Washington Nationals news & notes: DJ Herz Ks 13 in six scoreless, Nats 4-0 over Marlins…

Notes and quotes from DJ Herz’s 13-K, six-scoreless start vs the Marlins in Nationals Park…

Some of the notes from 23-year-old lefty DJ Herz’s efficient, 84-pitch, six-scoreless-inning, 13-strikeout, 0-walk outing against the Miami Marlins on Saturday afternoon in Nationals Park?

Via the Nationals’ post game notes:

• His 13 punchouts are the most by a Nationals’ pitcher this season and the most since Max Scherzer struck out 14 on May 8, 2021 at New York (AL).
• They are also the second-most by a rookie pitcher and most by a left-handed rookie in MLB this season (New York-AL’s Luis Gil – 14).
• Herz’s strikeouts are the second-most by a rookie pitcher in Nationals’ history behind only Stephen Strasburg’s 14 on June 8, 2010 vs. Pittsburgh.
• Per @OptaSTATS, Herz struck out 13 of the 19 batters he faced today (68.4%), which is the second-highest strikeout percentage by any MLB rookie in a game in the modern era (min. 15 batters faced), behind only Kerry Wood in his 20-strikeout game on May 6, 1998 (69.0%).

A day after MacKenzie Gore struck out 10 of 28 batters he faced in seven strong (5 H, 1 BB, 1 ER), Herz dominated the same Marlins, retiring the first 12 batters he faced, striking out 8 of 12, and he added two more Ks in the fifth, striking out back-to-back batters after giving up a leadoff hit, and a grounder to third ended a fifth scoreless frame. He ended his night with a 17-pitch, 1-2-3 sixth, striking out the side in his final inning of work.

“He got over-emotional in the sixth inning, after that third out,” manager Davey Martinez told reporters after what ended up a 4-0 win for the Nationals. “And I thought that was — when I see a pitcher doing that, that to me means he’s probably done, but he did really well, and like I said, he got ahead of hitters today, which was great, and it was important and it’s actually part of his development — learning how to throw strikes, consistent strikes, so a lot of swings and misses because he was able to be around the plate.”

Herz threw 57 of 84 pitches for strikes, collected 21 swinging strikes (13 on his four-seamer, 6 on his changeup and one each on his cutter and slider) and added 11 called strikes in the dominant outing (4 on his fastball, 7 on his changeup).

“I think he only fell behind twice, but he was pounding the strike zone, something that we talked about over the last couple days, about using your fastball, getting ahead,” Martinez added.

“He was really good. Really good. He gave us 18 big outs there, so he pitched really well.”

Martinez said the fastball was the key to the outing, and the changeup definitely helped.

“We know the changeup is really good, [but] it was the fastball command,” he explained.

“Putting himself in good situations where he can use that changeup at times, but getting ahead like he did was awesome.”

“It still doesn’t feel real,” Herz told reporters, as quoted by MASN’s Mark Zuckerman after his third big league start.

“I’m just super-blessed. I think that was probably my best game I’ve ever pitched. And to do it at this level, it’s a great feeling.”

More than the strikeout total, Herz said, he was happy with the 0 in the walk column.

“Honestly, I’m more happy about the no walks than the K’s. If I don’t walk guys, I’m going to strike guys out. That’s just how it’s always been.”

“He was ahead of all the hitters,” Herz’s manager said. “It was about his efficiency, and to strike out that many in six innings is impressive. It really is. So we’re going to continue to grind with all our pitchers about the importance of throwing strikes and getting ahead of hitters. I think that’s what’s making this group really good.”

Just three starts into his big league career, does the southpaw, acquired from the Cubs at the ‘23 trade deadline in the Jeimer Candelario deal, realize what he’s done so far, or is he just riding the emotions of being up in the majors?

“I hope that he understands what he can be consistently,” Martinez said.

“But for the moment I think he’s excited about getting through today. He’s in there with the boys, but I’ve said this before, I’ve said it about all these guys … [Herz has] a chance to be really good, he really does, and we’re going to continue to teach him what he needs to do to be effective. What he did today, I think he can do that over and over again.”

The most Ks since Scherzer was a National though?

“Awesome,” Martinez said. “I was very pleased with the 18 outs he gave us, right? That’s part of it. He had 84 pitches, we could have sent him back out there, but I thought he did a great job.”

The decision to end the outing there, considering how dominant he was, and the relatively low pitch count?

“After I took him him out, he looked at me and he goes, ‘Phew, thanks.’ I said, ‘No, thank you, good job,” Martinez said.

“I got the last strikeout,” Herz said, “and I kind of had a little feeling that I was done and just let my emotions fly a little bit. It was awesome.”