Mark Zuckerman

Game 126 lineups: Nats at Pirates

August 21, 2019, 11:28am

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals scored 13 runs in Monday night's series opener. Then they scored one run last night. So what does tonight hold in store? The Nationals will try to get their offensive mojo back against Pirates right-hander Joe Musgrove. Musgrove hasn't faced the Nats this year. He's had an up and down season, but in his most recent start he held the Cubs to two runs and four hits while striking out nine over 7 1/3 innings. Patrick Corbin starts for the Nationals. The lefty did face...

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Breaking down the key decisions in Tuesday's loss

August 20, 2019, 8:32pm

Nationals

Breaking down the key decisions in Tuesday's loss

PITTSBURGH - It all happened so fast. The Nationals held a 1-0 lead when the seventh inning ended Tuesday night. Stephen Strasburg was in complete control. And then the Nationals were down 4-1 to the Pirates after Wander Suero and Daniel Hudson made a mess of the eighth inning. It's hardly the first time this has happened to the Nationals this season. But it was a particularly interesting recurrence of "The Eighth Inning Problem," for a variety of reasons. There were interesting decisions...

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Strasburg cruises, bullpen blows up in 4-1 loss (updated)

August 20, 2019, 6:08pm

Nationals

Strasburg cruises, bullpen blows up in 4-1 loss (updated)

PITTSBURGH - Stephen Strasburg didn't necessarily dominate the Pirates tonight. He simply cruised along, allowing a few baserunners here and there but never allowing them to seriously threaten to score against him. And when he departed the mound after seven innings of 94-pitch ball, the Nationals right-hander seemingly had another frame in him. But when Strasburg reached the dugout, he was greeted with handshakes from his manager and pitching coach. His night was over. Davey Martinez was now...

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Strickland breaks nose weightlifting but OK to pitch (Nats up 1-0)

August 20, 2019, 3:14pm

Nationals

Strickland breaks nose weightlifting but OK to pitch (Nats up 1-0)

PITTSBURGH - Hunter Strickland said he broke his nose in a weightlifting accident this afternoon, but the Nationals reliever has been cleared to pitch tonight and he'll be available out of the bullpen if needed. Strickland was working out in the weight room at PNC Park when he was struck in the face by a barbell, according to manager Davey Martinez. Strickland walked through the visitors' clubhouse a short while after with a bandage over the bridge of his nose and with discoloration and...

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If leg heals quickly, Ross will remain in Nationals rotation

August 20, 2019, 2:13pm

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - Joe Ross will remain in the Nationals rotation. If his right leg heals in time after he was struck by a comebacker during Monday night's win over the Pirates. Ross was still walking with a slight limp and had his lower right leg wrapped this afternoon, still feeling the effects of the 110-mph comebacker that caught him square on the shin the bottom of the fourth the previous night. The right-hander had to depart the game early, and though he was encouraged afterward that X-rays...

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Game 125 lineups: Nats at Pirates

August 20, 2019, 11:20am

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - You know all about what the Nationals have accomplished at the plate in recent days. What might they be able to accomplish tonight if they keep the barrage going? Well, they've already tied the major league record by scoring 13 or more runs in three straight games. If they can somehow do it again tonight, they'll become the first team in Major League Baseball history to do it in four straight games. They've scored 43 runs in three games; if they can score seven tonight, they'll...

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Now on IL, Doolittle knows he must "hit pause and reset"

August 19, 2019, 8:18pm

Nationals

Now on IL, Doolittle knows he must "hit pause and reset"

PITTSBURGH - Sean Doolittle knew his mechanics were out of whack, knew he wasn't getting life and spin on his fastball the way he always had, knew his arm and body were fatigued. He also believed he could battle his way through it and still pitch effectively for a Nationals team that seemed to need him for the ninth inning way more nights of the week than it didn't. But after watching the Brewers torch him for three homers in the span of four batters during his latest blown save Saturday...

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Nats set offensive records galore in rout of Pirates (updated)

August 19, 2019, 6:23pm

Nationals

Nats set offensive records galore in rout of Pirates (updated)

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals are built to win on the broad shoulders of their dominant rotation. Have been for years. That does not mean this team is incapable of winning on the might of a deep and potent lineup, however, one capable on any given night of blasting an opposing pitching staff out of the park. Or, in this case, into the Allegheny River. It happened last week, with three double-digit offensive explosions in four games against the Reds and Brewers. And it continued tonight during a...

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Zimmerman rehab shifts to Potomac (Nats up 11-0)

August 19, 2019, 4:05pm

Nationals

Zimmerman rehab shifts to Potomac (Nats up 11-0)

PITTSBURGH - Ryan Zimmerman has gone on two-game rehab assignments before. This current one won't be nearly so quick. After playing in a pair of games over the weekend for Double-A Harrisburg, Zimmerman is now shifting to Single-A Potomac to continue his rehab from a recurrence of plantar fasciitis in his right foot. And he may be there for a while. Manager Davey Martinez said today he wants the veteran first baseman to not only get his foot healthy but also to get his entire game healthy...

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Scherzer set to return to rotation Thursday

August 19, 2019, 2:01pm

Nationals

Scherzer set to return to rotation Thursday

PITTSBURGH - Max Scherzer bounded through the visitors' clubhouse at PNC Park shortly after 3:30 p.m. today, a smile on his face and a bounce in his step not often seen over the last month. And as he walked past reporters he offered up three unsolicited words that revealed more about his current state of body and mind than any lengthy interview could have topped: "See you Thursday." The Nationals ace is ready to return at last. After an aggravating month spent trying to overcome a pair of...

