Mark Zuckerman

Game 34 lineups: Nats at D-backs (Corbin on paternity leave)

May 14, 2021, 1:26pm

Max Scherzer appears to be on one of those dominant rolls we've seen from him before, the kind that turns every one of his starts into must-see TV. Over his last six outings, the three-time Cy Young Award winner owns a 1.79 ERA, 0.769 WHIP and 52 strikeouts against only seven walks. (And remember, that stretch includes a seven-run blowup start against the Blue Jays, so he's been unbelievably great in the five other appearances.) So even though it may require some extra caffeine, it might be...

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Resurgent rotation trying to lead the way again

May 13, 2021, 8:35pm

Nationals

Resurgent rotation trying to lead the way again

If you're looking for reasons to remain optimistic about the Nationals' chances of climbing out of last place and back into the thick of the National League East race, look no further than the club's longstanding biggest strength: the rotation. Despite some notable April blowups, Nats starters have found their way again and are now leading the way, as they were expected to all along. Overall, the Nationals rotation owns a 4.27 ERA, which ranks only 17th in the majors, and 1.215 WHIP, which...

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Nats get big blasts early, big start from Corbin to win (updated)

May 13, 2021, 11:43am

Nationals

Nats get big blasts early, big start from Corbin to win (updated)

The Nationals aren't going to amount to much this season if Josh Bell, Kyle Schwarber and Patrick Corbin aren't consistently contributing to the process. They all know that, and it's why manager Davey Martinez isn't going to give up on any of them anytime soon. The roster general manager Mike Rizzo built this winter included Bell, Schwarber and Corbin in prominent positions, the first two in the heart of his lineup and the latter in the heart of his rotation. So the early-season struggles...

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Nats want one more tune-up for Strasburg before his return

May 13, 2021, 7:58am

Nationals

Nats want one more tune-up for Strasburg before his return

Stephen Strasburg is close to rejoining the Nationals rotation, but first the club needs their rehabbing right-hander to build up his innings and pitch count one more time. They just need to figure out where and when that final tune-up will take place. Strasburg, who has already pitched in two simulated games at Nationals Park, was scheduled to throw a bullpen session this morning before the team's series finale against the Phillies. His next turn to start would come Sunday, but it hasn't...

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Game 33 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

May 13, 2021, 7:04am

Nationals

To say the Nationals need to find a way to win today's series finale against the Phillies is a gross understatement. No, the season isn't over if they lose again, but if they get swept by Philadelphia after losing two of three to the Yankees after getting swept by the Braves ... well, that's not a position you want to be in. So the pressure's on this afternoon on South Capitol Street, which is probably the last thing Davey Martinez wants. He held a team meeting after Wednesday night's loss...

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Cavalli's pro career off to a rousing start in Wilmington

May 12, 2021, 10:15pm

Nationals

Cavalli's pro career off to a rousing start in Wilmington

If you're in need of a little pick-me-up following Wednesday night's extra-inning loss to the Phillies, here's one that might do the trick: Cade Cavalli's professional career is off to a fantastic start. The Nationals' 2020 first-round pick authored another impressive outing Wednesday for high Single-A Wilmington, tossing five scoreless innings while striking out eight during an eventual 1-0 win over Jersey Shore. Cavalli surrendered only one hit, a third-inning single by Jonathan Guzman,...

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Hand blows another save, Nats lose in 10th (updated)

May 12, 2021, 6:51pm

Nationals

Hand blows another save, Nats lose in 10th (updated)

They had played far from a perfect ballgame, and certainly they didn't tear the cover off the ball, but the Nationals nonetheless put themselves in position to beat the Phillies this evening, thanks to an effective start by Jon Lester, some timely hits in the sixth, a massive blunder in the outfield by Bryce Harper and strong setup work from Sam Clay and Daniel Hudson. Victory, however, could not be secured until Brad Hand pitched a scoreless ninth, something that only a week ago felt like as...

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Suero activated, Espino optioned to Rochester

May 12, 2021, 2:00pm

Nationals

Suero activated, Espino optioned to Rochester

The Nationals have activated Wander Suero from the 10-day injured list and will have their workhorse reliever available for tonight's game against the Phillies. To clear space on their active roster for Suero, the Nats optioned veteran right-hander Paolo Espino to Triple-A Rochester. Suero, who had been out since April 18 with a left oblique strain, was cleared to return three days after a one-appearance rehab assignment for Rochester. Starting the game against Lehigh Valley, he gave up two...

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Game 32 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

May 12, 2021, 11:27am

Nationals

The Nationals need to score runs tonight. This does not qualify as some sort of huge revelation. It's simply the truth. Over their last eight games, the Nats have scored an average of 3.4 runs on 7.5 hits. Which isn't great, but it's even worse when you consider they exploded for 11 runs on 10 hits during Friday night's win at Yankee Stadium. Throw that outlier from the mix, and you get an average of 2.3 runs on 7.1 hits during this stretch. So the mission tonight is clear: Score, and score...

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Emotional Zimmermann retires, recalls memories of time in D.C.

May 11, 2021, 10:13pm

Nationals

Emotional Zimmermann retires, recalls memories of time in D.C.

Jordan Zimmermann, as publicly stoic and unemotional a ballplayer as you'll ever meet, was already feeling his eyes begin to well up as he discussed his decision to retire Tuesday on a Zoom session with reporters who cover each of the three teams he pitched for during his career. "I just felt like after 15 years of playing ball, my mind was still in it, but my body wasn't," the right-hander said. And when, about 12 minutes into the call, Zimmermann was asked by a writer from Detroit about...

