By the sixth inning, DJ Herz had mastered his strikeout strut. He had done it 10 times entering the frame, and with each ensuing punchout, his stalk around the mound became just a bit more pronounced.
Washington, D.C
Rookie DJ Herz delivers historic dominance as the Nats blank Marlins
His last hitter in the Nationals’ 4-0 win over the Miami Marlins on Saturday afternoon at Nationals Park was Tim Anderson, who had fanned twice. Herz got up 0-2, and Anderson asked for time in a bid to disrupt Herz’s timing. Nothing else worked to that point, so maybe a few extra seconds could rattle the 23-year-old rookie.
No chance. Two pitches later, Herz threw a 93-mph fastball by Anderson for his 13th and final strikeout. And when Anderson swung through the pitch, Herz showed off more than a strut. This time, he turned his back to the home dugout, backpedaled and put his hands out before shaking his glove.
“This outing, I wanted to control my body language a little bit more, be a little better at that,” Herz said. “The first five innings, it was perfect. And then I got the last strikeout, and I kind of had a feeling that I was done. And I just let my emotions fly a little bit.”
Before his start, Herz said he had a conversation with Jake Irvin about wanting to be emotionless on the mound. “I just wanted to go out there and be a stone-cold killer.”
Mission accomplished. The only blemish in his six innings was a Jake Burger single that got past Trey Lipscomb to start the fifth inning. The Nationals (34-36) have won seven of eight and will go for a series sweep Sunday.
Manager Dave Martinez pulled Herz after the sixth. The numbers: one hit, 13 strikeouts, 84 pitches, 57 for strikes. And perhaps most important to Herz: no walks.
“He and [catcher Drew] Millas worked really good and very quick,” Martinez said. “And they did get into that rhythm, and he was feeling it.”
In a Nationals season that will be defined by the growth of the team’s young starters, Herz could be the surprise of the bunch. The team knew Josiah Gray, MacKenzie Gore and Jake Irvin would be big league contributors this season, and Mitchell Parker has been a welcome addition. But Herz, a 6-foot-2 left-hander acquired from the Cubs at the trade deadline last season in the Jeimer Candelario deal, delivered one of the best starts in the majors this season.
Per OptaStats, his 68.4 strikeout percentage (13 of the 19 hitters faced) was the second highest by an MLB rookie in the modern era with a minimum of 15 batters faced, trailing only the Cubs’ Kerry Wood in his 20-strikeout game from 1998. His strikeout total was the most by a Nationals pitcher since Max Scherzer fanned 14 in May 2021.
“Everything was working tonight, so we couldn’t really go wrong,” Millas said.
One more fact from the start that has local appeal: Herz became one of two MLB pitchers with a start of at least 13 strikeouts and no walks in one of his first three outings since 1901 — the other being Stephen Strasburg in his debut June 8, 2010. Pretty good company, especially for a guy who didn’t make it out of the fifth inning in each of his first two starts. He was on a pitch limit in his major league debut. And in the second, it took him 87 pitches to get through 4⅓ innings.
Herz couldn’t consistently throw his best pitch, his change-up, in the zone in his first two outings. But he told pitching strategist Sean Doolittle that he felt different entering this start.
This time around, Herz was efficient in the first four innings as he racked up the strikeouts. He struck out four and threw just 24 pitches in the first two innings. In the third, Herz struck out the side and followed that up with one more in the fourth. He retired the first 12 Marlins before Burger’s single.
“The game didn’t speed up. That’s probably the most calm and relaxed I was,” Herz said. “It’s all about, for me at least, getting comfortable. That might take a little time, but it’s starting to come now.”
The Nationals’ offense jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Lane Thomas doubled, Jesse Winker — who exited in the third inning and will get an MRI exam on his right knee — singled and Joey Meneses hit a sacrifice fly. Thomas hit his second home run in as many days in the third inning to extend the Nationals’ lead. Meneses added a two-run blast in the eighth.
Herz, meanwhile, induced 21 whiffs in 45 swings, including 13 on four-seam fastballs. The Marlins swung through fastballs right down the middle. They watched change-ups paint the corners for called strikes and shook their heads. They chased in the dirt. And as each Marlins hitter slumped back to the dugout, Herz continued to strut.
“I mean, it still doesn’t feel real,” Herz said. “I’m super blessed. That was my probably my best game I’ve ever pitched. And to do it at this level, it’s a great feeling.”
Notes: The Nationals announced they agreed to terms on a minor league contract with outfielder Harold Ramirez, who will report to Class AAA Rochester. Ramirez, 29, is a six-year major league veteran who was designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays last week. He also had stints with the Miami Marlins and Cleveland Guardians. Ramirez hit .313 with 12 home runs and a .813 OPS a season ago but hasn’t produced the same pop this season; he’s hitting .268 with a .589 OPS and only four of his hits have been for extra bases. . . .
Cade Cavalli threw two innings and around 45 pitches in a live bullpen session Saturday afternoon, facing Trey Lipscomb and Nasim Nuñez. Cavalli said his arm felt good as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.
WASHINGTON (7News) — An early Wednesday morning incident at D.C.’s Metro Center left multiple riders injured after a work vehicle made contact with a Silver Line train just before the end of service.
According to Metro officials, the train was holding at the station when the work vehicle struck the rear car shortly after midnight. Officials said there were 27 customers on board at the time.
