Mark Zuckerman

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

May 09, 2021, 12:19pm

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...

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Late explosion propels Nats to rout at Yankee Stadium (updated)

May 07, 2021, 6:10pm

Nationals

Late explosion propels Nats to rout at Yankee Stadium (updated)

The situation - runner on second, nobody out, late in a close game - felt eerily familiar. What happened next felt completely foreign for a Nationals club that has spent weeks trying everything in its power to manufacture some late runs and tonight broke through with an eighth-inning rally that provided as cathartic a moment as these guys have experienced in some time. Knotted in a low-scoring tie game with the Yankees entering the eighth, the Nationals didn't just plate the go-ahead run. They...

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Soto could be in field Saturday, Strasburg sim game Tuesday

May 07, 2021, 1:49pm

Nationals

Soto could be in field Saturday, Strasburg sim game Tuesday

The Nationals have Juan Soto back in their lineup tonight. And they could have him back in right field as soon as Saturday afternoon. With his team playing at Yankee Stadium this weekend, manager Davey Martinez is able to utilize Soto as his designated hitter for tonight's interleague series opener. And prior to the game, the 22-year-old was planning to attempt to make throws from right field to second and third base for the first time since going on the injured list April 20 with a left...

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Game 28 lineups: Nats at Yankees

May 07, 2021, 1:18pm

Nationals

There's really only one question everyone wants answered today: Is Juan Soto in the Nationals lineup? The answer you've been waiting for: Yes. For the first time in 18 days, Soto is starting, albeit as designated hitter. Still unable to make throws in the outfield without fear of further injury to his left shoulder, he's being held back to hit only for the Nats' series opener against the Yankees. But that's still a major development for a team that desperately needs to generate some...

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While lineup struggles, Nats pitching staff is living up to billing

May 06, 2021, 9:26pm

Nationals

While lineup struggles, Nats pitching staff is living up to billing

The Nationals were just swept by the Braves in large part because of their lack of offensive production, especially in key moments late in games. On the flip side, though, they were in a position to have a chance to rally late because of their pitching staff, which is starting to perform like it was supposed to all along. The Nats sport a 4.06 ERA overall through 27 games, which ranks 17th in the majors. Nothing to get too excited about. Except the staff is trending in the right direction,...

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Nats can't convert late chances, get swept by Braves (updated)

May 06, 2021, 3:03pm

Nationals

Nats can't convert late chances, get swept by Braves (updated)

You can't say the Nationals don't at least give themselves chances. This evening's game against the Braves was right there for the taking late, in the bottom of the seventh, in the bottom of the eighth and again in the bottom of the ninth. In those final three innings alone, they took 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position. And managed only one hit in the process. In their latest bit of late-inning agony at the plate, the Nationals squandered those golden opportunities to finish a rally...

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For Scherzers, crazy Sunday was just how they wanted it

May 06, 2021, 11:35am

Nationals

For Scherzers, crazy Sunday was just how they wanted it

Upon learning he would be pitching on opening day for the Nationals, Max Scherzer began preparing to face the Mets. Erica Scherzer began preparing to give birth to the couple's third child. "My wife, as soon as she knew that I was going to be opening day starter, she had already done the counting out days and knew I was going to be pitching either May 2 or May 4," Max Scherzer said today during a Zoom session with reporters. "So it came down to asking (manager Davey Martinez): 'All right,...

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Game 27 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

May 06, 2021, 8:33am

Nationals

The Nationals need to score runs. Early in games. Too often they've found themselves trailing early and it's cost them. Their record this season when they score first: 10-2. When they don't: 2-12. There are all kinds of factors we can discuss when trying to decide why they're 12-14 overall, but that stat right there pretty tells the entire story. So it's incumbent upon today's lineup to do something early on against Drew Smyly. The good news: They did score early off Smyly back on opening...

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Martinez will become Nats' longest-tenured manager today

May 05, 2021, 9:58pm

Nationals

Martinez will become Nats' longest-tenured manager today

There won't be any ceremony to commemorate the occasion. No formal mention of the achievement or announcement on the scoreboard. Nor should there be, because it's not exactly a major accomplishment under the circumstances. And yet it's not insignificant that today Davey Martinez will manage his 411th game for the Nationals. What's significant about 411 games in the dugout? Well, believe it or not, it's the most games anyone will have managed in club history. Yep, that's right. Even though...

