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Andres Chaparro Sticking Out for Nationals Through August
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- Andres Chaparro Sticking Out for Nationals Through August
(Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images)
The Washington Nationals were able to salvage the four game series against the Colorado Rockies after a 7-1 win on Thursday afternoon secured the split, but it also came at the hands of another notable performance during the series.
Andres Chaparro was able to put together a monster night in the 13-1 blowout loss on Wednesday after going 3-for-4 including a double and a home run, his first since exactly one week prior when his three run home run cemented the 6-0 road win against the Texas Rangers . Yet Wednesday did not just mark the return of CJ Abrams as he filled the designated hitter spot, but also the move of Chaparro to third base, his third appearance at the corner this season after being a mainstay at the position in the minors.
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The move has allowed the Nationals to insert Abimelec Ortiz into the lineup whose big bat with power has been able to alleviate strain on a largely lackluster offense through August, despite his struggles against Colorado. Yet it has also been able to add to Chaparro's roster value as the Nationals work out the make of the infield. Brady House has drawn the bulk of starts at third base since the Nationals traded Curtis Mead to the Boston Red Sox ahead of the deadline, yet Chaparro may be the most intriguing with the instant offense hard to ignore.
Through August, Chaparro is hitting .281 with a .932 OPS and .388 OBP with 13 RBIs and three more hits than strikeouts. He followed it up with a 2-for-2 performance in the designated hitter spot in Friday night's 9-2 win to open the series against the Miami Marlins .
With a chance for president of baseball operations Paul Toboni and the front office to evaluate the next wave of talent to begin putting the pieces together for 2027, Chaparro's presence is a key part of the question after showing glimpses of being a offensive boost in the lineup. He'll also look to change the narrative as a subpar defender with just one error through 63 appearances this season, the lone error through his brief four year MLB career.
Washington will look for Chaparro to team back up with Daylen Lile once again to the spearhead the offense this weekend when they look to clinch at least a series tie while securing their first three-game win streak in over three weeks. First pitch is set for 4:05 PM on Saturday.
