Nationals, Giants Bullpens Struggle; Abreu Shines

The Washington Nationals' bullpen struggles overshadowed promising performances from their starting pitchers and catcher, as it allowed nine runs in an 11-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, with relievers like Colin Poche and Lucas Sims failing to maintain leads. Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu made headlines with two home runs in a 5-2 victory over the Texas Rangers, driving in all of Boston's runs. Alex Bregman has had a slow start with the Red Sox, but the team remains optimistic about his potential impact. The Atlanta Braves' bullpen issues were highlighted in their 7-4 loss to the San Diego Padres, as new acquisition Héctor Neris struggled in a pivotal inning, raising concerns about the team's offseason bullpen strategy. In other MLB action, the San Francisco Giants lost 3-2 to the Cincinnati Reds, with situational hitting being a key factor in the Giants' defeat.