The Washington Nationals look to stop a five-game losing streak when they open a three-game series against the visiting Athletics on Tuesday.
Washington was outscored 38-14 while it was swept by the first-place Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend and has lost 17 of its past 24 games.
“We’ve just got to dig deep,” catcher Drew Millas said of a young Nationals team that saw a group of veterans traded at the deadline. “We’ve got to come together as a unit and want each other to do well, want each other to win, want the best for each other.”
The Nationals will open the week behind someone whose name was rumored to be in trade talks: All-Star left-hander MacKenzie Gore (4-11, 3.80 ERA). He will be opposed by veteran right-hander Luis Severino (5-11, 4.83 ERA).
Gore is 0-3 with a 10.66 ERA since the All-Star break. In his most recent outing, he was roughed up for six runs on eight hits – two of them home runs – in 5 1/3 innings against the Houston Astros, the day before the trade deadline.
“I threw the ball much better, but homers, you don’t get those back,” Gore said. “Those two homers are kind of the pitches that I’m sure I’ll think about for a bit. But I thought we threw the ball better than we did last time.”
Gore won his only previous start against the Athletics, tossing five scoreless innings last season.
Severino has won three straight starts while posting a 2.65 ERA with 17 strikeouts over 17 innings in that stretch. Against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday, he allowed one run on five hits over five innings. It was Severino’s first win in 13 starts at the team’s temporary home at West Sacramento, Calif.
“Any time you experience new or change, it takes time to make the adjustment to get comfortable,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “I think (Severino’s) found a rhythm here and a comfortability with his surroundings to be able to just focus on going out and performing.”
Severino is 4-2 with a 3.03 ERA over 10 road starts this season. He is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three career starts against Washington.
The A’s have dropped two straight following a 6-4 home loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. JJ Bleday hit a solo home run and Nick Kurtz had a two-run single.
Kurtz was named the American League player and rookie of the month for July after hitting .395 with 11 homers and a 1.433 OPS. On July 25, he went 6-for-6 with eight RBIs and became the 20th player in MLB history to launch four home runs in a game.
Kurtz is not the only A’s player with a hot bat. Over his past 16 games, Shea Langeliers is hitting .397 with seven home runs, 14 RBIs and 14 runs scored.
“He’s staying on everything,” Kotsay said. “He seems to be recognizing the breaking ball really well. He’s on the fastball. He’s seeing it really good.”
Washington fell 14-3 in Sunday’s series finale against the Brewers. Millas had two doubles.
In addition to trades that depleted the bullpen at the deadline, power hitter James Wood is in a slump. Since the All-Star break – and his appearance in the Home Run Derby – Wood is hitting .127 with no home runs, two RBIs and 27 strikeouts in 55 at-bats.