Jeremy Hellickson wanted to finish the sixth inning Friday night. He had pitched well through 5 1/3 innings and struck out nine batters before relinquishing a single to Jean Segura. He was hooked by manager Davey Martinez in favor of left-handed reliever Dan Jennings with Bryce Harper due up.
Jennings walked Harper and then yielded a three-run home run to Rhys Hoskins that proved to the game-winner, as Hellickson’s 2-1 lead evaporated within two batters.
Martinez said following the game they liked the matchup with Jennings versus Hoskins, who was 0-for-17 on sliders from lefties prior to the at-bat. Jennings threw a slider that Hoskins launched 398 feet over the left field wall.
Hellickson was not happy about Martinez’s decision to pull him, saying he “should’ve been got the chance” to finish the inning.
“There’s going to be games where that’s probably the right move,” Hellickson said per Mark Zuckerman of MASN. “But the way I was going today, I think that was my inning. I thought I should’ve got a chance to get out of there. I gave up maybe one hard-hit ball since the first inning. I definitely thought I should’ve stayed out there.”
Martinez’s decision comes a day after the Nationals fired pitching coach Derek Lilliquist in large due to struggles of the bullpen. The Nationals bullpen is the worst in the National League among ERA and opponents batting average. That’s why Martinez’s explanation was all the more baffling.
“(Hellickson) got us through the five innings and pitched well,” Martinez added per Zuckerman. “I thought at that particular moment, we had the guys who could hold them right there.”
Yes data may have pointed in the direction Martinez spoke of, however, given the struggles of the Nationals’ bullpen this season, one may imagine that Hellickson would have got the opportunity to get through the inning. The move backfired and points the finger of blame right at Martinez a day after Lilliquist’s removal.
Washington is 13-18 with one of the best top three starting pitchers in MLB with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin. They haven’t been stellar collectively, but the bullpen’s shortcomings is more glaring.
Martinez inherited a team that had won back-to-back NL East titles only to miss the playoffs last season and endure a rocky start this year. Friday’s backfiring only put the heat more on a manager that’s approval rating is plummeting among fans.
