Mark Zuckerman

What's the state of the Nats pitching staff entering Sunday?

June 12, 2021, 10:02pm

So, after all that, what's the state of the Nationals pitching staff heading into today's series finale against the Giants? Not as bad as it could have been, all things considered. But there are still bullpen concerns. The Nats made it through Saturday's 15-inning doubleheader in one piece, thanks to Erick Fedde's five scoreless innings in the opener and Jefry Rodriguez's four scoreless innings in the nightcap. Now they'll turn to Joe Ross for today's nine-inning game. Originally...

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Another gutsy pitching effort, but an extra-inning loss (updated)

June 12, 2021, 6:25pm

Nationals

Another gutsy pitching effort, but an extra-inning loss (updated)

That the Nationals found themselves with a real chance to win Friday night after Max Scherzer departed 12 pitches in with a tweaked groin was fairly remarkable. And that they found themselves again with a real chance to win tonight after giving surprise call-up Jefry Rodriguez the start against the Giants was fairly remarkable in itself. That after all that, they didn't win either game? Well, that's downright agonizing. But hardly surprising during this season of offensive offense. And...

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Game 61 lineups: Nats vs. Giants

June 12, 2021, 1:48pm

Nationals

The Nationals pitching staff is by no means in great shape right now, but it's in better shape than it might've been had Erick Fedde not delivered five scoreless innings in the opener of today's doubleheader against the Giants. That performance has given Davey Martinez the luxury of starting Jefry Rodriguez in the nightcap but not needing the right-hander to go too deep if he's not up for it. You may remember Rodriguez from 2018, when he pitched in 14 games (eight starts) and posted a 5.71...

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Fedde returns from COVID-19 IL, leads Nats to win (updated)

June 12, 2021, 12:15pm

Nationals

Fedde returns from COVID-19 IL, leads Nats to win (updated)

A long day of baseball for the Nationals began with a flurry of roster moves, moves necessitated both by pitcher usage and pitcher injury in the last 48 hours. After Max Scherzer departed Friday night's start 12 pitches in with a tweaked groin and Daniel Hudson had to go on the 10-day IL this morning with right elbow inflammation, they had no choice but to summon whatever healthy arms they had available to them just to get through the 14 innings on today's schedule. Really, though, the...

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Hudson's IL stint highlights flurry of roster moves

June 12, 2021, 9:49am

Nationals

Hudson's IL stint highlights flurry of roster moves

The Nationals made a flurry of roster transactions in advance of today's doubleheader against the Giants, most of them necessitated by their need to have fresh arms for the 14 innings scheduled on the heels of what turned into a bullpen game after Max Scherzer departed with a tweaked groin after recording only one out. The promotions of right-handers Jefry Rodriguez (who may start tonight's second game) and Andres Machado (designated as the 27th man for both games) from Triple-A Rochester...

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Game 60 lineups: Nats vs. Giants

June 12, 2021, 8:04am

Nationals

Here's some good news to begin your Saturday: The clouds are beginning to clear out of the region and there is no forecast of rain today. The Nationals and Giants should have no trouble playing both ends of today's 14-inning doubleheader. That's about the only good news, unfortunately. The Nats just announced a swath of roster moves, a couple of them quite unexpected. Here's the full list: * Right-hander Daniel Hudson was placed on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. *...

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Friday morning Nats Q&A

June 10, 2021, 7:23pm

Nationals

Given the events of the previous 48 hours, the Nationals couldn't have been too disappointed when Thursday night's series opener against the Giants was rained out. The team was exhausted after a nine-game road trip, which ended with an 11-inning win at Tampa Bay and an overnight flight home that didn't get them to bed until 6:30 a.m. Thursday. With the bullpen already taxed, the idea of playing Thursday wasn't all that appealing. Now, everyone got an extra day of rest and a full night's...

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Bleary-eyed Nats tried to rest up before postponed opener

June 10, 2021, 2:23pm

Nationals

Bleary-eyed Nats tried to rest up before postponed opener

The Nationals' 11-inning win Wednesday night in St. Petersburg, Fla., ended at 11:30 p.m. The team bus departed Tropicana Field about an hour later and headed for the airport, where a charter flight awaited. That plane landed at Dulles International Airport maybe an hour before the sun rose, and by the time Davey Martinez was back in his home and put his head on his pillow, morning rush hour was in full swing. "I didn't go to sleep 'til 6:30, woke up at 11:30, rip-raring to go," the...

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Game 59 lineups: Nats vs. Giants

June 10, 2021, 11:42am

Nationals

Hello from Nationals Park, which hasn't hosted a ballgame in 11 days. Yeah, it's been a while. The Nationals return home from a nine-game road trip in which they went 4-5, used up a lot of pitchers and took a very late-night flight back from St. Petersburg, Fla., to get here for tonight's series opener against the Giants. They may be a bit bleary eyed at this point, and the forecast of on-and-off showers won't help. Here's what will help: For the first time since the 2019 World Series,...

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Rainey rewards Nats' faith with first career save

June 09, 2021, 10:21pm

Nationals

Rainey rewards Nats' faith with first career save

Not once in his previous 101 major league relief appearances had Tanner Rainey been handed the ball with his team leading by three or fewer runs and needing only three more outs to secure a win. Certainly there were times in 2020 when the Nationals right-hander seemed deserving of such an assignment. But it hadn't happened. That it did finally happen Wednesday night in St. Petersburg, Fla., with the Nats leading the Rays 9-7 in the bottom of the 11th, was rather shocking. Because Rainey...