Officials say 11 people reported non-life-threatening injuries and that Metro personnel were not seriously injured.
SEE ALSO | Metro’s board to vote on budget that calls for fully automated trains on the Red Line
Passengers who did not report injuries were transferred to another train and continued toward Downtown Largo.
The train involved was the final Silver Line run of the night.
Metro said the incident remains under investigation as crews work to determine the cause.
As of 3:30 a.m., it’s not clear what the potential impacts to the morning service may be.
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Earning enough to be considered middle class has gotten more expensive, with rising housing and everyday costs pushing the income bar higher, according to a recent report from GOBankingRates.
The median range for middle-class income across the country is between $59,000 and $104,000 in 2026, depending on which state you live in. GOBanking Rates used Pew Research Center’s definition of middle class — income ranging from two-thirds to twice a state’s median household income — and added data from the U.S. Census Bureau to report lowest middle-income, highest middle-class income and median income for each state, including Maryland and Virginia, and Washington D.C.
The current national middle-class minimum of $59,000 would have declared you middle class a decade ago in the U.S. In 2016, earning $39,000 placed a household at the lower edge of the middle class — and in regions like DC, MD and VA, median incomes were already far higher than the national median, so the “middle-class floor” was much higher than $39,000 even then.
In the DC region, the income required to be considered middle class is significantly higher than nationally, with the threshold starting around $61,000 in Virginia and nearly $69,000 in Maryland — compared with about $47,000 nationwide, GOBankingRates data shows. To be considered middle class in Washington DC, you’d have to earn at least $70,200. GoBankingRates omitted DC from their report; however, using the same formula and same US Census data cited, USA TODAY Network was able to calculate the low, high and median middle class income ranges. Here’s what the report shows and what we found for middle-class consideration in 2026.
What is middle class in Washington DC?
The middle class is a socioeconomic group in the U.S. that falls between the working class and upper class, earning around the middle of the income distribution for where they live. Middle class households often are able to cover their bills, rely on loans to buy homes or cars, and occasionally eat out or vacation, but not without careful budgeting, according to Investopedia.
Washington DC’s middle-class income in 2024 (the most recent year available from Census data) was between $70,200 and $209,600. GoBankingRates omitted DC middle-class data; however, USA TODAY Network used the same calculation, using the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and the Pew Research Center’s benchmark definition of middle class. Here is the breakdown for middle-class in Washington DC:
- Median household income: $104,800
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $70,200
- Highest end of middle-class income: $209,600
Due to the region’s high cost of living, Washington DC’s middle-class median income surpasses not only the U.S. median, but it’s neighbors in Delaware, Virginia and Maryland. It also slightly surpasses the median middle-class income of New Jersey.
What is middle class in Virginia?
In Virginia, the income needed to be considered middle class starts at about $61,400 and can range up to roughly $184,200, according to GOBankingRates. That is based on Pew Research Center’s definition — two-thirds to twice the median household income. Here’s the breakdown of Virginia’s middle-class income as reported in 2026 using the latest Census data available from 2024:
- Median household income: $92,090
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $61,393
- Highest end of middle-class income: $184,180
What is middle class in Maryland?
To be considered middle-class in Maryland, the income required starts at about $68,600 and can extend up to roughly $205,800, according to GOBankingRates, which used the latest 2024 U.S. Census Bureau data available in their 2026 report.
For many Maryland households, especially in the DC suburbs, earning what sounds like a solid income does not always translate into financial comfort once housing, childcare and community costs are factored in: Maryland housing costs (rent and home prices) are well above national averages, according to Zillow market trends, and commuting costs for DC-area workers are among the longest and costliest, Census data shows. Maryland also consistently ranks among the most expensive states for childcare, often surpassing $15,000 per year per child, according to a Care.com 2024 Cost of Care report.
Highest middle-class incomes in the US
- Massachusetts income range: $69,885 to $209,656
- Maryland income range: $68,603 to $205,810
- New Jersey income range: $69,529 to $208,588
- Hawaii income range: $67,163 to $201,490
- California income range: $66,766 to $200,298
- New Hampshire income range: $66,521 to $199,564
- Washington income range: $66,259 to $198,778
- Colorado income range: $64,742 to $194,226
- Connecticut income range: $64,033 to $192,098
- Virginia income range: $61,393 to $184,180
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based news reporter covering trending news with USA TODAY Network’s Mid-Atlantic Connect Team. She covers news in the Northeast, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Reach her at LComstock@usatodayco.com.
Washington, D.C
US industry leaders take sport fishing issues to Washington DC – Angling International
The impact of tariffs on the US fishing tackle industry and the need for sound fisheries management were among the topics discussed by attendees of the American Sportfishing Association (ASA)’s first ever Keep America Fishing in DC Fly-In.
It included industry leaders who last week joined together in Washington DC and all walked hundreds of miles across the US Capital Complex to advocate for the interests of the US trade and the entire recreational fishing community.
The group also enjoyed conversations with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Director, Dr Neil Jacobs, Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Brian Nesvik, Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Representative Blake Moore (R-UT).
ASA President and CEO, Glenn Hughes, said: “We look forward to continuing the conversation with legislators throughout the rest of this Congress and to an even bigger Keep America Fishing Fly-In in 2027.”
Above: From left: ASA President Glenn Hughes and Vice President of Government Affairs, Mike Leonard, with Senator Martin Heinrich (centre).
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