Mark Zuckerman

Strasburg and surprise reliever Scherzer pitch Nats to win (updated)

October 04, 2019, 9:15pm

LOS ANGELES - How much did the Nationals believe they needed to win Game 2 of the National League Division Series tonight? Enough to start Stephen Strasburg three days after he threw three innings of relief in the NL wild card game. And that wasn't even the biggest gamble Davey Martinez took this evening. No, Martinez felt victory tonight was so critical, he sent Game 3 starter Max Scherzer to the mound for the bottom of the eighth inning with his team leading by two runs. You think the Nats...

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Martinez, players hope for looser approach tonight (Nats win 4-2)

October 04, 2019, 4:17pm

Nationals

Martinez, players hope for looser approach tonight (Nats win 4-2)

LOS ANGELES - The Nationals know they played loose all season, enjoying the moment even when they at times struggled. And they know they didn't play loose during Thursday night's 6-0 shutout loss to the Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. How, then, do they rediscover that essential mindset tonight while facing an even more pressure packed scenario, desperately trying to avoid falling behind 2-0 in the best-of-five series? Maybe a reappearance of the infamous camels from...

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NLDS Game 2 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

October 04, 2019, 2:22pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - If the Nationals are going to win tonight and even up this best-of-five series, they're going to have to score runs. That sounds like a "no, duh" statement, but it's a simple fact. They were shut out Thursday night in Game 1, and they really didn't hit much at all in their wild card win Tuesday night. They just need to find a way to put more runners on base, and then find a way to get as many of those runners as possible across the plate. That won't be an easy task against...

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Martinez needs to be more aggressive with bullpen in Game 2

October 03, 2019, 10:06pm

Nationals

Martinez needs to be more aggressive with bullpen in Game 2

LOS ANGELES - In Tuesday's do-or-die wild card game, Davey Martinez could justify an all-hands-on-deck philosophy with his pitching staff. In Thursday's opener of a best-of-five National League Division Series, the Nationals manager felt such an approach wasn't justified. Given the way his team lost 6-0 to the Dodgers, Martinez might have no choice but to treat tonight's Game 2 more like the elimination game he managed earlier this week. After getting six harrowing but ultimately effective...

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Nationals bats are silent in Game 1 shutout loss (updated)

October 03, 2019, 8:00pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - We can talk about the Nationals pitching staff - their dominant starters, their shaky relievers - and how they are deployed in the postseason until the cows come home. Until their hitters start, you know, hitting, it won't matter much. Game 1 of the National League Division Series saw Patrick Corbin battle disastrous command early to still produce a quality start. It saw a trio of setup men (Tanner Rainey, Fernando Rodney and Hunter Strickland) fail to keep the game close in the...

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After relief outing, Strasburg will start Game 2 (Nats fall 6-0)

October 03, 2019, 3:27pm

Nationals

After relief outing, Strasburg will start Game 2 (Nats fall 6-0)

LOS ANGELES - Stephen Strasburg and Davey Martinez spoke Wednesday evening, after the Nationals arrived here following a long flight from Washington following an emotional win over the Brewers in the National League wild card game. Strasburg had thrown 34 pitches in three innings of scoreless relief to help lift his team to victory in that do-or-die showdown. Now Martinez wanted to know if the right-hander was ready to start Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Friday...

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NLDS Game 1 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

October 03, 2019, 1:23pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - It's a beautiful day in the City of Angels, but then again most days here are. Dodger Stadium is resplendent as ever, set to host yet another postseason series, the Nationals for the second time. The Nats won one of the two games they played here in 2016. Everything starts anew tonight, with Game 1 of the National League Division Series pitting these two star-studded franchises against each other again, with some of the same cast of characters but plenty of new ones as well....

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Suero, Voth added to Nationals bullpen for NLDS

October 03, 2019, 9:59am

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - With a best-of-five National League Division Series to consider now instead of a winner-take-all wild card game, the Nationals knew they were going to need to make some roster adjustments. Those adjustments, it turns out, come in the form of two extra pitchers added to their bullpen to face the Dodgers: Wander Suero and Austin Voth. After carrying only nine pitchers for Tuesday's wild card win over the Brewers - they actually used only three of them - the Nationals will now have...

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As glow of wild card win fades, Nats shift focus to NLDS

October 02, 2019, 10:18pm

Nationals

As glow of wild card win fades, Nats shift focus to NLDS

LOS ANGELES - The thrill of victory and the smell of champagne and beer had worn off. In their place was a happy but tired Nationals club that celebrated Tuesday night's epic wild card victory over the Brewers hard, then spent all of Wednesday afternoon flying across the country, then spent Wednesday night working out under the lights at Dodger Stadium, where tonight they'll open a best-of-five National League Division Series with a 106-win team from L.A. The previous 24 hours had been a...

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Nats waiting to see if Strasburg is ready to start Game 2

October 02, 2019, 6:56pm

Nationals

Nats waiting to see if Strasburg is ready to start Game 2

LOS ANGELES - The Nationals will send Patrick Corbin to the mound Thursday night for Game 1 of their National League Division Series against the Dodgers. That much they know for sure. They do not yet know who will start Game 2 on Friday night, but they certainly appear to be open to the idea of giving the ball to Stephen Strasburg only three days after his dominant three-inning relief appearance in their wild card game victory over the Brewers. "Most definitely," manager Davey Martinez said...

