Latest news with #DaveMartinez
Los Angeles Times
10 hours ago
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Early College High School seniors ready for future, with college credits in the bank
Academically, Newport-Mesa Unified School District's Early College High School tends to be ahead of the curve, so it's no surprise this year's class of 2025 would be among the first seniors to fly the nest. A group of 51 graduates from the small but mighty Costa Mesa campus gathered in a May 29 ceremony at the district's Newport Harbor High School to reflect on their time together, celebrate extraordinary achievements and look with anticipation toward the future. For many, the path toward completion of a college degree has been shortened by their participation in a dual-enrollment program that allows the high school students to earn credits at Coastline College. ECHS Principal Dave Martinez shared with family members and other loved ones that this year's graduates completed an average of 44 college units, or the equivalent of 1.5 years of college education. Thirty-five of the seniors will head to four-year colleges and universities, while 14 plan to attend two-year colleges. This year's group of graduates hail from seven different countries, with 26 students — more than half — having earned California's State Seal of Biliteracy, signifying their proficiency in English and a second language. A cohort of 37 graduating seniors managed to secure more than 75 scholarships collectively worth $500,000. Nearly 40% have individually logged more than 250 hours of community service. 'The Class of 2025 is a strong academic class that took community service and engagement to a whole new level,' Martinez said ahead of the ceremony. 'Their accomplishment over the past four years is inspiring.'
Washington Post
2 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Despite a clunker of a finale, the Nats will come home on a roll
PHOENIX — At the end of the best two-week stretch these Washington Nationals had seen in a long while, a dud arrived in the form of Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. But they were certainly aiming for the jugular. Just look at the lineup Manager Dave Martinez put out against Arizona ace Corbin Burnes. Catcher Keibert Ruiz, who usually is given the day off when a day game follows a night game, was crouching behind home plate 15 hours after he last did. CJ Abrams, who played every game in May and was hit by three pitches a night earlier, was at shortstop. Amed Rosario, Alex Call, Nasim Nuñez and Riley Adams remained on the bench.
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Jorge López is out as the Nationals' bullpen moves on
PHOENIX — The Washington Nationals' Opening Day bullpen featured four veterans. One, closer Kyle Finnegan, was a familiar face. The three others — Colin Poche, Lucas Sims and Jorge López — were newcomers asked to bridge the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. All three are now gone after the Nationals designated López for assignment before Saturday night's game at the Arizona Diamondbacks. Poche was designated for assignment May 1 and elected to become a free agent three days later, and Sims was released May 10. In Saturday's corresponding roster move, the Nationals recalled right-hander Eduardo Salazar from Class AAA Rochester. Salazar, 27, had pitched to a 1.74 ERA in nine appearances with the Red Wings after struggling to a 9.77 ERA in 17 outings for the Nationals. López, 32, posted a 6.57 ERA in 26 appearances. 'It was all about he has ups and downs so far this year,' Manager Dave Martinez said. 'It got to the point where you saw what [Brad] Lord did [in Friday's win, throwing scoreless seventh and eighth innings]. And I felt like now's the time to really try to focus and give our young kids a shot to go ahead and do what they've been doing.' Sims, Poche and López combined to allow 48 earned runs in 45⅔ innings — a 9.46 ERA. Finnegan had a 2.61 ERA and 16 saves entering Saturday. 'Sometimes places aren't the right fit,' Martinez said. 'And I don't think this was the right fit for [López].' López was on a one-year contract worth $3 million with performance incentives. Just over a year earlier — May 29, 2024 — the New York Mets designated him for assignment after he threw his glove into the stands following his ejection. On May 29 this year, Martinez had to make the unconventional decision to visit the mound himself to calm down López after the righty became heated while arguing balls and strikes. He proceeded to allow two runs, letting the Seattle Mariners tie the score before the Nationals won in 10 innings. 'It was tough,' Martinez said. 'I can't sit here and lie — I wasn't happy about that whole situation. He needs to focus. He needs to understand that, in situations like that, he needs to get to that next pitch.' Cole Henry, Jackson Rutledge and Lord are expected to join Jose A. Ferrer as the Nationals' setup men, giving Martinez a chance to mix and match based on opponents' weaknesses. Salazar is likely to pitch in low-leverage situations for now. 'Just cleared my mind for a bit,' Salazar said through an interpreter of his stint with Rochester. '[I have to] be aggressive in the strike zone.'
