Washington Nationals' seventh straight loss, Manager Dave Martinez attributed the team's struggles to player performance, not coaching. This highlights a critical point in a dismal season where the team ranks last in MLB for runs, walks, and slugging percentage, with Martinez emphasizing that players must execute the coaching staff's guidance effectively.
Some of Martinez's frustrations might've leaked out Saturday, after Washington fell 4-3 to the last-place Miami Marlins for its seventh straight loss.
No offense has scored fewer runs than the Nationals in the month of June. When asked about his team's lack of scoring, specifically if it fell on the players or the coaches, Martinez made clear that he doesn't think it's the coaches' fault.
Davey Martinez had to say following the Nationals’ 7th consecutive loss.
The Nationals have lost seven in a row, tied for their longest skid of the season. They've averaged 2.5 runs while going 2-10 in June and are a season-high 10 games under .500 at 30-40, two games ahead of the last-place Marlins in the NL East.
Martinez led Washington to its first World Series title in 2019, but the Nationals struggled to a 26-34 record in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The club began a rebuild at the trade deadline in 2021 and has not finished higher than fourth in the division in the past five years.
There were other issues contributing to today’s loss beyond the lack of offense until the final inning, including some shaky work from an overworked group of relievers and a costly error by García, who dropped a popup over his left shoulder in the top of the eighth to allow what proved to be the decisive run to score.
"There's no excuse," García said. "I should've made that play. It's just something that happens in baseball."
 Trevor Williams today needing length from their No. 5 starter, even if it included a number of runs.
Williams managed to provide some length while also keeping the run count to a relative minimum in one of his more effective starts of the season. The veteran right-hander did have to work for it, though.
Martinez's decision to deflect blame from his coaching staff marks a significant shift in his typical rhetoric. He has historically been known for fostering a supportive environment; however, following this latest defeat, he adopted a more critical tone towards player accountability . This change may reflect growing frustration as fans express dissatisfaction with both player performance and managerial decisions. Ultimately, while Martinez asserts that coaches work diligently to prepare players for success, it remains imperative for athletes to translate preparation into tangible results on the field .
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