Red-hot Cabrera is terrorizing left-handers

He homered in the top of the second. He doubled down the third-base line in the top of the fourth. He doubled again in the top of the fifth, driving a ball over center fielder Brandon Nimmo's reach to drive in two runs. He walked in the sixth. And then he homered again in the seventh, this time on a pitch below his knees that he basically could only reach with one hand.

That's a 4-for-4, two-homer, two-double, one-walk, five-RBI night for Asdrúbal Cabrera, who made it look remarkably easy during the Nationals' 16-4 romp over the Mets at Citi Field.

"It's never easy," the veteran infielder said during a postgame Zoom call with reporters. "I just come to do my best all the time to help the team to win. I feel really good at the plate today."

He felt especially good at the plate Monday night, but the good vibes extend farther back than that, especially when he gets to bat right-handed.

Throughout his 14-year career, the switch-hitting Cabrera has always been a little bit better from the right side (.289/.337/.426) than from the left side (.260/.328/.425). But this season he has turned into an unstoppable force from the right side.

Cabrera is now 8-for-10 with three doubles and two homers when batting right-handed against left-handed pitchers this year, good for an out-of-this-world 2.500 OPS.

"I'm seeing the ball pretty well right-handed right now," the humble 34-year-old said. "I hope I can change a little bit, too, with my left hand."

Cabrera has never been a noisy hitter from either side of the plate. He has simple, quiet swing. And with a simple approach, he has been able to put up gaudy numbers through 13 games.

"He's really not trying to do too much," manager Davey Martinez said. "He's just trying to stay in the middle of the field. He's talked about that. I heard him say that to me a few times. He's just letting his hands work. He's a professional hitter. And when he gets hot like that, he can do some damage."

Cabrera's first homer Monday night came on a 3-2 fastball at the letters from Mets starter Steven Matz. His second homer, on a 2-2 breaking ball below the knees from reliever Chasen Shreve, drew more gasps from the Nationals dugout because he seemed to hit it with only his left hand fully gripping the bat handle.

"I think I got a little lucky on that swing," he said.

Luck or not, humble or not, Cabrera's feats haven't been lost on his teammates, who have as much respect for him as anyone on the roster.

"He's amazing," said Juan Soto, who happened to hit a 463-foot homer to center field himself during Monday's win. "How he's swinging the bat right now, and how he's doing everything has been great. That second homer today was impressive, because it was almost with one hand. Just amazing."