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Game 124 lineups: Nats at Pirates (Dozier on paternity leave)

August 19, 2019, 11:34am

Nationals

Game 124 lineups: Nats at Pirates (Dozier on paternity leave)

PITTSBURGH - It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood here alongside the Allegheny River, where the Nationals tonight open a four-game series against the floundering Pirates. They've done a very good job this summer of beating up on bad teams. Here's a golden opportunity to feast some more on a Pirates club that is a staggering 7-27 since the All-Star break, worst in the majors. We'll see if the Nats lineup can keep it going after absolutely terrorizing the Brewers pitching staff over the...

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Doolittle, Martinez will reconsider closer's workload

August 17, 2019, 10:00pm

Nationals

Doolittle, Martinez will reconsider closer's workload

Sean Doolittle insisted before Saturday night's game, he was good to pitch. As soon as he actually tried to pitch in the top of the ninth, he realized he didn't have what he needed to be effective. "Tonight, man, I just didn't have anything," the Nationals closer said. "So, yeah, we're going to have to figure something out. I'm going to have to figure something out. Because this team, they deserve better right now." What had been looming as a potential problem for a while now has...

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Wildest game of year ends with loss in 14th (updated)

August 17, 2019, 8:47pm

Nationals

Wildest game of year ends with loss in 14th (updated)

Who knows how this wild 2019 season will end for the Nationals, whether they'll catch the Braves and win the National League East, whether they'll hold onto one of the league's two wild card berths or whether they'll collapse and miss the playoffs altogether. Here's what we can say unequivocally about the 2019 Nationals: They do not quit. No game is ever out of reach. No matter how demoralized they may be at one moment, they refuse to stay down until they've used up every last...

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Decision looming for final spot in rotation (Nats trail 6-5)

August 17, 2019, 4:12pm

Nationals

Decision looming for final spot in rotation (Nats trail 6-5)

Rotation depth, such a problem area for the Nationals last season and early this season, hasn't been an issue over the last month. That's thanks to the lights-out performances of Erick Fedde and Joe Ross, who have allowed the Nats to continue to thrive even while Max Scherzer has been on the injured list. Now, though, the organization faces a surprisingly tricky decision with Scherzer close to returning from his back injury. And the potential return of two other right-handers from long-term...

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Scherzer on track to return Thursday after simulated game

August 17, 2019, 1:34pm

Nationals

Scherzer on track to return Thursday after simulated game

Max Scherzer built his arm up this afternoon in his second simulated game of the week, throwing 64 pitches over four innings. And as long as he recovers well from this latest throwing session, the Nationals ace will be lined up to return to the rotation next week in Pittsburgh. Scherzer looked strong and felt strong during today's four-inning simulated game against teammates, according to manager Davey Martinez. Facing Gerardo Parra and Yan Gomes, he threw an average of 16 pitches per inning,...

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Game 122 lineups: Nats vs. Brewers

August 17, 2019, 11:19am

Nationals

It's Season Plan Holder Appreciation Day here at Nationals Park. It's also Max Scherzer Simulated Game No. 2 Day. These two events are going on simultaneously, which is both cool (the fans are able to watch this) and awkward (Dan Kolko, Bo Porter and Alex Chappell are holding a Q&A as Scherzer pitches directly behind them). Anyways, tonight's game ... the Nationals are riding a five-game winning streak into this evening's contest. They'll look to improve to a season-best 12 games over...

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Rendon's clutch doubles enough to lift Nats to win (updated)

August 16, 2019, 6:06pm

Nationals

Rendon's clutch doubles enough to lift Nats to win (updated)

The Nationals totaled only three hits tonight. Turns out that was enough, because two of them were Anthony Rendon RBI doubles. The man who has made a name for himself with clutch two-baggers delivered the pair of clutch doubles his team needed tonight. The Nationals rode those RBI doubles, including the go-ahead hit in the bottom of the eighth, to a 2-1 victory over the Brewers on a night when they had to scrap and claw for everything. "I tell the guys: 'Hey, it only takes one more than the...

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Scherzer will pitch another simulated game Saturday

August 16, 2019, 1:30pm

Nationals

Scherzer will pitch another simulated game Saturday

Max Scherzer will take the mound at Nationals Park on Saturday. But he'll again be facing teammates, not the Brewers. Despite the ace's insistence he's ready to come off the injured list, the Nationals have decided he needs at least one more simulated game to build up his endurance. Scherzer threw only 32 pitches over two simulated innings, plus warm-up tosses in the bullpen and between innings, on Tuesday afternoon. The following day he pronounced himself healthy and insisted he was ready...

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Game 121 lineups: Nats vs. Brewers

August 16, 2019, 11:21am

Nationals

The Nationals have announced starters for this weekend. AnÃbal SÃ¡nchez will start Saturday night, with Erick Fedde taking the mound Sunday afternoon. Obviously, neither of those guys is named Max Scherzer, so it appears the ace's return from the injured list isn't happening quite yet. But before you panic, he's out throwing in the outfield right now, so it doesn't appear he's had any setback. The Nats are just taking a more cautious approach with his return. But enough about the rest...

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Decision day for Nationals and Scherzer

August 15, 2019, 8:37pm

Nationals

It's decision day for the Nationals, who must figure out when and where Max Scherzer will next pitch. If it's up to Scherzer, the answer to the first question is "Saturday" and the answer to the second question is "at Nationals Park against the Brewers." But it's not up to the ace of the staff. Davey Martinez, Mike Rizzo and the club's medical staff will have the final say on the plan for Scherzer, who believes he's ready to return from the injured list ASAP. The Nationals have not...