Rendon is nominee for Clemente Award (Nats lead 10-3)

MINNEAPOLIS - Anthony Rendon is in the running for some major end-of-season awards for his on-field performance. Now he's also in the running for a major award for his off-the-field performance.

Rendon was named today as the Nationals' nominee for the 2019 Roberto Clemente Award, which annually honors one major leaguer who "best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."

It's the first time Rendon has been nominated for the Clemente Award in his career, and it comes as he not only puts together MVP-caliber numbers for the Nationals but also as he expands his role in the community.

Rendon now serves as the team's player ambassador to the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy and is also a member of the academy's board of directors. Through his season-long "Anthony's Academy All-Stars" program, he gives scholar-athletes the opportunity to enjoy a Nationals game with a behind-the-scenes look at team operations, a private meet-and-greet, as well as a special batting practice viewing. In addition to contributing his time to the academy, Rendon also made a donation of $150,000 in 2018.

The league-wide winner of the Clemente Award will be revealed during the World Series.

Update: The start of tonight's game is delayed by rain, no surprise to anyone who has been following the forecast here in Minnesota. But the Twins say first pitch is tentatively scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, so there appears to be hope for baseball before it gets too late.

Update II: Big-time props to the grounds crew here at Target Field. They started prepping the field while it was still raining but had it looking immaculate in time to hit the projected 8:30 p.m. start time on the button. Then Rendon went out and continued to build his MVP case with his 33rd homer and 115th RBI of the season, a no-doubter to left. The Twins, though, got the run right back in the bottom of the first via Luis Arraez's one-out double and Eddie Rosario's two-out RBI single. So it's 1-1 after one.

Update III: There's been a lot of loud contact tonight, on both sides. The Nationals took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third after Trea Turner, Adam Eaton and Rendon loaded the bases with nobody out and then Juan Soto busted it down the line to prevent a double play. Asdrúbal Cabrera added a two-out RBI single, his 28th RBI in 24 games with the Nats. But Patrick Corbin left a 3-2 fastball up to Nelson Cruz and watched the big slugger send the ball flying over the batter's eye in center field. Statcast says it traveled 427 feet. The Twins say it traveled 454 feet. We'll just say it traveled a very long way. It's 3-2 Nats after three.

Update IV: The Nationals have scored in the top of the first, third and fifth innings tonight. Unfortunately, the Twins have then scored in the bottom of the first, third and fifth, with Corbin unable to deliver shutdown innings when his team has needed them. The good news: The Nats scored six runs off Kyle Gibson, with Eaton adding a solo homer and then Cabrera adding an RBI triple in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-3 and knock the Twins starter out of the game. But Corbin couldn't keep it there. He gave up a leadoff double to Mitch Garver and then an RBI single to Cruz. He's at 92 pitches through five innings, with the Nationals up 6-3.

Update V: Now they're piling on, and not giving it back. The Nats scored four tack-on runs in the top of the sixth, getting a two-run double from Rendon (who now has 117 RBIs) and a two-run homer from Soto (who now has 105 RBIs). That made it 10-3, and Corbin followed with a quick bottom of the inning, likely ending his night at an even 100 pitches.