Mark Zuckerman

Sipp "ready to go" while Kendrick, Taylor remain in Florida

March 28, 2019, 8:22am

Tony Sipp, as promised, is here on opening day and ready to pitch in a big spot late against one of the Mets' big left-handed hitters. Howie Kendrick and Michael A. Taylor, as expected, aren't on the active roster yet. And they're not in Washington, either. While Kendrick and Taylor continue to rehab from their spring training injuries in West Palm Beach, Sipp made the trip north after pitching in a minor league game Tuesday, the lefty's final tune-up before making his Nationals...

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Game 1 lineups: Nats vs. Mets

March 27, 2019, 6:52pm

Nationals

The wait is over. And for the first time in a long time, we aren't talking about the wait for Bryce Harper to sign with somebody. No, we're talking about the Nationals' long, six-month wait to get back on the field after a disappointing 2018 season. It finally happens today in the opener of what might just be the most compelling division race we've ever seen around here. And it starts right off with a showdown between two of the four teams that come into opening day believing they can win...

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2019 Nats media season predictions

March 27, 2019, 6:41pm

Nationals

Hey, do you know what today is? Yes, of course you do. And because you know it's opening day, you also know it's media prediction day! Ah yes, media prediction day, when my colleagues and I make complete fools of ourselves (some more than others) in trying to guess how the Nationals' season is going to play out. This is now the 10th consecutive year we've done this, via three different media outlets. And our pool of participants has both grown and changed dramatically in that time. We've...

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Opening day roster announced, Noll makes club

March 27, 2019, 9:33am

Nationals

Opening day roster announced, Noll makes club

The Nationals reported for spring training last month with a pretty good idea already who would fill out their 25-man roster. There were only a handful of jobs up for grabs, and even those seemed fairly set in stone, barring something unexpected developing over the course of six weeks in Florida. Well, something unexpected did happen. His name is Jake Noll, and thanks to one of the most unexpected spring training performances in recent club history the 25-year-old infielder is about to make his...

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2019 MLB predictions

March 26, 2019, 7:21pm

Nationals

The countdown is on. We are now just shy of 24 hours from opening day across Major League Baseball. (Let's just forget the Athletics and Mariners already played two regular season games in Japan last week, cause it only makes things more confusing.) After an agonizing winter and spring waiting for free agents to sign, at last we can watch and write about what's actually taking place on the field. If you're looking for our annual Nationals media season predictions, you're going to have to...

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Williams and Sanchez optioned, Noll still on roster

March 26, 2019, 7:22am

Nationals

Williams and Sanchez optioned, Noll still on roster

The Nationals optioned reliever Austen Williams and infielder AdriÃ¡n Sanchez to Triple-A Fresno this morning, all but finalizing their opening day roster with only one final question left to answer: Has non-roster invitee Jake Noll made the club, or is there another outside acquisition pending to fill the last spot on the bench? The Williams and Sanchez moves leave the Nationals with 28 players officially on their spring training roster. Included on that roster, however, are three players...

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What we made too big a deal about and what we glossed over

March 24, 2019, 2:14pm

Nationals

What we made too big a deal about and what we glossed over

Spring training is over. The Nationals are home at last. They have one more exhibition game later this afternoon against the Yankees (if weather permits) and then it's time to turn our focus to Thursday's season opener against the Mets. It was a long six weeks down in West Palm Beach. When pitchers and catchers reported way back on Feb. 13, Bryce Harper was still two weeks away from signing with the Phillies. MLB was making plans to use a 20-second pitch clock this season. Trevor Gott and...

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After six weeks of fundamentals, Nats ready to see results

March 24, 2019, 1:09pm

Nationals

After six weeks of fundamentals, Nats ready to see results

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - This being the final day of spring training, the Nationals' goals were pretty simple: Get through the day quickly and healthy. They were successful on both counts. Today's 5-3 exhibition loss to the Astros at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches wrapped up in a mere 2 hours, 30 minutes. And everybody walked away in one piece before showering, dressing and boarding the bus for the airport and the charter flight home to Washington. Davey Martinez gave a handful of...

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Hellickson to open season in bullpen (Nats lose 5-3)

March 24, 2019, 9:47am

Nationals

Hellickson to open season in bullpen (Nats lose 5-3)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - With three scheduled off-days in the first two weeks of the season, the Nationals will open with a four-man rotation and keep No. 5 starter Jeremy Hellickson in the bullpen as a long reliever. The club could have stuck with a traditional, five-man rotation, but that would've left Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin and AnÃbal SÃ¡nchez getting some unnecessary extra days off in early April. By moving Hellickson to the bullpen for the short-term, the rest...

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Kendrick nearly ready, but not for opening day

March 24, 2019, 8:01am

Nationals

Kendrick nearly ready, but not for opening day

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Howie Kendrick, as expected, will stay back in Florida while the rest of the Nationals break camp this evening and open the season on the injured list while finishing his rehab from a hamstring strain suffered earlier this month. Kendrick has been taking batting practice and grounders while lightly running the bases in recent days but hasn't yet appeared in a game. He plans to get into minor league games within a few days, then get himself ready to join the active...

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Split-squad lineups: Nats vs. Astros and Mets

March 24, 2019, 6:12am

Nationals

Split-squad lineups: Nats vs. Astros and Mets

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - And so we have reached final day of spring training. Yes, the Nationals' charter (not to mention the commercial flights us reporters use) will be heading back to Washington tonight. Anybody who doesn't swing at the first pitch during today's game deserves to be fined. Make that today's games. Plural. For some bizarre reason, the Nationals have split-squad games today: One at home against the Astros, one on the road against the Mets. Given the travel situation, almost...

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After 97-pitch start, Strasburg has week to prepare for Mets

March 23, 2019, 7:36pm

Nationals

After 97-pitch start, Strasburg has week to prepare for Mets

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We kind of glossed over it amid the flurry of Nationals roster and lineup news following yesterday's 4-4 tie with the Cardinals, but there was a ballgame and things did happen during the game that warrant mention. Especially Stephen Strasburg. Making his final tune-up before the regular season, Strasburg put forth a performance similar to Max Scherzer's impressive start the previous night. Strasburg allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. But...

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Eaton will lead off, Turner will bat second, Robles will bat ninth

March 23, 2019, 2:16pm

Nationals

Eaton will lead off, Turner will bat second, Robles will bat ninth

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Adam Eaton indeed will lead off for the Nationals to begin the season, with Trea Turner right behind him. And Victor Robles will bring up the rear as the No. 9 hitter, manager Davey Martinez revealed late this afternoon. Those decisions, though telegraphed at various points of spring training, are now concrete after Martinez pored through stats provided by the Nationals' analytics team and concluded this is his best lineup alignment. "After running all the numbers and...

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Flurry of cuts bring Nats to brink of final roster decisions

March 23, 2019, 1:30pm

Nationals

Flurry of cuts bring Nats to brink of final roster decisions

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals pared their roster down to 30 following today's 4-4 exhibition tie against the Cardinals, leaving only a handful of candidates still competing for the final spots in their opening day bullpen and bench. Right-hander Joe Ross was optioned to Triple-A Fresno, where he'll be stretched out as a starter. Fellow starter Erick Fedde and catcher Spencer Kieboom also were optioned, though they will open the season at Double-A Harrisburg because the organization...

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Orioles claim Severino off waivers (game ends in tie)

March 23, 2019, 10:21am

Nationals Orioles

Orioles claim Severino off waivers (game ends in tie)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Pedro Severino, once touted by the Nationals as their potential long-term answer behind the plate, is now an Oriole. Baltimore claimed the 25-year-old catcher off waivers today, ending his long tenure with the Washington organization that signed him out of the Dominican Republic when he was 17. The move was not unexpected, because Severino faced almost no chance of staying with the Nationals. The additions of veterans Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki over the winter solidified...

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Rizzo: Recent extensions don't affect Rendon talks

March 23, 2019, 9:30am

Nationals

Rizzo: Recent extensions don't affect Rendon talks

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Despite the recent spate of major leaguers signing contract extensions over the last few weeks, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo insisted today he isn't feeling more pressure to try to lock up third baseman Anthony Rendon. "I don't think that what other teams do affect our long-term strategies," Rizzo said. "We've got a plan in place for not only for this year but for the long term, and I think we'll follow that." Rendon, who is eligible for free agency after...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in West Palm Beach

March 23, 2019, 6:20am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We're down to the final two days of spring training, and that means a lot more Nationals regulars in the lineup, even when they were in the lineup the day before that. And the day before that. Davey Martinez has five players starting their third straight game today: Trea Turner, Juan Soto, Anthony Rendon, Brian Dozier and Victor Robles. The only guys who aren't returning for this day game after a night game are Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Eaton and Yan Gomes. With Eaton...

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Last couple of games offer clues to who will hit leadoff

March 22, 2019, 6:47pm

Nationals

Last couple of games offer clues to who will hit leadoff

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Davey Martinez says he knows who's going to hit leadoff for the Nationals on opening day. And he plans to keep that person atop his lineup most days. He's just not revealing yet who that person is, certainly not until he's had an opportunity to discuss it with both Trea Turner and Adam Eaton, the two obvious candidates. "These are conversations the next couple days I'm going to have with players," Martinez said. "You guys will know." If you want to read into...

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Scherzer strikes out 12 in final tune-up before opener

March 22, 2019, 6:45pm

Nationals

Scherzer strikes out 12 in final tune-up before opener

JUPITER, Fla. - Max Scherzer had been sitting in the dugout for a while in the top of the seventh, his Nationals teammates having sent seven men to the plate during a rally that included a mid-inning pitching change. It was a long wait, but Scherzer really wanted to pitch the bottom of the seventh and end his outing on a high note. Which he most certainly did. Scherzer struck out the first two Marlins he faced in the seventh, raising his game total to 12, and raising his fastball velocity to a...

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Sipp confident he'll be ready for opener (Nats tie 5-5)

March 22, 2019, 12:44pm

Nationals

Sipp confident he'll be ready for opener (Nats tie 5-5)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Tony Sipp is confident he'll be ready to face big league hitters in big situations on opening day. Even if he doesn't face a big league hitter in spring training. Sipp, who didn't sign with the Nationals until March 13, faced live hitters for the first time Thursday, throwing 15 pitches and emerging feeling good about the state of his arm and repertoire. He said he plans to face hitters again on a back field Saturday, after which he should be game-ready. But because...