Byron Kerr

Murphy on return to Nats: "I'm progressing nicely"; batting title of less importance

October 02, 2016, 4:16pm

To get some sense of the impact second baseman Daniel Murphy has on the Nationals and how much he has been missed, just listen to the crowd. When Murphy was announced as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the fifth, the 28,730 assembled at Nats Park roared their approval. Manager Dusty Baker wanted to give his hitting star a chance to win the batting title. But the strained buttocks muscle had slowed Murphy's progress this week and some thought he might just be rested for another five days as the...

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Scherzer's bat helps him to 20th win

October 02, 2016, 2:10pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer earned his 20th win with his bat as much as his arm as the Nationals dropped the Marlins 10-7. Scherzer delivered two singles and four RBIs while pitching five innings. His four RBIs turned out to be crucial because he allowed five runs on nine hits. He last won 20 games in 2013, when he went 21-3 with the Tigers. The Marlins were able to connect in the first two innings off of Scherzer. Martin Prado and Christian Yelich contributed a pair of two-out singles. In the second inning,...

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Nats' Dominican players honored prior to Marlins game Saturday

October 01, 2016, 1:09pm

Nationals

Nats' Dominican players honored prior to Marlins game Saturday

The Nationals welcomed their organizational Players of the Year and their Gulf Coast League MVP to Nats Park prior to Saturday's game against the Marlins. First baseman Jose Marmolejos was honored as the organizational Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, right-hander Reynaldo Lopez was named pitcher of the year, while right fielder Rafael Bautista is the Bob Boone Award recipient and center fielder Juan Soto is the GCL MVP. All four of these players are from the Dominican...

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Nats announce 2016 organizational Player of the Year honors

September 29, 2016, 6:25pm

Nationals

Nats announce 2016 organizational Player of the Year honors

The Nationals have announced their minor league Players of the Year for 2016 and their Bob Boone Award recipient. For the second consecutive season, 23-year-old first baseman Jose Marmolejos is the organizational offensive Player of the Year. The first baseman moved up to Double-A Harrisburg and had another outstanding campaign with 45 doubles and a .289 average over 136 games. He played 103 of those games at high Single-A Potomac. The organizational Pitcher of the Year is 22-year-old...

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Ross and Lopez demonstrate ability to sustain innings in win

September 29, 2016, 1:25pm

Nationals

Ross and Lopez demonstrate ability to sustain innings in win

Right-handers Joe Ross and Reynaldo Lopez provided answers to their ability to handle heavy workloads, which could be extrememly beneficial in next week's opening round of the postseason, helping the Nationals past the Diamondbacks 5-3. Ross and Lopez combined to throw 7 2/3 innings, holding the D-backs to three runs. Pedro Severino and Wilmer Difo homered and Michael A. Taylor had three hits and two RBIs as the Nationals earned their 93rd win of the season. The Nationals' magic number to...

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Baker: Harper, Murphy and Strasburg updates all positive

September 29, 2016, 10:31am

Nationals

Baker: Harper, Murphy and Strasburg updates all positive

Nationals manager Dusty Baker said second baseman Daniel Murphy (strained left buttocks) is make very good progress in his hopes to get back to close to 100 percent for the postseason. Baker said Murphy could even pinch-hit in one of the few regular season games remaining prior to the Dodgers series next week in the National League Division Series. And he plans to get Murphy into a practice game next week. "He's better. He's getting better big-time," Baker said. "I talked to him today,...

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Severino homers to start offense (Nats win 5-3)

September 29, 2016, 10:14am

Nationals

Severino homers to start offense (Nats win 5-3)

The Diamondbacks forced Joe Ross to have to make 32 pitches in a top of the first that spanned 16 minutes. But Ross worked around a 12-pitch leadoff walk to Jean Segura to keep Arizona off the board. The D-backs scored a run in the top of the third thanks to three singles. Jake Lamb delivered the run-scoring single to lift Arizona to the 1-0 lead. The Nationals came right back in the bottom of the third thanks to a Pedro Severino solo shot down the left field line. The home run, his second of...

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Ramos on knee injury and rehab: "All I can do is stay positive"

September 29, 2016, 9:01am

Nationals

Ramos on knee injury and rehab: "All I can do is stay positive"

Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos spoke for the first time following the announcement that he is out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Ramos said he has had a little bit of time to organize his thoughts and think about what is next after injuring his knee Monday night against the Diamondbacks. As with most ACL injury cases, team doctors will wait for the swelling to go down in the knee before proceeding with surgery. "I feel a little bit more relaxed," Ramos said through...

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Game 159 lineups: Diamondbacks at Nats

September 28, 2016, 5:20pm

Nationals

The Nationals hope to bounce back quickly with an early game today as they wrap up a four-game series against the Diamondbacks. Right-hander Joe Ross (7-5, 3.48 ERA) faces off against former Nats prospect lefty Robbie Ray (8-14, 4.77). Ray, a 12th round selection by the Nationals in 2010, is making his first-ever start at Nats Park. This is the Nationals' final game against Arizona this season and have won 13 of the last 18 meetings. Bryce Harper (thumb) and Daniel Murphy (buttocks) have not...

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Following loss of Ramos, Lobaton and Severino spark Nats comeback

September 27, 2016, 7:00pm

Nationals

Following loss of Ramos, Lobaton and Severino spark Nats comeback

The Nationals began the day with the news that starting catcher Wilson Ramos is out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Manager Dusty Baker talked during pregame about the club's catching depth, and how important Jose Lobaton and Pedro Severino would be on the run the Nats hope to be on for the next month. Then Baker watched as Lobaton and Severino sparked a four-run comeback that turned a two-run deficit into a 4-2 victory over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night. Lobaton led off...

