Mark Zuckerman

Could Parra be in Nationals' plans again soon?

June 19, 2021, 8:37am

Two years ago today, a slumping Gerardo Parra stepped to the plate for his first at-bat of a doubleheader against the Phillies, and for the first time did so with "Baby Shark" blaring over the Nationals Park sound system. Most in the crowd laughed at the odd choice for a walk-up song, but little did they realize what kind of impact it would have on Parra individually and on the Nats as a whole. Just as they did on June 19, 2019, the Nationals are playing a doubleheader today, this time...

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Game 67 lineups: Nats vs. Mets

June 19, 2021, 6:39am

Nationals

Friday's night's walk-off 1-0 victory over the Mets was a big boost for the Nationals, no doubt about it. But it won't mean much if they can't come out of today's doubleheader on South Capitol Street without at least one more win. And if they can take the seven-inning opener this afternoon? Well, then it might be fair to start talking about legitimate positive momentum for this club. This five-game winning streak - really, the entire homestand, during which they're now 6-2 - has been...

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Weekend series with Mets is measuring stick for Nats

June 17, 2021, 7:54pm

Nationals

Weekend series with Mets is measuring stick for Nats

As they've completed a four-game winning streak, emerging victorious in six of their last eight games, the Nationals are facing something of an existential question: Is this legitimate evidence of a long-awaited and sustainable turnaround to a season that began horribly, or is this nothing more than a nice week against weak competition that will soon be exposed as insignificant? We may have a good sense of the answer to that question by the end of this weekend, after the Nats face the Mets...

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Hand returns to form, converting eight straight saves

June 16, 2021, 8:46pm

Nationals

Hand returns to form, converting eight straight saves

It was a mere four weeks ago when the sight of Brad Hand taking the mound for the ninth inning was enough to cause Nationals fans to clench their teeth, sweat profusely and assume the worst was inevitable. After giving up two runs to the Orioles on May 21 and turning what should've been an easy win into a high-stress one, Hand found himself the owner of a 4.11 ERA. He had been scored upon in five of his last six outings. He had surrendered homers in three of his last four. He had been charged...

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Espino delivers latest pitching gem as Nats sweep Bucs (updated)

June 16, 2021, 3:04pm

Nationals

Espino delivers latest pitching gem as Nats sweep Bucs (updated)

The notion of the Nationals thriving with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Daniel Hudson all on the injured list at the same time would've sounded fairly ludicrous to anyone who considered that nightmare scenario two weeks ago. How could this team, deficient in pitching depth and offensive might, not only survive but actually get better with those three arms unavailable? In this most unusual season, that's exactly what's happening. The Nats are slowly climbing their way back up the...

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Castro on restricted list while dealing with family matter

June 16, 2021, 11:43am

Nationals

Castro on restricted list while dealing with family matter

The Nationals placed Starlin Castro on the restricted list today so the veteran third baseman can attend to "some family matters that he needs to attend to," according to manager Davey Martinez. Castro informed the club of the matter prior to Tuesday night's game and wasn't in the starting lineup for only the second time this season. He left the ballpark prior to first pitch against the Pirates. Though he didn't offer any other specifics about Castro's situation, Martinez stressed that...

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Game 65 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates

June 16, 2021, 9:45am

Nationals

The Nationals are seeking a three-game sweep of the Pirates this afternoon, which is good news. This isn't a position they've been in often this season, so a chance at a series sweep and a four-game winning streak should not be taken lightly. There is, however, not-so-great news before we get to today's game: Starlin Castro has been placed on the restricted list. What does that mean? It can mean a lot of things, but essentially it signifies an excused absence for a player, with the team...

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Gomes' slam, Corbin's gem lead Nats to easy win (updated)

June 15, 2021, 5:47pm

Nationals

Gomes' slam, Corbin's gem lead Nats to easy win (updated)

If the Nationals thought Josh Harrison's bloop RBI single to right with the bases loaded tonight was a welcome sight, imagine what they were thinking moments later when Yan Gomes connected with a fastball from Tyler Anderson. With one mighty swing, Gomes sent that pitch soaring into the left field stands and did what so few of his teammates have been able to do this season with the bases loaded: Drive in a bunch of runs. "I feel like that's just the last little bit we need to start clicking...

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Two years later, Miller grateful for second chance with Nats

June 15, 2021, 4:27pm

Nationals

Two years later, Miller grateful for second chance with Nats

The last time he had pitched at Nationals Park, Justin Miller was roughed up by the Cubs. It was May 17, 2019, and after serving up a two-run homer to Kris Bryant, Miller wound up on the injured list with a rotator cuff strain. The Nats, after that loss, were 18-26 and about to reach rock bottom. Things have changed just a bit since then, both for the Nationals and for Miller, who after his injury-plagued 2019 became a bit of a baseball nomad in the year-plus since. While the Nats were rallying...

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Scherzer's brief IL stint leaves Nats needing Wednesday starter

June 15, 2021, 2:24pm

Nationals

Scherzer's brief IL stint leaves Nats needing Wednesday starter

In the end, the Nationals didn't want to take a chance putting Max Scherzer on the mound this weekend without knowing for certain if his groin would hold up. So even though the three-time Cy Young Award winner is confident he'll be ready to pitch again in a matter of "days, not weeks," the club decided to go ahead and place him on the 10-day injured list this afternoon. "After going through the process, I just want to be more cautious than not," manager Davey Martinez said during his...

