Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles illustrated his up and down career in Saturday’s doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies.
In the first game, Robles displayed his full potential. He showcased his ceiling with six runs batted in.
Robles went 3-for-4. He hit a two-run single as the Nationals sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning. Then in the second, he hit an RBI-single to extend the Nats lead to 8-4.
With a hot bat in hand, Robles capped off his breakout game with a three-run home run. His epic staredown and bat flip may have been more impressive.
Robles had been relatively quiet since his red hot series against the San Francisco Giants earlier this month. Against the Rockies, however, he trumped one entire weekend with one game.
Unfortunately the embattled center fielder didn’t carry over the momentum in the nightcap of the doubleheader.
Victor Robles Game 1 and Game 2 were night and day
Robles went 1-for-4 at the plate. But a late-game sequence summarized his stalled career. Robles’ struggles at the plate over the past three years, has relegated him to trying to bunt to get on base.
His first seven plate appearances didn’t provide the opportunity. But, in his eighth he had the green light, although for the first two strikes, according to Nationals manager Dave Martinez, with Dee Strange-Gordon on second with a leadoff double. However, Robles didn’t let two strikes stop him from his daily bunt attempt at-bat.
Instead he fouled out on his third failed bunt attempt. Strange-Gordon was ultimately stranded at third base with the Nats down 3-2 in the seventh.
Robles had an opportunity to redeem himself in the ninth with the Nationals on their final out. With a full count, Rockies reliever Daniel Bard caught Robles looking to end the game.
It was a dreadful end for an eventful day for Robles. Not to mention his throwing error in the third that led to the Rockies taking the lead 2-1. Robles’ throw off a Yonathan Daza RBI-single was way off line. The throw bounced off the mound, allowing Daza to reach second base. He would later score with a Charlie Blackmon single.
Dave Martinez comments on Robles’ bunt sequence
But the point of emphasis after the game was Robles’ plate lows. Martinez explained Robles’ bunt sequence that led to him fouling out.
“He did that on his own,” Martinez said, per Byron Kerr of MLB.com. “He’s swinging the bat well. Take a shot. Take a shot and try and get a hit. We didn’t want him bunting right there. That’s just another conversation for [Sunday] with him because he is seeing the ball. He is swinging the bat better. We’d rather see him try to drive in a run.”
It was a contrasting comment from Game 1 by Martinez. After the first game, Martinez stressed how he believes in Robles and so does the organization.
Robles started the season hitless in his first 18 at-bats. Since, Robles is hitting .296/.363/.396 (27-for-91) with one home runs and 18 RBIs.
His most recent emergence at the plate, highlights why some believe he is turning the corner. But how he closed out the doubleheader shows why there is hesitancy to trust he is back on track.
