Mark Zuckerman

It's time to enjoy the 2019 Nationals, not complain about them

August 14, 2019, 8:55pm

They've won seven of their last nine, but fans are fuming over the two games they lost in New York last weekend. They've seen Erick Fedde and Joe Ross go a combined 5-0 with an 0.90 ERA this month, but fans are convinced Max Scherzer will reinjure his back as soon as he returns to the mound in the coming days. They've seen the three relievers acquired at the July 31 trade deadline post a 1.46 ERA in 15 combined appearances, but fans are insisting Sean Doolittle's arm is about to fall...

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Mid-game offensive explosion lifts Nats to series sweep (updated)

August 14, 2019, 3:44pm

Nationals

Mid-game offensive explosion lifts Nats to series sweep (updated)

It's been a consistent pattern all summer long. The Nationals face an opposing pitcher they've rarely - if ever - faced before, need several innings to feel the guy out and then suddenly string together a bunch of hits to knock the previously effective starter out of the game. They've done it to several opponents, some rookies, some veterans who they haven't seen much before for whatever reason. But they've never done it like they did it to Trevor Bauer this afternoon during a 17-7 pasting...

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Scherzer: "I think I'm ready to pitch in the big leagues"

August 14, 2019, 11:09am

Nationals

Scherzer: "I think I'm ready to pitch in the big leagues"

Max Scherzer insists he's ready to pitch. Now. In the big leagues. As soon as the Nationals will let him. Which is the real issue, to be honest. Scherzer may believe he's ready to return from the injured list this weekend, but he may be at the mercy of the Nationals' medical and coaching staffs. "It'll come down to me and the medical staff, yeah," manager Davey Martinez said. "Like I said, we're going to be very conscious, and we'll see where we're at. The good news is that he feels...

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Game 120 lineups: Nats vs. Reds

August 14, 2019, 8:21am

Nationals

In turning their season around, the Nationals have rebounded from a low point of 12 games under .500 to a high point of nine games over .500. They've had several chances to climb to 10 games over but to date haven't been able to reach that level. They'll get another chance today as they attempt to sweep the Reds. Stephen Strasburg takes the ball, looking to pick up where he left off Friday night in New York and earn his league-leading 15th win of the season. Strasburg has enjoyed success...

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Hudson delivers four outs for first save with Nationals

August 13, 2019, 8:00pm

Nationals

When Daniel Hudson trotted in from the bullpen with two outs in the eighth Tuesday night, many among the crowd of 30,130 at Nationals Park may have been wondering whether Davey Martinez intended to ask his recently acquired reliever to give him a four-out save, or whether Martinez simply wanted him to get out of the inning before handing the ball to someone else for the ninth. Hudson didn't need to ask the question. He already knew the plan hours earlier. "Davey told me before the game to be...

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Ross dominates again, bullpen pieces together the rest (updated)

August 13, 2019, 5:44pm

Nationals

Ross dominates again, bullpen pieces together the rest (updated)

The longest scoreless innings streak from a member of the Nationals pitching staff this season doesn't belong to Max Scherzer. It doesn't belong to Stephen Strasburg. It doesn't belong to Patrick Corbin. And it doesn't belong to Sean Doolittle. It belongs to Joe Ross. And if that fact doesn't surprise you, you haven't been paying close attention to the 2019 season. Given up for dead by everyone other than the folks who call the shots in the Nationals organization, Ross has completely...

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After sim game, Nats must decide if Scherzer is ready to return

August 13, 2019, 1:59pm

Nationals

After sim game, Nats must decide if Scherzer is ready to return

Max Scherzer emerged from a simulated game at Nationals Park this afternoon feeling "really good," perhaps good enough to convince club officials to let the ace return from the injured list without facing live hitters again. That determination won't be made for a few more days, not until Scherzer has a chance to see how his upper back recovers from today's two-inning-plus session and he attempts to throw off a mound again Thursday. But the fact it's even being considered is extremely...

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Game 119 lineups: Nats vs. Reds

August 13, 2019, 11:22am

Nationals

The forecast tonight isn't great, but for now, the Nationals and Reds are intending to play the second game of their series. Given the fact this is Cincinnati's only trip here this year, and tomorrow's finale is scheduled for 4:05 p.m., there's certainly motivation to get this one in tonight as scheduled. The Nationals have several players back in the lineup, headlined by Juan Soto. Turns out Soto will have missed only one game after spraining his right ankle rounding third base Sunday in...

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As Doolittle deals with summer grind, Nats bringing back Holland

August 12, 2019, 8:47pm

Nationals

As Doolittle deals with summer grind, Nats bringing back Holland

Sean Doolittle admitted it. After pitching for the 52nd time in 118 games - a rate that leaves him on pace to establish a new career high with 71 appearances by season's end - and in five of the Nationals' last seven games, the club's closer admitted his gas tank is running low. "I mean, that's 5-of-7, in the middle of August, in the first season (in a long time) where I'm still going," Doolittle said with a chuckle. "I haven't put together a season like this in a while. I'm starting...

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Fedde sharp again, bullpen hangs on for 7-6 win (updated)

August 12, 2019, 6:18pm

Nationals

Fedde sharp again, bullpen hangs on for 7-6 win (updated)

This was supposed to be the weak link of the Nationals organization: pitching depth. And when Max Scherzer went back on the injured list three weeks ago, there was ample reason to fear the worst out of the two guys who had now been thrust into the back end of the rotation: Erick Fedde and Joe Ross. Except those guys haven't been the problem, not in the least. The two right-handers have now each turned in back-to-back quality performances, all of them resulting in victories. Tonight it was...

