Crews shows off all the tools as Nats beat Mariners

WASHINGTON -- Dylan Crews left his fingerprints all over the Nationals’ 8-3 win over the Mariners on Saturday at Nationals Park.

Appearing in his 21st game after beginning the season in Triple-A Rochester, Crews exuded confidence in multiple facets of the game.

“Dylan’s just one of those five-tool players [who] can change the game in a lot of different areas,” manager Blake Butera said.

Offense

The day after crushing a career-best 440-foot home run against Seattle, Crews was part of a three-run first inning with an RBI single, driving in Daylen Lile with a line drive to left field against Luis Castillo.

Since being recalled from Rochester on May 19, Crews has successfully reached base in 18 of 21 games.

“I feel confident. I feel great. I think the best I’ve been feeling in the box,” Crews said. “They had a tough pitcher up there yesterday and today, and we were able to hang with them today.”

Defense

Playing center field, where Victor Robles played for years in Washington, Crews robbed Robles of a deep fly ball at the wall the former National knew well.

With a runner on first, Robles lifted a sinker from Cade Cavalli a Statcast-estimated 411 feet at 105.6 mph. The ball had an .870 xBA and would have been a home run in 17 ballparks. Instead, Crews tracked the ball to the warning track, then leapt into the wall to secure the out.

“It sounded really good, and I knew he got a good piece on it,” Crews said. “I just went straight back to the wall, put my head down, looked up, and it was right there. I knew I had a play at it. I think, too, the wall is going to be coming soon, so you don't want to pull up right away. So you just keep going until you get near the wall. I was able to make a play and just jump and go get it.”

Baserunning

In the seventh inning, Crews kicked into high gear.

When José Tena grounded into center field, Crews, who had been running on the pitch from first base, took off. He raced around the bases to beat out a relay throw from second baseman Cole Young and slid headfirst into home. Crews powered home with a sprint speed of 28.2 feet per second, above the 27 ft/sec league average.

“There’s so much that Dylan can bring to the table outside,” Butera said. “You almost look at what guys are doing offensively, of course. We’d love for him to be hitting .300, .350 right now.

“But what Dylan brings to the table in terms of the baserunning, the athleticism, being able to score from first on that base hit right there – which is an unbelievable, heck of a send by our third-base coach, Victor Estevez – but Dylan gave him that option to send him there because of how hard he ran and because of the tight turns he made.”

To sum up his day at the park, Crews said, “Overall, I’m happy how my effort was today.”