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Game 64 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates (Scherzer to IL)

June 15, 2021, 11:55am

Nationals

Game 64 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates (Scherzer to IL)

First, the news of the day, not totally unexpected: The Nationals have placed Max Scherzer on the 10-day injured list with groin inflammation. The move is retroactive to Saturday, so that means he'll be eligible to return one week from today against the Phillies. Again, no shocker here, and Scherzer certainly seems to expect he'll be good to go by then. With a chance to add another pitcher, the Nats purchased right-hander Justin Miller's contract from Triple-A Rochester, bringing back the...

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Schwarber's power surge again propels Nats to win (updated)

June 14, 2021, 6:02pm

Nationals

Schwarber's power surge again propels Nats to win (updated)

Kyle Schwarber tried to act like a traditional leadoff hitter in the third inning of tonight's series opener on South Capitol Street, attempting to use his legs to take an extra base that wasn't there for the taking and paying the price for it. So when the opportunity to make a difference in this game came four innings later, Schwarber decided he'd be better off doing it the best way he knows how: by hitting the ball a long way and making the trip around the bases risk-free. Schwarber's...

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Scherzer makes case for pine tar, not stickier stuff

June 14, 2021, 4:44pm

Nationals

Scherzer makes case for pine tar, not stickier stuff

After offering an update on the status of a tweaked groin that will prevent him from starting Wednesday's series finale against the Pirates, Max Scherzer offered a lengthy take on a subject matter that has become current issue No. 1 across baseball: foreign substances. With Major League Baseball attempting to crack down on pitchers using so-called "sticky stuff" to improve their grip and spin rate, Scherzer spoke of both players' desire to allow certain substances to be used to help prevent...

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Scherzer progressing, but won't be ready to start Wednesday

June 14, 2021, 2:07pm

Nationals

Scherzer progressing, but won't be ready to start Wednesday

Though he says his injured groin has made significant progress in each of the last three days, Max Scherzer does not believe it would be smart for him to make his scheduled start Wednesday against the Pirates. The question now is whether the Nationals decide to place their ace on the 10-day injured list or try to get by for a few days and hope he can pitch later in the week. Scherzer went through some aggressive agility drills this afternoon before batting practice at Nationals Park, testing...

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Game 63 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates

June 14, 2021, 11:38am

Nationals

After going 3-3 against the two teams with the best records in the majors at the time (the Rays and Giants), the Nationals now host one of the worst teams in the majors the next three nights. And you've got to believe they believe they need to win at least two, if not all three, of these games. That's easier said than done, of course, especially with a lineup that has been so unproductive most of the time. Perhaps manager Davey Martinez found something over the weekend, though, with his new...

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Cavalli, Cronin promoted to Double-A; first All-Star votes revealed

June 14, 2021, 8:57am

Nationals

Cavalli, Cronin promoted to Double-A; first All-Star votes revealed

Cade Cavalli's dominant first six weeks of professional baseball have earned the Nationals' top prospect a quick promotion to Double-A. The Nats are moving Cavalli and Matt Cronin from high Single-A Wilmington up to Harrisburg, rewarding both pitchers for their impressive starts to the minor league season, a source familiar with the promotions confirmed. Cavalli, the organization's first-round draft pick last summer, has quickly rocketed up prospect lists by overwhelming the competition at...

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Schwarber is atypical - but productive - as leadoff hitter

June 13, 2021, 8:51pm

Nationals

Schwarber is atypical - but productive - as leadoff hitter

Kyle Schwarber doesn't exactly have fond memories of his initial attempt batting leadoff for the Cubs. "I stunk the first time I led off," he said Sunday during a Zoom session with Nationals reporters. "I was terrible. I'll be really honest: I stunk." Schwarber's memory is pretty accurate. He may have forgotten the two times he led off in 2015 and went 3-for-8 with a double and a stolen base. He probably remembers the 36 times he did it in 2017, during which he batted a scant .190 and...

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Ross completes eight innings as Nats shut out Giants (updated)

June 13, 2021, 11:54am

Nationals

Ross completes eight innings as Nats shut out Giants (updated)

As their two aces departed early with injuries the extent of which aren't entirely known just yet, the Nationals were left with no choice but to call upon their longtime No. 5/6 starters to pick up the slack this weekend. Whether Erick Fedde and Joe Ross can continue to thrive under this new pressure for the long haul or not remains to be seen. Certainly, they need to prove they can do it every fifth day, not just once in a blue moon. But for these 24 hours on South Capitol Street, there is no...

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Scherzer hopes to avoid IL, but admits it may be needed

June 13, 2021, 8:49am

Nationals

Scherzer hopes to avoid IL, but admits it may be needed

Max Scherzer hopes to make his next scheduled start, but the Nationals ace admitted today he'll need to be able to complete a bullpen session Monday without being too restricted by his tweaked groin muscle in order to avoid a short stint on the injured list. "That I can definitely say: I have to be able to throw a bullpen tomorrow if I'm going to make the start," Scherzer said in a brief on-field interview shortly after he played catch prior to today's series finale against the Giants....

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Game 62 lineups: Nats vs. Giants

June 13, 2021, 7:04am

Nationals

To say this series has featured very little offense would be the understatement of the year. Through three games and 24 innings of baseball, the Nationals and Giants have each scored three runs. Yes, three runs. So it's probably not unreasonable to say that the first team to score in today's series finale is going to be in great position to win the game. The Nats will need some quality and some length from Joe Ross, who more than anything just needs to avoid that one bad inning that has so...