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How Martinez's in-game decisions helped make win possible

October 02, 2019, 8:28am

Nationals

How Martinez's in-game decisions helped make win possible

There was a point during Tuesday night's wild card game, around the third inning or so, when it looked like Davey Martinez's postseason managerial debut was going to be remembered for the wrong reason. With Max Scherzer digging the Nationals into a 3-0 hole after serving up a pair of quick homers and the Brewers all set up to use their pitching staff exactly as they planned, Martinez's decision not only to start Scherzer in this game but to then let him bat for himself and continue pitching...

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Soto's clutch hit finally lifts Nats in do-or-die game (updated)

October 01, 2019, 7:12pm

Nationals

Soto's clutch hit finally lifts Nats in do-or-die game (updated)

One of these years, the Nationals had to catch a break in a winner-take-all game on South Capitol Street, right? They had suffered too much heartache, too many crazy moments that all went against them with their season on the line in October. Just once, it had to go the other way, right? It did. Finally. And because of it, they will get to keep playing in 2019. Down two runs to the Brewers with two outs in the bottom of the eighth of tonight's National League wild card game, the Nationals...

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Martinez explains final wild card roster decisions

October 01, 2019, 2:47pm

Nationals

Martinez explains final wild card roster decisions

When it came time to make their final roster decisions for tonight's National League wild card game, the Nationals decided to prioritize speed. As in the speed of pitches and the speed of baserunners. In choosing to keep Tanner Rainey and Hunter Strickland in their bullpen over the likes of Wander Suero, Austin Voth and Javy Guerra, the Nats went with a couple of hard-throwing right-handers who get hitters out with velocity. And in choosing to keep both Michael A. Taylor and Andrew Stevenson...

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NL wild card game lineups: Nats vs. Brewers

October 01, 2019, 12:15pm

Nationals

NL wild card game lineups: Nats vs. Brewers

Well, here we go. Tonight the Nationals take the field for a ballgame that both feels familiar and yet completely foreign. It's another winner-take-all home game in October, the fourth in eight years for this team. But it's the first wild card game, so that gives tonight's proceedings an entirely different context. So much of the talk leading up to this game has been about the Nationals' pitching plan. And certainly it will be important who Davey Martinez decides to use after Max Scherzer...

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Wild card roster features nine pitchers, eight on bench

October 01, 2019, 6:37am

Nationals

Wild card roster features nine pitchers, eight on bench

The Nationals roster for tonight's wild card game includes four members of their rotation, only five members of their usual bullpen, three catchers and an eight-man bench. Suffice it to say, the strategy for this do-or-die game against the Brewers is just a bit different than it is for any other game in the regular season or postseason. The Nationals announced their 25-man roster this morning, and while most of the names come as no surprise, there are a few twists. Most notably, the Nats...

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After the grind of 162, season comes down to one game

September 30, 2019, 8:12pm

Nationals

After the grind of 162, season comes down to one game

There are very few flukes in baseball. This sport requires every team to play 162 games, and after 162 games the best teams almost always emerge from the pack and prove their worthiness over others. Some clubs get off to hot starts, then are exposed over the long haul. Others need some time to come together before going on a sustained run. Some are fortunate enough to play at a consistently effective rate straight through from opening day to the season finale. Point is, after 162 games we know...

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With season at stake, Nationals put their faith in Scherzer

September 30, 2019, 1:41pm

Nationals

When he takes the mound shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday, Max Scherzer will bear the weight of the Nationals' season on his broad shoulders. There are no do-overs. There's no chance to come back the next day and make up for whatever happened the previous one. The National League wild card game is their one and only shot to keep their season alive and advance to a full, five-game Division Series against the Dodgers. And they've chosen to entrust Scherzer with this assignment. That wouldn't...

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Nats have decisions to make before finalizing wild card roster

September 29, 2019, 8:52pm

Nationals

Nats have decisions to make before finalizing wild card roster

For the last month, the Nationals have been playing with an expanded roster, 36 players in total, which has allowed Davey Martinez to never run out of bats off his bench or arms in his bullpen. It's the luxury of September baseball - at least until next fall, when rosters will be reduced to 28 - but it's not allowed come October. Which means Martinez and the Nationals now must pare those 36 active players into a 25-man roster for Tuesday's National League wild card game. It's not as simple...

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Nats complete huge turnaround with perfect homestand (updated)

September 29, 2019, 2:00pm

Nationals

Nats complete huge turnaround with perfect homestand (updated)

A Nationals regular season that began with endless promise, bottomed out in late May but then kicked into high gear for a long time came to an end this afternoon with an 8-2 victory over the Indians and a most impressive 93-69 record few could've predicted four months ago. Next up: One game Tuesday night against the Brewers to decide whether they'll get a chance to make amends for past October failures. The Nationals will host Milwaukee in the National League wild card game, an 8 p.m....

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After final tune-up today, Nats begin planning for Tuesday

September 29, 2019, 10:27am

Nationals

After final tune-up today, Nats begin planning for Tuesday

With nothing at stake in today's regular season finale, Davey Martinez should be able to enjoy a rare, stress-free afternoon at the ballpark. The Nationals manager insists that will not be the case. "No, they're all stressful," he said with a laugh. "I love what I do. I enjoy what I do, but ... you know, I wear whatever these guys do. I want 'em all to do good. So it doesn't matter who's playing. As long as you're wearing the Nationals uniform, I want 'em all to do good." Martinez...