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Nats battle back, then battle back again to win in 11 (updated)

June 09, 2021, 7:31pm

Nationals

Nats battle back, then battle back again to win in 11 (updated)

All the Nationals needed to do to win tonight's game at Tropicana Field was overcome a disastrous first inning from their starter, take an early lead thanks to three home runs, watch their bullpen blow that lead in regulation to force extra innings, score two runs in the top of the 10th with a rare display of situational hitting, watch their closer blow that lead in the bottom of the 10th while his pitch count soared to levels not seen in five years, retake the lead in the top of the 11th with...

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Strasburg not throwing yet, may see another specialist

June 09, 2021, 2:18pm

Nationals

Strasburg not throwing yet, may see another specialist

More than a week removed from his latest start cut short by injury, Stephen Strasburg remains shut down from throwing and may be headed to see another specialist, who will attempt to figure out what precisely is causing the nerve irritation in his neck that has shelved the right-hander once again. Strasburg, who last pitched June 1 in Atlanta, was placed on the 10-day injured list with what the Nationals initially termed a neck strain. He flew home to Washington for an MRI, which revealed nerve...

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Game 58 lineups: Nats at Rays

June 09, 2021, 11:42am

Nationals

The Nationals, as you know by now, have not been a productive offensive team this season. But they have been more productive when facing a left-hander. Their .679 OPS versus righties ranks 20th in the majors, but their .759 OPS versus lefties ranks 11th. So maybe, just maybe, tonight's game against Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan offers an opportunity to score some early runs and set a better tone for the game than has been typical for this team. The Nats would be wise to get to McClanahan...

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On the critical play at the plate that cost the Nats

June 08, 2021, 10:08pm

Nationals

On the critical play at the plate that cost the Nats

For a team that knows run-scoring opportunities are few and far between, this was a moment to perk up. With one out in the top of the seventh Tuesday night at Tropicana Field, the Nationals had Josh Bell on second base, Josh Harrison at the plate and a 3-1 deficit to the Rays on the scoreboard. And when Harrison promptly lined a base hit to left field, all eyes immediately shifted toward third base, to see if Bell would attempt to score or be held up by Bob Henley. Henley, as he does more often...

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Nats again can't convert with bases loaded, lose 3-1 (updated)

June 08, 2021, 6:34pm

Nationals

Nats again can't convert with bases loaded, lose 3-1 (updated)

You wanted to believe it would be different this time. Really, aren't teams supposed to be excited to bat with the bases loaded? The pressure's on the pitcher, not the hitter. It's the best situation for anyone with a bat in his hands. Anyone except the 2021 Nationals, who have turned a bases-loaded plate appearance into the most agonizing two minutes in sports. So when the situation presented itself yet again in the top of the eighth tonight at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. -...

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Voth out "for some time" after surgery to repair nose

June 08, 2021, 1:57pm

Nationals

Voth out "for some time" after surgery to repair nose

Austin Voth is recovering from surgery to repair multiple fractures in his nose, and though the Nationals right-hander is feeling fine after getting hit by a fastball during Sunday's game in Philadelphia, he will need some time to heal before returning to pitch. In addition to needing to have his nose reset in multiple places during Monday's surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Voth's left eye is swollen shut. He posted a message to his Instagram account thanking...

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Game 57 lineups: Nats at Rays

June 08, 2021, 12:29pm

Nationals

A three-city road trip that began in promising fashion, with two wins in three days in Atlanta, now reaches its final leg with the Nationals now needing a strong finish against a tough opponent. Having lost three of their last four (including two straight in Philadelphia over the weekend), the Nats tonight open a quick two-game series in St. Petersburg, Fla., against a Rays club that owns the best record in the American League at 38-23. As has been the case for several years now, Tampa Bay is...

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Checking in on the Nationals farm system

June 07, 2021, 1:12pm

Nationals

The minor league season is now in full swing. Teams have played five series, each of them lasting six games (with a few postponements along the way). So we're starting to get a better sample size to evaluate players' performances. The Nationals farm system, as has been well documented, is a work in progress. But there have been signs of life in recent weeks, with some familiar names beginning to perform as hoped and a few newcomers beginning to make a name for themselves. Here's a rundown of...

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Is the bullpen starting to show cracks?

June 06, 2021, 8:31pm

Nationals

The Nationals believed they were going to enter the season with as deep a bullpen as they've had in some time. With new closer Brad Hand joining experienced late-inning right-handers Daniel Hudson and Will Harris, plus up-and-comers Tanner Rainey, Wander Suero and Kyle Finnegan, the Nats were reasonably confident they had an ample supply of arms to win games late. Fifty-six games into a 162-game season, they were somewhat right about that. The bullpen has been perhaps the least of the...

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Voth hit in face during disastrous series finale (updated)

June 06, 2021, 1:33pm

Nationals

Voth hit in face during disastrous series finale (updated)

There were events out of their control, from their starter for this bullpen game, Austin Voth, taking a fastball to his face in the top of the third to a string of poorly struck balls by the Phillies that somehow didn't become outs to a 20-minute delay in the top of the eighth after the backstop netting at Citizens Bank Park collapsed. (Yes, that last event actually happened.) But there were so many things the Nationals could've done better today to make this game far more competitive than it...