Lile adds to rookie legacy with pair of triples at Wrigley

CHICAGO -- Daylen Lile is sure making his mark in the Majors. After struggling offensively in his first 50 Major League plate appearances, Lile has been a completely different player for the Nationals recently.

In Washington's 11-5 loss to the Cubs on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field, the rookie continued to showcase his potential in the Major Leagues. He went 2-for-4 with two triples, two RBIs and two runs scored.

“His approach against righties or lefties -- he doesn’t get out of his approach,” interim manager Miguel Cairo said. “That’s why he’s been so consistent. He’s got some speed, he’s taking good at-bats and he’s getting better in the outfield, too.”

Lile has no doubt been hitting the ball well in recent weeks, and the Nationals are seeing his growth right in front of their eyes. In Friday’s loss, he tallied hits in both innings that Washington scored runs (fourth and sixth innings).

In that fourth inning, the rookie drove a ball 379 feet that Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong lost in the sun. It resulted in Lile circling the bases for a stand-up triple. One batter later, Luis García Jr. mashed his 12th home run of the season, bringing Lile home in the process.

“It’s been great to see him grow a lot,” García said through team translator Mauricio Ortiz. “He’s a really good baseball player. His bat is insane, and I’m just really proud of how he’s done this year. I just want to keep seeing him be successful.”

Then, in the sixth, Lile found himself in a spot to drive in two runs. But the Cubs brought in lefty Caleb Thielbar from the bullpen: Lile entered the day batting just .213 with one home run and one RBI against left-handed pitching this season.

He wasted no time jumping on one of Thielbar's offerings, though. After taking a ball on the first pitch, Lile made hard contact with a fastball on the next pitch, the ball leaving his bat at 106.6 mph -- and then bouncing on the warning track before ricocheting off the top of the wall.

Both CJ Abrams and Josh Bell scored on the play, and Lile ran into third for his second triple of the game. That hit off Thielbar marked just his 11th hit against same-side pitching this season.

It’s moments like those that show just how far Lile has come in his rookie campaign.

“At first, it was up and down,” Lile said. “I had to get comfortable up here and just find my groove. Now, it’s getting a lot easier. Just learn to stay within myself and just play my game and not try to do too much.”

The Nationals have certainly been impressed with Lile over the past few weeks. He entered the day slashing .319/.362/.471 with seven doubles, four triples, one homer, 17 RBIs and five stolen bases across his past 33 games (dating back to July 21).

Lile added to those totals on Friday and is putting together a solid rookie campaign. He ranks first in triples (seven) -- four more than the four tied for second -- seventh in slugging (.422) and 10th in batting average (.275) among qualified rookies this season.

“Just doing my homework, studying the pitchers -- just knowing my hot spots, my cold spots -- and then the preparation before the game in the cages and on the field,” Lile said. “Just whatever I work on right there just translate to the game.”

Lile's pair of triples also brought him into some rarified air. He became just the second rookie in Nationals history (2005-present) with two triples in one game, joining Bernie Castro (Sept. 16, 2006, vs. the Brewers). Lile is also the sixth player overall in Nationals history with a two-triple game, and he is the first visiting player to hit two triples at Wrigley Field since Sept. 2, 2011 (the Pirates' Alex Presley).

All this adds to an exciting rookie season for the 22-year-old outfielder.

“He’s been awesome,” starter Jake Irvin said. “I was lucky enough to be in West Palm when he was drafted, so I got to see a little bit of the young side of that, and just to see the growth since then and how he attacks every day -- it’s really cool. He’s only scratched the surface, and we’re going to see a lot more from him.”