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Around the Farm: Resilience is Key

By Phoebe Winters
April 20, 2026

The Washington Nationals have entered a new era and are looking to increase development at all levels. An important step towards this development process is additional pregame meetings to discuss the good and bad, as well as an overall mantra of finding lessons in mistakes. These markers of the new

The Washington Nationals have entered a new era and are looking to increase development at all levels. An important step towards this development process is additional pregame meetings to discuss the good and bad, as well as an overall mantra of finding lessons in mistakes. These markers of the new era shone through as the Nationals organization showed resilience at all levels.

Washington Nationals

After dropping their home opener series to the L.A. Dodgers, the Nationals are currently tied for second in the National League East Division with a 10-12 record. On Monday, April 6, the Nationals snapped a five-game skid with a late-inning six-run rally, headed by former Blue Rock, James Wood. In the bottom of the eighth, Wood crushed a three-RBI homer to tie the score at six and propel Washington to a 9-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. However, the Cardinals rebounded with back-to-back wins to take the series.

Hitting the road to the Midwest, Milwaukee Brewers fans were left agape as the Nationals beat the Brewers at their own game, using small-ball tactics to sweep the series. This marked the Nationals’ first series sweep over the Brewers since April 17, 2011. Washington was on top of their game throughout the three-game series, bunting their way to success in game one, utilizing the tactical arm of Foster Griffin to get ahead in game two, and sticking with their game through a back-and-forth affair on Sunday, April 12.

Washington emerged from its road trip with a 5-2 record after sweeping the Brewers and splitting its four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite a dismal 16-5 loss to open the series, the Nationals kept their heads high and their foot on the gas through a 10-inning series finale. Wood, who competed on the Blue Rocks in 2023, had the go-ahead single to secure the extra-inning victory for the Nationals in game four.

Back in front of their home crowd, Washington struggled against the San Francisco Giants, but ended the series on a high note after earning their first shutout win of the series. One of the primary mantras of the Nationals’ organization under the Blake Butera era is turning mistakes into lessons. Washington exemplified this as they bounced back from their two-game skid with a decisive 3-0 win to avoid being swept by the Giants. The Nationals will look to implement those lessons on the field as they

Rochester Red Wings

After dropping their home opener series with a four-game skid, the Rochester Red Wings fired back with a 10-8 road victory over the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. Abimelec Ortiz, who was acquired during the MacKenzie Gore trade, spearheaded the Red Wings’ victory with a three-RBI homer to put Rochester ahead by five runs in the third inning. Rochester went on to take a 4-2 series win over the Iron Pigs, which was underscored by a shutout win on Saturday, April 11, that moved the Red Wings to an even 500 record. The 5-0 shutout was orchestrated by starting pitcher Andry Lara, who was a member of the 2023 and 2024 Blue Rocks. Lara went five innings deep in his start for Rochester, allowing only two hits and one walk while striking out five.

With a series win under their belt, Rochester welcomed the Buffalo Bison to Innovative Field. The bullpens flexed their stuff as the Red Wings and Bison engaged in a pitching duel to open the series. Ultimately, a two-RBI late-inning homer secured a game one win for the Bison. It was a moment of deja vu the following night as Rochester and Buffalo found themselves deadlocked at 3-3 through the five innings before a two-RBI mid-inning homer earned a 6-3 victory for the Red Wings. It was a back-and-forth affair that ultimately resulted in a series split after the Red Wings took a 6-4 victory on Sunday, April 19.

Next, Rochester will look to redeem itself against the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Railriders in a six-game series on the road.

Harrisburg Senators

The Senators had an electric start to their season with a series sweep over the Altoona Curve in their opening weekend and improved to a 6-0 record through their first three matches against the Akron Rubber Ducks. The Senators were flying high after a lopsided 12-1 victory, but the Rubber Ducks turned up the heat with a mid-inning rally the following night to serve the Senators their first loss of the season, dethroning Harrisburg from the number one spot in the South West Division of the Eastern League. However, Sunday, April 12, Harrisburg kicked off with a four-spot in the first inning to claim game six and the series win over Akron.

Harrisburg then hit the road to face the Erie Seawolves in a six-game series that was wrought with weather challenges. In a funky chain of events, former Blue Rock Seaver King recorded two home runs in the same game, but on different days.

King was the first on the scoreboard with a homer in the top of the first on April 18, then put the Senators back in the lead with his second out-of-the-park shot in the fourth inning on April 19. The former Blue Rock is averaging 0.286 and currently leads the Senators with 17 RBI.

Harrisburg currently sits in second in the Southwest Division of the Eastern League with an 11-4 record. The Senators have yet to surrender a series and will look to maintain their success streak as they face the Altoona Curve for the second time this season.

Fredericksburg Nationals

Following a successful opening weekend sweep over the Augusta Greenjackets, the Fredericskburg Nationals traveled to the Hill City Howlers for their first six-game series of the season. The Fred Nats got off to a hot start thanks to a grand slam from Nick Peoples to break the tie late in game one, and secure the win. However, the Howlers were quick to respond with a shutout the follolwing night, and went on to take the series win 4-2.

Coming off their first series loss of the season, Fredericksburg returned to Virginia Credit Union Stadium with a vengeance. In game on of their series against the Delmarva Shorebirds, the Nats dominated with a 21-4 victory. Ronny Cruz, who was acquired by the Nats during the Michael Soroka trade, led the way with a single and a bases clearing double to contribute to Fredericksburg’s 10-spot in the bottom of the third. Cruz currently posts a 0.333 average and a 1.087 on-base clip.

Fredericksburg went on to take a resounding 5-1 series victory, cemented by a lopsided 10-2 win on Sunday, April 19. The Nats will look to maintain their winning streak on the road against the Salem Ridgeyaks.