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Rendon gets 500th hit as Nats come back and win 4-2

September 27, 2016, 5:47pm

Nationals

Rendon gets 500th hit as Nats come back and win 4-2

Right-hander Max Scherzer allowed a few hard-hit balls in his first three innings against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. Jean Segura hit a mammoth solo shot on the game's first pitch. Jake Lamb and Welington Castillo delivered doubles deep to center field in the third. The D-backs led early by two. But then, as he does many times, Scherzer started to connect. At one point he struck out seven of eight batters. He ended up with 10 strikeouts in six innings, allowing just two runs on six hits. The...

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Brian Goodwin making a name for himself with Nats

September 27, 2016, 5:11pm

Nationals

Brian Goodwin making a name for himself with Nats

Right fielder Brian Goodwin played in his 19th game with the Nationals this season Tuesday and has demonstrated a solid approach at the plate and exceptional defense in the outfield. The 25-year-old lefty, Goodwin is hitting .324 having played all three outfield spots after being called up in early September. Meanwhile, Trea Turner has supplanted Ben Revere in the leadoff spot and in center field. Goodwin has joined Turner on defense a few times in the Nats outfield. Revere has played in 100...

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Rizzo confirms Strasburg "unlikely" to pitch in NLDS

September 27, 2016, 2:14pm

Nationals

Rizzo confirms Strasburg "unlikely" to pitch in NLDS

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg is making steady progress as he recovers from right elbow soreness, but doesn't look like he will be available for the National League Division Series against the Dodgers, according to president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo. "I think it would be kind of pushing it," Rizzo said of Strasburg's availability for the NLDS versus the Dodgers. "I think that's fair to say. I haven't seen him after he did his throwing program today. But with...

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X-rays on Harper's left thumb come back negative

September 26, 2016, 8:21pm

Nationals

X-rays on Harper's left thumb come back negative

Nationals manager Dusty Baker offered a bit of positive news late Monday night after announcing that catcher Wilson Ramos would have to undergo an MRI to check the status of an apparent right knee injury suffered in the sixth inning of Monday's 14-4 loss to the D-backs. X-rays on right fielder Bryce Harper's left thumb came back negative. Harper did not play in Monday's series opener because of the injury, which occurred on an awkward slide in Sunday's 10-7 win at Pittsburgh. "Bryce's...

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Baker: Ramos, set for Tuesday MRI, "doesn't look too good"

September 26, 2016, 8:07pm

Nationals

Baker: Ramos, set for Tuesday MRI, "doesn't look too good"

Just two days after clinching their third National League East title in five seasons, the Nationals may have lost their starting catcher with only handful of games remaining. Wilson Ramos came down awkwardly on his right leg as he went after a high throw from first baseman Ryan Zimmerman on a relay from right field in the top of the sixth. Ramos dropped the ball when he hit the ground and was crumpled in pain before head athletic trainer Paul Lessard came out to attend to him. Ramos left the...

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Wilson Ramos goes down with apparent knee injury, leaves game

September 26, 2016, 5:57pm

Nationals

Wilson Ramos goes down with apparent knee injury, leaves game

Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was injured when he collapsed on his right leg after leaping to take a throw from right field in the top of the sixth against the Diamondbacks on Monday night. Ramos appeared to injure his right knee on a relay throw from first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. D-backs right fielder Yasmany Tomas doubled to score two runs on the play. The second run scored on a Zimmerman's high relay throw on a peg from right fielder Brian Goodwin. Ramos leaped to catch the throw, came...

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Diamondbacks win 14-4, Ramos injured

September 26, 2016, 3:57pm

Nationals

One of the many bright spots among the Nationals' September callups has been the play of right fielder Brian Goodwin. Coming into this week, Goodwin is batting .313 with three RBIs. Manager Dusty Baker said early last week how impressed he has been with Goodwin, and the former North Carolina Tar Heel has delivered at the plate and in the field in Monday's opener against the Diamondbacks. Facing right-hander Tanner Roark to lead off the game, Arizona's Jean Segura lined the first offering...

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Baker gives insight on how playoff rotation might work out

September 26, 2016, 3:32pm

Nationals

Baker gives insight on how playoff rotation might work out

Manager Dusty Baker knows his club will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series, which begins Oct 7. Looking ahead to how the Nationals will set up their rotation for the Dodgers, this week's pitching probables give some insight into how the NLDS will work out for Nats starters. Right-hander Tanner Roark started Monday night's opener against the Diamondbacks. The games notes list right-hander Max Scherzer for Tuesday, left-hander Gio Gonzalez for Wednesday and...

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Solis returns, will look to get into games before postseason

September 26, 2016, 2:09pm

Nationals

Solis returns, will look to get into games before postseason

The Nationals announced that left-hander Sammy Solis has been activated from the disabled list. He had been out with left shoulder inflammation since Aug. 16. Solis makes the Nats roster total 39 active players. Catcher Spencer Kieboom is the only player on 40-man that is not currently on the active roster. Solis has been a solid contributor out of the 'pen this season, throws in the mid-90s and has ability to be a long reliever if the Nats need him to. But manager Dusty Baker has said as late...

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Matt Skole earns minor league Gold Glove

September 26, 2016, 8:29am

Nationals

Matt Skole earns minor league Gold Glove

The Nationals announced that Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs first baseman Matt Skole has been named a minor league Gold Glove winner for 2016. Skole recorded just one error in 874 chances for a .999 fielding percentage. The 27-year-old Skole, a 2011 fifth-round selection out of Georgia Tech, has worked his way up the organizational ladder after hitting a road block in 2013. On a freak play at first base, Skole injured his elbow and had to undergo Tommy John and missed the entire season. Skole, a...