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Updates on Soto, Scherzer, ElÃas and more (Nats up 6-2)

August 12, 2019, 2:09pm

Nationals

Updates on Soto, Scherzer, ElÃas and more (Nats up 6-2)

Juan Soto's not in the lineup but feeling much better about his right ankle than he did 24 hours earlier. Howie Kendrick's not in the lineup but back on the active roster and available to pinch-hit tonight. Max Scherzer is ready to face live hitters for the first time in three weeks. Ryan Zimmerman and Roenis ElÃas are making progress but still have major hurdles to cross before returning from the injured list. And Brian Dozier is sick. That's your daily Nationals injury update. And it's...

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Game 118 lineups: Nats vs. Reds (Kendrick activated)

August 12, 2019, 11:21am

Nationals

Game 118 lineups: Nats vs. Reds (Kendrick activated)

The Nationals are back home after a long and eventful road trip that started in Arizona with three new relievers, continued in San Francisco with a sweep and then concluded with a wild weekend in New York. Now they are right back at it with a week of home games against the Reds and Brewers. And they've got a familiar face back on their active roster (though not the lineup). Howie Kendrick is back after a brief stint on the injured list with a strained hamstring. Kendrick was activated this...

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Nats to open 2020 at Mets, will face entire AL West

August 12, 2019, 8:58am

Nationals Orioles

Nats to open 2020 at Mets, will face entire AL West

The Nationals just completed a high-intensity series at Citi Field, and now they already have to start looking ahead to their next trip to Queens - in March. Major League Baseball unveiled its 2020 schedule this afternoon, never mind the fact there are still seven weeks remaining in the highly compelling 2019 season, and it features the earliest opening day in history: March 26. All 30 clubs will be in action on that Thursday, with the Nationals opening up on the road against the Mets for a...

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The good and the bad from a wild weekend in New York

August 11, 2019, 9:17pm

Nationals

The good and the bad from a wild weekend in New York

After a wild weekend in New York, here's what we know about the Nationals ... * They continue to have an issue closing out winnable games late. * They continue to put themselves in position to close out winnable games late. Yes, those back-to-back losses to the Mets on Friday and Saturday nights were gut-punches, from Sean Doolittle's bottom-of-the-ninth meltdown in the opener to Fernando Rodney's eighth-inning travails the following night. Two games the Nationals absolutely should have won...

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Weekend series with Mets suddenly carries more weight

August 08, 2019, 8:30pm

Nationals

Weekend series with Mets suddenly carries more weight

We've spent most of the summer emphasizing the Nationals' matchups with the team they're chasing in the National League East (the Braves) and the team that's been right alongside them in the wild card race (the Phillies). The Mets? There hasn't been much reason to talk about them, at least not since April and early May, when they still harbored visions of being part of a four-team race in the NL East. But then came a collapse and the drama that too often seems to overtake New York's...

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With deeper bullpen, Nats finally confident closing out games

August 07, 2019, 5:14pm

Nationals

With deeper bullpen, Nats finally confident closing out games

SAN FRANCISCO - As the bottom of the ninth played out Wednesday afternoon at Oracle Park, the Giants getting an RBI double from Brandon Crawford and suddenly threatening to make things interesting, Davey Martinez might have been tempted to send Sean Doolittle or Fernando Rodney down to the bullpen to start warming up. Only a week or two ago, that's probably what would've happened. If a game was close late, Martinez would have felt compelled to at least warm up his closer or primary backup,...

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Ross steps up again to pitch Nats to series sweep (updated)

August 07, 2019, 2:44pm

Nationals

Ross steps up again to pitch Nats to series sweep (updated)

SAN FRANCISCO - They arrived in the cool Bay Area late Sunday night having just gotten smoked in the Arizona desert, losers of three straight series for the first time in three months. The Nationals needed a bounceback week against a Giants club trying to mount a surprising run at a wild card berth. That's exactly what they got. With a pair of shutout wins orchestrated by the supposedly weak back end of their rotation, the Nationals swept the Giants, thanks to today's 4-1 victory, and headed...

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Minor league pitcher Fuentes suspended 50 games (Nats up 4-0)

August 07, 2019, 1:15pm

Nationals

Minor league pitcher Fuentes suspended 50 games (Nats up 4-0)

SAN FRANCISCO - Double-A Harrisburg pitcher Steven Fuentes has been suspended 50 games after testing positive for a stimulant in violation of the minor league drug prevention and treatment program. Fuentes, rated the organization's 21st best prospect by MLB Pipeline, tested positive for the stimulant Heptaminol, Major League Baseball announced this afternoon. The 22-year-old right-hander was signed by the Nationals out of Panama in 2013 and has slowly climbed his way up the organizational...

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With Scherzer still out, Nats adjust rotation for Mets

August 07, 2019, 11:14am

Nationals

With Scherzer still out, Nats adjust rotation for Mets

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals wanted to have Max Scherzer face the Braves twice in recent weeks but were unable to send their ace to the mound against the National League East leaders. They wanted to have Scherzer start at least one game during this West Coast trip against either the Diamondbacks or Giants but were unable to get him out there against the pair of fringe wild card contenders. Now, as a weekend series with the suddenly resurgent Mets looms, the Nationals again would love to have...

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Game 114 lineups: Nats at Giants

August 07, 2019, 9:12am

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals are in position to sweep the Giants this afternoon, so that perhaps gives Davey Martinez a little leeway with his lineup, perhaps not feeling the need to overwork guys with a quick turnaround to today's 12:45 p.m. local first pitch. That means we've got a bit of a new look here today. It's AsdrÃºbal Cabrera making his first start for the Nationals in five years, playing second base. And it's Gerardo Parra, who started last night in right field, at first base...