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Nats squander chances at plate again, fall to Phillies (updated)

May 11, 2021, 7:03pm

Nationals

Nats squander chances at plate again, fall to Phillies (updated)

You can point to a number of reasons the Nationals find themselves in the basement of a tight National League East division in mid-May, but inevitably you come back to the same irrefutable conclusion: They just aren't scoring enough runs on a consistent basis to win games. Even when they get a less-than-stellar showing from their starter, or meltdown from their bullpen, the Nats still find themselves facing a key moment late in a game in which one big hit with runners on base could be the...

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Strasburg builds up to 62 pitches, Suero almost ready to return

May 11, 2021, 12:34pm

Nationals

Strasburg builds up to 62 pitches, Suero almost ready to return

Stephen Strasburg took a significant step forward in his return from a shoulder injury today when he threw 62 pitches over four innings during a simulated game at Nationals Park. Strasburg, out since April 18 with right shoulder inflammation, was initially scheduled to only pitch three innings but felt strong enough after walking off the mound following the third simulated frame to ask for an opportunity to go back out for another. The club's coaching and medical staff agreed, so he wound up...

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Game 31 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

May 11, 2021, 11:14am

Nationals

The Nationals are in the midst of a rough stretch, no doubt about it. They've lost five of their last six and are back in last place in the division. And yet, when you consider they lost three of those games by one run (two via walk-off) and another by two runs, the situation very easily could be reversed. Is that reason for optimism or pessimism? Guess it depends on how you prefer to view life (or, at least, baseball). The next three nights, then, present an opportunity to flip the script and...

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Rounding up the first week of the minor league season

May 10, 2021, 7:48pm

Nationals

Rounding up the first week of the minor league season

The first week of the minor league season is complete, and for the first time in two years, we actually have some box scores and stats to pore through and get a sense of the state of the Nationals farm system. The Nats' four full-season affiliates are off to a rough start record-wise, but there have been some notable individual performances so far. Let's run through each of the clubs, with some notable developments from the last week. Keep in mind that with COVID-19 protocols, the schedule...

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D.C. will allow full capacity at Nationals Park beginning June 11

May 10, 2021, 12:30pm

Nationals

The Nationals have been granted approval by the District of Columbia to increase capacity at Nationals Park for their homestand later this month and to operate at full capacity in mid-June. Earlier today, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a slew of reopenings for restaurants, bars, and sports and entertainment venues in the city, easing up on restrictions that had been in place since the beginning of the pandemic 15 months ago. Included in the mayor's announcement was approval to allow for...

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Soto feels good at plate, now looking for more results

May 09, 2021, 8:47pm

Nationals

Soto feels good at plate, now looking for more results

After a two-week layoff while his left shoulder healed, it was only natural to believe Juan Soto would need some time to rediscover his swing. Even though the Nationals slugger had been able to take batting practice while on the 10-day injured list, it's not the same as facing live pitchers. So it was going to take some time to get right again once he was activated last week. How long? "It just took me three at-bats as a pinch-hitter," Soto said Sunday evening in a Zoom session with...

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Hand is unsteady again, Nats lose late to Yanks again (updated)

May 09, 2021, 12:19pm

Nationals

Hand is unsteady again, Nats lose late to Yanks again (updated)

Davey Martinez's day began with a follow-up question about his decision Saturday to use Brad Hand in the bottom of the ninth against the Yankees' big right-handed bats. The Nationals manager explained why he believed his left-handed closer was his best option there, and would again be his best option with a game on the line, given his success against hitters from both sides of the plate. "Brad has no issues against right-handers or left-handers," Martinez said during his pregame Zoom...

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Soto is DH again today, but plans to be in right field Tuesday

May 09, 2021, 8:30am

Nationals

Soto is DH again today, but plans to be in right field Tuesday

The fact Juan Soto was back in right field Saturday for the first time in nearly three weeks didn't necessarily mean the Nationals slugger will be back at his regular position every single day for now. Despite appearing to look fine in his return to the field following a left shoulder injury, Soto is back to serving as the designated hitter for today's series finale at Yankee Stadium. Manager Davey Martinez said during his pregame Zoom session with reporters that this was the plan all along....

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Game 30 lineups: Nats at Yankees

May 09, 2021, 7:02am

Nationals

In many ways, the Nationals have looked great this weekend at Yankee Stadium. They exploded for 11 runs in Friday night's opener. They've got a decent start from Patrick Corbin in that game, then a brilliant game from Max Scherzer on Saturday. Juan Soto is back in the lineup and back in the field. Victor Robles went 3-for-4 on Saturday. The Nats scored the first run of the season off Aroldis Chapman! Yet because of an uncharacteristic meltdown from Brad Hand in both the ninth and 10th innings...

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Bullpen's perfect streak ends at 29 batters

May 07, 2021, 9:44pm

Nationals

Bullpen's perfect streak ends at 29 batters

The pitch from Kyle Finnegan, a 3-2 sinker to Gary SÃ¡nchez in the bottom of the seventh that appeared to split the outer edge of the superimposed strike zone on your TV screen, was called a ball by Carlos Torres. SÃ¡nchez trotted to first base, and nobody at Yankee Stadium thought much of his one-out walk during Friday night's game against the Nationals. If you've been watching closely this week, though, you understood the significance of that borderline call. And why it produced...