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Nats can't convert late chances at plate, lose to Braves (updated)

May 05, 2021, 5:56pm

Nationals

Nats can't convert late chances at plate, lose to Braves (updated)

With a roster that is less than ideally constructed and a matchup against a left-handed starter this evening, Nationals manager Davey Martinez wound up fielding a lineup loaded with right-handed hitters and a bench loaded with big names who he could choose to insert somewhere along the way when the right situation arose. Trouble is, Martinez never got around to using Juan Soto or Josh Bell when either would've had a chance to bat with a chance to make a big difference. Instead, it was Yadiel...

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Strasburg, Suero to pitch in simulated game Thursday

May 05, 2021, 12:14pm

Nationals

Strasburg, Suero to pitch in simulated game Thursday

Stephen Strasburg and Wander Suero will take the next important step in their return from injuries when they pitch in a simulated game Thursday afternoon before the Nationals' series finale against the Braves. It'll be the first time both right-handers have faced live hitters since going on the 10-day injured list April 18, Strasburg with shoulder inflammation, Suero with a left oblique strain. Both Strasburg and Suero had successfully thrown off flat ground and then off a bullpen mound in...

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Game 26 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

May 05, 2021, 11:37am

Nationals

The Nationals didn't have an answer for Huascar Ynoa on Tuesday night. They better have one for Max Fried tonight or else they're going to drop their second straight to the Braves. Fried returns to Atlanta's rotation after spending the last three weeks on the injured list with a strained hamstring. The Nats already got to the lefty back in early April, to the tune of five runs and eight hits in two innings. And that was before they had a healthy lineup. Manager Davey Martinez is again...

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Soto still feeling his way back in return from IL

May 04, 2021, 10:25pm

Nationals

Soto still feeling his way back in return from IL

Juan Soto didn't quite know what to expect when he stepped up to bat in the bottom of the eighth Tuesday night at Nationals Park. In his first game appearance in 15 days, the young slugger was about to find out just how difficult it is to pinch-hit in the major leagues. But first, he was about to find out just how much Nationals fans missed him while he was on the injured list with a strained left shoulder. "I didn't know the crowd was going to get me so pumped, that they were going to get...

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Nats can't deal with Braves starter's arm or bat in loss (updated)

May 04, 2021, 6:01pm

Nationals

Nats can't deal with Braves starter's arm or bat in loss (updated)

Baseball folks don't like to talk about momentum, because they've been doing this long enough to understand that what happened in recent days doesn't necessarily portend what will happen tonight. The Nationals had every reason to enter their series opener with the Braves feeling like they held the upper hand, based on their four-game winning streak, Atlanta's four-game losing streak and everything that transpired to make both events possible. Of course, it doesn't actually work like that....

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Soto back, but limited to pinch-hitting; Harris ready to pitch

May 04, 2021, 12:23pm

Nationals

Soto back, but limited to pinch-hitting; Harris ready to pitch

Juan Soto is back on the Nationals roster, just not in their lineup. Will Harris is back in their bullpen, and hoping he will remain available as much as he's needed. With a pair of mid-afternoon transactions today, the Nats moved closer to full strength. They're still missing Stephen Strasburg and Wander Suero, but for now, this is a significant step in the right direction. Soto, of course, is the biggest addition. The star slugger was activated off the 10-day injured list in time for...

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Game 25 lineups: Nats vs. Braves (Soto, Harris activated)

May 04, 2021, 11:21am

Nationals

Game 25 lineups: Nats vs. Braves (Soto, Harris activated)

The Nationals have clawed their way back to the .500 mark, sweeping the Marlins over the weekend. Their next challenge is climbing over that mark and staying there, against some stiffer competition: the Braves. The three-time defending National League East champs are back in town for their second visit of the season already. They took two of three in the season-opening series on South Capitol Street, sweeping a 14-inning doubleheader after the Nats won in dramatic fashion on opening day. Things...

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How call-ups and rehab assignments will work in 2021

May 03, 2021, 6:59pm

Nationals

How call-ups and rehab assignments will work in 2021

Throughout their 60-game season last summer and the first month of this season, when the Nationals needed to add a player to their big league roster they simply sent word to their alternate training site in Fredericksburg and waited for the player to make the short drive up Interstate 95 to Nationals Park. It was, under the circumstances, the safest way to make transactions while playing through a pandemic. No more. Beginning today, all major league clubs will have the ability to call players...