Mark Zuckerman

Sipp dropped from roster, Scherzer begins throwing (Nats up 2-0)

August 02, 2019, 5:02pm

PHOENIX - Needing to clear one more roster spot for the trio of relievers they acquired before Wednesday's trade deadline, the Nationals designated Tony Sipp for assignment today, cutting ties with the veteran reliever who never was able to consistently perform after signing with the club late in spring training. Sipp had a 4.71 ERA in 36 appearances, and though he had done a better job in recent weeks retiring left-handed batters, he may have sealed his fate when he put back-to-back lefties...

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Game 109 lineups: Nats at Diamondbacks

August 02, 2019, 2:09pm

Nationals

PHOENIX - Hello from The Valley of the Sun, where it's a dry 109 degrees outside but thankfully much cooler inside Chase Field, where the Nationals and Diamondbacks open a three-game series tonight. The Nats have three new relievers available out of their bullpen in Hunter Strickland, Daniel Hudson and Roenis ElÃas. We'll find out soon enough how Davey Martinez intends to use them. Before they can get to any of those relievers, of course, Joe Ross takes the ball for only his second major...

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Focus returns to field as Nationals open long road trip

August 01, 2019, 6:12pm

Nationals

PHOENIX - They've got three new arms in their bullpen. Their rotation is still missing its ace. Their lineup is close to full-strength again. Now the Nationals' focus returns to the field, where it will stay for the next two months. And perhaps beyond. After a furious final few hours before Wednesday's trade deadline, not to mention a frustrating 10-inning loss to the Braves as this was all playing out, the Nationals flew west and enjoyed a much-needed day off in the desert. They pick up...

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Were the Nationals' deadline moves enough?

July 31, 2019, 8:58pm

Nationals

When the dust had settled after a frantic finish to this year's July 31 madness, it was clear to anyone following along that the Nationals boasted a better roster after 4 p.m. Wednesday than they did before the trade deadline arrived. Less clear, though, was the answer to this question: Did they get better enough? The acquisitions of three late-inning relievers (Daniel Hudson, Hunter Strickland, Roenis Elias) provide a long-needed jolt to a Nationals bullpen that has been in various states of...

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Nationals pick up trio of relievers, including Strickland (updated)

July 31, 2019, 10:49am

Nationals

As 4 p.m. drew ever closer, the time had come for general managers around the league to settle on best offers and get deals done before the trade deadline strikes. And sure enough, the action picked up fast and furious for the Nationals, who landed three late-inning relievers in the span of about 30 minutes this afternoon, headlined by the once-notorious Hunter Strickland. The Nats got Strickland and lefty Roenis Elias from the Mariners in separate trades, plus veteran right-hander Daniel...

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Nationals reach trade deadline with clear-cut needs

July 30, 2019, 8:12pm

Nationals Orioles

Nationals reach trade deadline with clear-cut needs

The Nationals have known for the better part of four months now they were going to need to upgrade their bullpen before the July 31 trade deadline. And for four months, they've tried every trick in the book to address their most glaring need without breaking the bank or dealing away top prospects. Today we finally find out if they're willing to do something bold and fix this problem area once and for all. The countdown to the 4 p.m. trade deadline is on, and the pressure's on general manager...

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Rotation questions abound after Fedde blasted by Braves

July 30, 2019, 6:53pm

Nationals

Rotation questions abound after Fedde blasted by Braves

As the focus has remained squarely on their bullpen, which has been in need of upgrades since opening day, lurking underneath the surface of the Nationals' red-hot summer has been the question of rotation depth. Would Mike Rizzo need to acquire a No. 5 starter before the July 31 trade deadline? Rizzo last week insisted such a move wasn't necessary, that he liked his team's back-of-the-rotation options. Besides, the longtime general manager pointed out, starting pitchers usually are...

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Bruised foot still sore, Adams out of lineup again

July 30, 2019, 2:15pm

Nationals

Bruised foot still sore, Adams out of lineup again

If he could play, Matt Adams surely would have been in the Nationals' lineup tonight, with Davey Martinez wanting the lefty slugger batting fifth against Braves right-hander Julio Teheran. The drop-off to Howie Kendrick (who happens to be 6-for-18 with three doubles in his career vs. Teheran) isn't all that steep. But under normal circumstances, Adams would be the choice tonight. "Oh, yeah," Martinez said. "Howie has pretty good numbers against this guy, but you still want Matt in...

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Game 107 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

July 30, 2019, 11:13am

Nationals

Why was Monday night's win so important for the Nationals? Because it allowed them to take early control of this three-game series with the Braves, who are now the ones facing some pressure to bounce back and not let their lead in the division dwindle to 3 1/2 games. The Nationals still have plenty of work to do to take this series, and they face a stiff challenge tonight with Erick Fedde - not Max Scherzer - getting the start. Fedde hasn't faced Atlanta yet this season, but he's quietly put...

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Soto shows off improved glove with leaping grab at wall

July 29, 2019, 8:34pm

Nationals

Soto shows off improved glove with leaping grab at wall

The ball went flying off Adam Duvall's bat and all eyes immediately turned toward Juan Soto in deep left field to gauge just how well Duvall had hit it. The way he calmly backtracked to the wall, Soto certainly seemed to have a bead on it. But when he ran out of real estate and had to leap, the crowd at Nationals Park held its collective breath, waiting to see which side of said wall it would come down on. Only Soto knew for sure he was going to haul it in. "I never thought it's going to be...