Washington Post
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Jake Irvin's gem and James Wood's blast guide the Nats past the Giants
It is in Jake Irvin's nature to take the ball for as long as his team will let him. On Saturday, in the Washington Nationals' 3-0 dispatching of the San Francisco Giants at Nationals Park, it appeared as though he would never let go. He entered the sixth inning with his velocity dipping but got three soft outs on five pitches. He entered the seventh in danger of a quick hook but got out of the frame in four pitches, walking back to the dugout before Robert Hassell III had secured the third out in center field. Between innings, he told pitching strategist Sean Doolittle that he was going nine. With two outs in the eighth, he walked Mike Yastrzemski, got two strikes on Heliot Ramos and let the moment linger. Many of the 36,873 at Nationals Park rose. A curveball came next. A strikeout and a euphoric fist pump from Irvin followed. Before Irvin walked Yastrzemski, Manager Dave Martinez was considering letting the right-hander pitch the ninth. His pitches above the strike zone to Yastrzemski told Martinez that Irvin was beginning to feel some fatigue. 'But, man, what a performance,' Martinez said. 'He was a hell of a lawyer, I could tell you that. He tried to go back out in the ninth. And I'm a better judge.' 'I thought we were going to do it,' Irvin said. 'At the end of the day, the only thoughts really going through the head, though, were, 'Go pitch to pitch and just keep making guys earn it.'' His final line: eight innings, three hits, two walks and seven strikeouts on 96 pitches. Upon learning he wasn't going to pitch the ninth, Irvin bent backward and let out an exasperated sigh before telling Martinez he understood. It was the second time this year he pitched into the eighth. Backed by James Wood's first-inning, two-run homer, Washington cruised behind him. It has not been the easiest season for Irvin. His strikeout rate is down, and his hard-hit rate is up. He has worked and worked to get his velocity back to where he wants it, with his fastball sitting about 2 mph slower than it did last year. Between starts, it has been a point of frustration. On game day, he has navigated around it, and he said he felt especially good Saturday thanks to six days of rest. 'The biggest thing for him is he stays in the moment,' Martinez said. 'He understands what he needs to do. He doesn't panic. He makes pitches when he has to. ... He's very confident in what he's trying to do and how he wants to pitch to hitters. Even though some of his stuff wasn't great at times, he knows how to get outs, and that's what makes him who he is.' The Nationals (24-28) have won six of their past seven games. Irvin left the mound with a 3.42 ERA. The Giants (30-22) did not hit a single ball over 100 mph. The game was over in 1 hour 52 minutes — the Nationals' quickest game since a 2-0 loss in Pittsburgh on Sept. 14, 2023, lasted 1:50 — and was finished off with a diving catch by Daylen Lile in right field. Closer Kyle Finnegan was unavailable, so Jorge López earned his first save with a 1-2-3 ninth. On Friday, a day after pitching against the Atlanta Braves, Finnegan felt some arm fatigue while playing catch. Before Saturday's game, he felt it again and was at less than 100 percent — about 75 to 80 percent, Martinez said. Finnegan and his manager said the fatigue was in his shoulder. Imaging came back negative. 'I feel fine — just abundance of caution,' Finnegan said. 'I think it's important to listen to your body and knock things out before they become an issue. And I think that's what taking an extra day does.' The Nationals' starting pitchers entered Saturday with a 5.38 ERA in May, which ranked 28th in MLB. But Washington has hung around because its batters and the bullpen have taken steps forward during the starters' rough patch. Irvin, to his credit, has a 2.45 ERA this month. On Saturday, he lived in and around the strike zone to a degree that, even by his standards, stood out. The Giants weren't chasing a lot, but they laid off a good chunk of what he threw in the zone. Only once did they truly threaten, putting men on first and second with no outs in the fourth, thanks in part to a fielding error by the usually sure-handed Irvin. He followed by inducing a double play, then got Willy Adames to swing past a high heater to end the inning. Irvin shook his head. He allowed just one more hit after that. 'Whether it's a swing and miss or a quick out and weak contact, that's what we're hunting for,' Irvin said. Wood did enough in the first to put Washington ahead for good. Though Giants left-hander Kyle Harrison's 12th pitch was located such that it belonged on a scouting report from roughly a year ago, it wasn't inside enough to trick Wood. The 22-year-old took a thigh-high pitch and pulled it on a line, sending it careening over the fence and off the wall to the left of the Nationals' bullpen in right field. The two-run shot drove in Amed Rosario and put Washington ahead to stay. 'It's tough to practice [against that location],' Wood said. 'But got to be ready for whatever and just get ready to hit.' Singles by Luis García Jr. and Lile put runners on first and third in the seventh, and Hassell's dribbler down the first base line scored García with an insurance run — and was his first major league RBI.
Washington Post
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Nationals place Dylan Crews on 10-day injured list with oblique strain, call up Hassell
WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals placed rookie slugger Dylan Crews on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain on Wednesday. Crews, the second overall pick in the 2023 MLB amateur draft, exited before the sixth inning of Tuesday night's 5-3 win over Atlanta , after reporting stiffness during a fifth-inning plate appearance . He underwent an MRI earlier Wednesday. 'We know he's got a strain,' Nationals manager Dave Martinez said shortly before Wednesday's scheduled game against the Braves was rained out. 'We don't know the severity of it yet until the doctor sees him this afternoon.' Crews' first major league injured list stint comes after he homered in consecutive games Sunday and Tuesday for the first time in his career. He's hitting .196 with seven home runs — a high among rookies — and 15 RBIs. He said he'd been managing soreness for roughly a week. 'It's never a positive, you always want to go out there and play every day,' Crews said. 'But I guess it could've been worse. So we'll just get in the training room and get it right so I can get on the field as soon as I can.' In a corresponding move, the Nationals recalled Robert Hassell III from Triple-A Rochester. Hassell was scheduled to make his MLB debut by batting seventh and playing center field in Wednesday's rainout. Hassell was the eighth overall pick by San Diego in the 2020 draft. He'll become the fourth minor leaguer to reach the majors with Washington that was acquired in the 2022 trade that sent Juan Soto to the Padres , joining James Wood, CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore. 'It was a big trade, and everybody has high expectations for us,' Hassell said. ___ AP MLB:
