Mark Zuckerman

Nats shut out O's 6-0 thanks to Gonzalez's gem, Rendon's blast

May 28, 2018, 11:55am

BALTIMORE - The Nationals lineup, which has been hit-or-miss throughout an injury-plagued season, showed up in full force today at Camden Yards. Gio Gonzalez, who has been outstanding from the get-go, also showed up. Together, they overwhelmed the Orioles during a 6-0 victory to kick off this year's version of the Battle of the Beltways. Gonzalez was brilliant in yet another impressive performance, tossing 7 2/3 scoreless innings and pitching his way out of the few jams he encountered along...

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Rendon's blast draws cheers from dugout, stands (Nats win 6-0)

May 28, 2018, 10:34am

Nationals Orioles

Rendon's blast draws cheers from dugout, stands (Nats win 6-0)

BALTIMORE - The Nationals had never faced Alex Cobb before today, and the first time through the lineup it looked that way. But once they had a chance to see the veteran right-hander up close and personal, the Nats turned things around in a hurry. Shut down by Cobb through the first two innings of today's game at Camden Yards, the Nationals came to life in the top of the third, with Anthony Rendon's three-run homer capping a big rally and giving the visitors a 3-0 lead in the opener of this...

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Martinez hoping Murphy will be activated "fairly soon"

May 28, 2018, 8:29am

Nationals

Martinez hoping Murphy will be activated "fairly soon"

BALTIMORE - After two months of waiting and waiting for positive injury news, the Nationals may be on the verge of getting one of their most important injured players back at long last. Daniel Murphy spent the last two days rehabbing for Double-A Harrisburg and emerged from it with his surgically repaired right knee in good shape. The Nationals aren't offering up any firm timetable for Murphy to make his long-awaited season debut, but manager Davey Martinez did suggest it won't be much longer...

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Game 52 lineups: Nats at Orioles

May 28, 2018, 6:04am

Nationals Orioles

BALTIMORE - No, it's not the most important sporting event today involving a team from Washington, but it's still the first game of this year's Battle of the Beltways, and that's not bad. The Nationals and Orioles renew their annual interleague rivalry this afternoon under gray (and surprisingly chilly) skies, and these two franchises are at complete opposite ends of the spectrum right now. The Nats are feeling good about themselves after a weekend sweep in Miami that leaves them one game...

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Nationals finally get first look at Marlins this weekend

May 24, 2018, 6:49pm

Nationals

The Nationals are set to do something tonight for the first time this season. No, they won't be fielding an entirely healthy lineup. That milestone will have to wait for another day down the road. The Nats will, however, be facing the Marlins for the first time in 2018. Even though the 2018 season is nearly one-third complete. In one of several odd quirks to the schedule, the Nationals and Marlins have made it to Memorial Day weekend before squaring off for the first of 19 head-to-head games....

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Nationals' bond with Stanley Cup-bound Capitals is genuine

May 23, 2018, 9:28pm

Nationals

Davey Martinez, as he has done every time for the last month he's met with reporters on the same day the Capitals have been in a Stanley Cup Playoffs game, walked into the press conference room at Nationals Park on Wednesday afternoon wearing his custom-made No. 4 Caps jersey and cap. Asked for a prediction for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Nationals manager offered a confident reply. "Caps are going to have a big game, 4-1," Martinez said. "How about that? I'm throwing that...

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Fedde leaves positive impression, despite end result

May 23, 2018, 4:16pm

Nationals

Fedde leaves positive impression, despite end result

The result - a 3-1 loss to the Padres - was frustrating, no question. If the Nationals can take a step back and view today's game with a wider lens, though, they'll come away with a much more positive vibe. No, they didn't do nearly enough at the plate against Tyson Ross, Craig Stammen and Brad Hand, who combined to allow one run on seven hits. Yes, they could've played a crisper game in the field and prevented San Diego from scoring those runs. But Erick Fedde looked like a quality big...

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Nats can't muster enough offense to support Fedde in 3-1 loss

May 23, 2018, 3:06pm

Nationals

Nats can't muster enough offense to support Fedde in 3-1 loss

The Nationals continue to get excellent starting pitching. But as has too often been the case, great starting pitching doesn't count for much without competent offense and defense. So even though Erick Fedde continued the rotation's strong run this afternoon over 5 2/3 impressive innings, the Nationals were left to stew over a 3-1 loss to the Padres because they managed only seven hits against Tyson Ross and San Diego's bullpen and also saw the decisive two runs score on a drive to deep...

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Soto moved up in lineup, Torres dropped from roster (Nats lose 3-1)

May 23, 2018, 11:00am

Nationals

Soto moved up in lineup, Torres dropped from roster (Nats lose 3-1)

He homered and singled in his first major league start. He singled and walked three times in his second major league start. So when it came time to figure out where to bat Juan Soto in his third major league start, Davey Martinez decided to throw a new challenge at the 19-year old: The No. 2 spot in the lineup. Soto will hit in that prime position today against the Padres, sandwiched in between Trea Turner and Bryce Harper in the latest display of confidence from the Nationals in a kid who was...

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Game 48 lineups: Nats vs. Padres

May 23, 2018, 8:27am

Nationals

It's been a while since we've seen Erick Fedde in a big league game. The Nationals' top pitching prospect made three starts here last summer with mixed results, and then was shut down with a forearm strain. Fedde has returned this season with increased velocity, though, and even though his 4.57 ERA at Triple-A Syracuse isn't going to turn any heads, club officials have been pleased with his progress. Fedde today will get his first opportunity to show how far he's come when he makes his...

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No homers, but impressive patience from Soto

May 22, 2018, 8:08pm

Nationals

No homers, but impressive patience from Soto

Did the Padres give Juan Soto the Barry Bonds/Bryce Harper treatment in his second big league start? San Diego manager Andy Green insisted it wasn't by design, but of the 14 pitches his staff threw to the 19-year-old Nationals phenom Tuesday night, 12 were out of the strike zone. And all 12 came during three plate appearances, each resulting in a four-pitch walk. "We definitely didn't go in there and say: 'We're going to pitch around him,' " Green told reporters. "We didn't execute to...

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After brutally difficult month, Taylor finally gets his moments

May 22, 2018, 7:46pm

Nationals

After brutally difficult month, Taylor finally gets his moments

As 25,700 fans roared in the stands, as Juan Soto scampered across the plate and as a stream of Nationals came bursting out of the dugout and made a beeline for him, Michael A. Taylor simply stood on second base. He gazed out toward center field, where his double off the wall had just given the Nationals a 2-1, walk-off win over the Padres and rather than jump for joy took a breath and seemed to be contemplating the whole situation more than celebrating it. The moment lasted only a second or...

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Taylor leads Nats to 2-1 win with his arm and then his bat

May 22, 2018, 6:11pm

Nationals

Taylor leads Nats to 2-1 win with his arm and then his bat

There's a reason Michael A. Taylor remains in the Nationals lineup, even when his batting average drops into the .180s and his strikeout totals pile up. He's in there because of his defense. And if he happens to deliver a big hit in a key moment ... well, they'll take that, too. So on a night in which offense was at an extreme premium, the Nationals needed Taylor to come up big in both departments. And because of his pure athletic skill, he nearly single-handedly beat the Padres. Three...

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Madson throws for first time since landing on DL

May 22, 2018, 1:41pm

Nationals

Madson throws for first time since landing on DL

When Ryan Madson made three appearances in four days against the Diamondbacks earlier this month, his velocity up from previous outings, the veteran reliever was as encouraged as he had been all season about the way he was pitching and the way his arm felt. Then on the flight home from Arizona, Madson felt a cramp in his right pectoral muscle. And a week later, having not pitched in a game since, he was placed on the 10-day disabled list. "I didn't feel it pitching, or during the game,"...

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Game 47 lineups: Nats vs. Padres

May 22, 2018, 11:32am

Nationals

Don't shoot the messenger here, but I feel obligated to inform you that there's a line of thunderstorms approaching from the west as we speak, and so there's a chance tonight's game is going to be impacted. Doesn't appear like this is going to be a complete washout, but the start could be delayed, depending on the timing of this whole thing. Assuming they do play, though, Jeremy Hellickson will be on the mound seeking to duplicate his dominant performance against the Padres from two weeks...

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Collins tosses scoreless inning in long-awaited MLB return

May 21, 2018, 7:51pm

Nationals

Collins tosses scoreless inning in long-awaited MLB return

Tim Collins doesn't particularly enjoy waiting around for his name to be called out of the bullpen. Life as a reliever is tough enough, all the more so when you find yourself in a major league bullpen for the first time in four seasons as the left-hander did Monday night. Thankfully, Collins' name was called during the Nationals' 10-2 victory over the Padres. He had to wait until the top of the eighth, but at least he didn't have to wait until Tuesday night as he feared he might. "The...

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With one big blast, Soto makes a memory for parents, Nats

May 21, 2018, 7:20pm

Nationals

With one big blast, Soto makes a memory for parents, Nats

When he stepped to the plate in the eighth inning Sunday afternoon for the first at-bat of his major league career, Juan Soto understandably felt a little out of sorts. "I was really nervous," the 19-year-old outfielder said. "I was just saying: 'Oh, my god. ...' I was just trying to breathe down and do my job." The previous 24 hours had been a whirlwind for Soto, who the previous night was told he was being called up to the big leagues straight from Double-A Harrisburg, where he had only...

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Behind Soto's historic homer, Nats cruise to 10-2 win over Padres

May 21, 2018, 5:32pm

Nationals

Behind Soto's historic homer, Nats cruise to 10-2 win over Padres

All it took to get an injury-depleted Nationals lineup going was the addition of 19-year-old Juan Soto. Well, that and a matchup with a Padres left-hander making only his second start of the season. Behind Soto's historic first career homer, plus a pair of additional blasts by Mark Reynolds and Bryce Harper, the Nationals jumped all over San Diego fill-in starter Robbie Erlin and cruised to a 10-2 victory to earn their first win in eight days. Making his first big league start on the day after...

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Soto gets first chance to start, Eaton starts throwing again

May 21, 2018, 1:43pm

Nationals

Soto gets first chance to start, Eaton starts throwing again

Davey Martinez wanted to give a heads-up to Juan Soto about his plans for tonight's game, so the first-year manager texted the 19-year-old slugger this morning and told him he would be in the Nationals' lineup for the first time, starting in left field and batting sixth against the Padres. A few hours later, when Martinez arrived in the clubhouse at Nationals Park, Soto immediately greeted him with a smile. "He was the first guy I saw when I came in," Martinez said. "He shook my hand, gave...

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Game 46 lineups: Nats vs. Padres (Collins joins bullpen)

May 21, 2018, 11:05am

Nationals

Game 46 lineups: Nats vs. Padres (Collins joins bullpen)

The Nationals said Juan Soto would play. And play he will. The 19-year-old slugging sensation is making his first MLB start this evening, batting sixth and playing left field even against Padres left-hander Robbie Erlin. Davey Martinez held the kid out of Sunday's lineup against another lefty, Alex Wood, but the book on Soto is that he can handle left-handed pitching, so he's about to get his first taste of it tonight. Soto slots into a Nationals lineup ravaged by injuries, batting behind...