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Rendon's slam lifts Nats a step closer to Braves (updated)

July 29, 2019, 6:31pm

Nationals

Rendon's slam lifts Nats a step closer to Braves (updated)

He stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, two outs and a ballgame between the division's top two clubs tied in the bottom of the sixth. The crowd, which had been fairly docile all night, only stood to urge the batter on once he got to a 2-0 count and the scoreboard began pleading with everyone to "Get On Your Feet!" Once they rose, they didn't sit down again until Anthony Rendon had crushed the ball 412 feet to left field, circled the bases, danced through a line of teammates in the...

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Scherzer placed on IL, Fedde recalled (updated)

July 29, 2019, 11:18am

Nationals

Scherzer placed on IL, Fedde recalled (updated)

Max Scherzer spent a grand total of 20 days on the injured list in his first 11 1/2 seasons as a big league pitcher. Among all his other achievements during a potential Hall of Fame career, his ability to take the ball every turn through the rotation for more than a decade stood out as especially rare in today's game. Now a lingering back injury is guaranteed to keep the Nationals ace sidelined at least 26 total days in the span of a month, all during a critical portion of the season in which...

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After surviving Dodgers, banged-up Nats now host Braves

July 28, 2019, 7:33pm

Nationals

After surviving Dodgers, banged-up Nats now host Braves

The Nationals survived their weekend series with the Dodgers. That's probably the best way to describe what took place the last three days on South Capitol Street, where the majors' hottest team of the last two months took on the majors' best team of the entire season and suffered a pair of frustrating losses before bouncing back to win Sunday's finale. Given the matchup and the state of their pitching staff, the Nats couldn't complain about the 1-2 result. Nor their 3-4 overall record...

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Strasburg again leads the way in much-needed win (updated)

July 28, 2019, 12:48pm

Nationals

Strasburg again leads the way in much-needed win (updated)

Max Scherzer was trying to get his upper back healthy enough to pitch again. Davey Martinez and Adam Eaton were fuming in the clubhouse after getting ejected in the bottom of the first. Matt Adams was in the trainer's room getting his injured right foot treated. The Nationals were missing plenty this afternoon as they faced the very real prospect of a weekend sweep at the hands of the Dodgers, and their first four-game losing streak since May. But they had something their vaunted opponents did...

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Scherzer's chances of facing Braves dwindling (Nats win 11-4)

July 28, 2019, 8:54am

Nationals

Scherzer's chances of facing Braves dwindling (Nats win 11-4)

Max Scherzer's chances of missing another start against the Braves appear to be growing, leaving the Nationals again facing the prospect of a critical series with the National League East leaders without the services of their ace. Scherzer, still dealing with a lingering upper back injury that has limited him to one start in the last three weeks, has not yet thrown a ball since receiving a stem cell injection Friday for what he described as a "mild strain" of the rhomboid muscle on top of...

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Game 105 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers

July 28, 2019, 6:22am

Nationals

The Nationals haven't been in this position for a while, needing to win a series finale to avoid a sweep. It was an all-too-common scenario back in April and May, but they've usually found themselves in the polar opposite situation since. But after dropping their first two games to the Dodgers this weekend - not to mention after dropping Thursday's finale against the Rockies as well - they really need a win this afternoon. Stephen Strasburg's on the mound, and that's a good thing for the...

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Nationals left confused by ruling on play at plate

July 26, 2019, 8:56pm

Nationals

The focus should have been on Adam Eaton, whose 11-pitch at-bat with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh Friday night might well have been his best of the season. After fouling off five straight pitches from Cy Young Award contender Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Nationals' scrappy No. 2 hitter lined a base hit over the shortstop's head, bringing the tying run home as a crowd of 37,491 roared with approval. But the focus instead wound up on what happened at the end of the dramatic play during...

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Nationals' fatal flaw on display in 4-2 loss to Dodgers (updated)

July 26, 2019, 6:26pm

Nationals

The pennant race tonight returned to South Capitol Street, where a crowd of 37,491 turned the ballpark as electric as it had been in at least a month, the last time the Nationals faced a fellow National League contender. The Nationals and Dodgers put on a show worthy of these kind of high stakes and gave a taste of what a potential five-game series might look and feel like should they meet again come October. Then again, during a 4-2 loss the Nats also offered up a painful look at the fatal...

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Muscle strain leaves Scherzer's status up in the air

July 26, 2019, 2:20pm

Nationals

Muscle strain leaves Scherzer's status up in the air

Though he felt fine in the immediate aftermath of Thursday's start against the Rockies, Max Scherzer cautioned all along he wouldn't know he was in the clear from his lingering back injury until he saw how he felt after he woke up today. So when Scherzer arose this morning and felt tightness in his upper back, he was frustrated but not surprised. And now the Nationals ace again faces uncertain status for his next start. Scherzer had an MRI taken earlier today, and that test revealed what he...

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Game 103 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers

July 26, 2019, 11:19am

Nationals

And now begins the toughest portion of the Nationals' schedule. They've been able to feast on some struggling teams (Marlins, Tigers, Royals, Orioles, Rockies) in recent weeks, but now the Nats have back-to-back series against the National League's top two teams to date this season: the Dodgers and Braves. Next week's series vs. Atlanta means more in the grand scheme of things, but that doesn't mean the Nationals can gloss over this weekend set with the 30-games-over-.500 Dodgers, who have...