👇👇👇

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After losing seven in a row, the Nationals held a team meeting last night. What followed 24 hours later? A come-from-behind, skid-snapping win in Atlanta. “It was a productive meeting. And I think everybody showed up today ready to go.”

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James Wood hit a ball 117.9 mph yesterday. Only four players in baseball have hit a ball that hard this year: Oneil Cruz (4x), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2x), Shohei Ohtani and Wood.

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The Rockies followed the Pirates’ lead and fired their scapegoat Sunday. In both cities, that’s all a manager is these days. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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Cole Henry wanted Jackson Rutledge to hear every word he said. “I was just telling him how much you’ve changed, really.” Yeah, he has. And it's been for the better. How Rutledge's new role in the bullpen has made him a better pitcher:

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The Nationals got a start that should have been enough from MacKenzie Gore against the Cardinals. Again, they couldn’t get it going at the plate while he was in the game. Again, they found themselves in a hole and couldn’t climb out.

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Also in today’s story: Nats’ offseason hitting acquisitions have hit .211 with a .637 OPS. Their pitching acquisitions have allowed a .287 batting average with an .829 OPS. There is reason to believe these numbers improve moving forward, but that’s where they stand so far.

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Dave Martinez is often careful with his words. He chose not to mince them after the Nats latest comeback attempt fell short. “Don’t just go up there and swing just to swing.” www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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The Washington Nationals are here. Derek Law took his shirt off and was chugging a beer. Electric

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such a great and charming story of fandom and video games and solid excuses to get out of work and screaming and crying and going to a Nats game to see your personal fave. (who is on the injured list)

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I have an inexhaustible appetite for stories about kids getting attached to a random ballplayer for a silly reason and committing way too hard to the bit. It is the purest form of sports fandom, imo.

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A video game glitch. A bootlegged jersey with the wrong number. The best day of someone’s life. Briefly wore the bog hat… to write about the birth of the Derek Law fan club. Story below ⬇️ www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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As @barrysvrlugawp.bsky.social mentioned on Twitter, the Nationals bullpen, the worst in baseball in many statistics, has given up four more runs today. And to make matters worse, Rochester's bullpen ERA, 7.05, is last in the International League.

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The Nationals bullpen ranks 30th in baseball in ERA, BB/9, WHIP, wild pitches, hit batters, pitches per inning and inherited runners scored

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From Bubblicious to Ken Burns to one arm that was longer than the other. From an overactive mind that cut his playing career short to an overactive mind that helped develop baseball's buzzy new pitch. Introducing Leif Strom, a former Nationals minor leaguer who helped develop the "Kick Change."

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The Nationals had a comfortable four-run lead entering the seventh inning. Then, they trailed by two runs. Then, they led by two runs. On a crazy seventh inning in Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader that ended in a 10-9 Washington win:

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FINAL: Guardians 9, Nationals 1. The offense finished with four hits. Rubber match tomorrow afternoon.

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One of the Nats grittier wins started, of course, with MacKenzie Gore. Who — I think it’s fair to say — has arrived in pitching’s upper echelon. “When he throws strikes,” Martinez said, “the guys play behind him.” www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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Final: Nats 4, Reds 1 A gritty showing from every corner of the roster, and a series win.

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Perhaps the moment of the season: Three kids in Derek Law jerseys meeting Derek Law. I’m not sure who was happier to see who. They started jumping up and down when he walked out. He put his cap over his heart and signed everything they owned.

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The Nats have talked ad nauseam about the importance of consistency. Half the battle is bouncing back from tough tosses. They seemed to have that half figured out: www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

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Nats fold before Reds’ ace as Mitchell Parker struggles with control (via @spencernusbaum.bsky.social)

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