Byron Kerr

Rendon update, Turner hitting streak ends at 16 games, Giolito starts tonight

June 01, 2015, 2:14am

Nationals infielder Anthony Rendon, who is on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique injury, went 1-for-4 with a double in his third straight rehab start for Double-A Harrisburg. He was the designated hitter in the Senators' 6-4 loss at Bowie. No word on when Rendon will return to Nationals, who are home through June 7. It appears Rendon will be getting a few more rehab games so he can really "square up the ball" and get his timing back, according to Nats manager Matt Williams on the...

Tags:

Rendon plays nine innings; Nats promo schedule features Zimmerman bobblehead

May 31, 2015, 4:38am

Nationals

Rendon plays nine innings; Nats promo schedule features Zimmerman bobblehead

Second baseman Anthony Rendon, who is on the disabled list battling a strained oblique, went 0-for-3 with a walk and played the entire game during Double-A Harrisburg's 3-2 loss at Bowie. Tony Renda went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Starting pitcher Austin Voth twirled seven innings with six hits, three runs, one walk and struck out eight. It's another positive, cautious step forward for Rendon. Harrisburg plays Bowie today at 2 p.m. The Nationals return home Monday night against the...

Tags:

anthony rendon byron kerr jayson werth nationals valerie camillo frontstory_nationals2 nationals farm report

Rendon rehabs in Bowie; Valdez shines for Potomac

May 30, 2015, 2:26am

Nationals

Rendon rehabs in Bowie; Valdez shines for Potomac

Anthony Rendon (oblique) played seven innings at second base in Double-A Harrisburg's 3-2 win at Bowie Friday night. He notched a single in four at-bats. Colin Bates pitched six innings, scattering eight hits and allowing two runs. Brian Goodwin smacked a home run, Pedro Severino contributed a RBI single and Tony Renda was hit by pitch with the bases loaded to give the Senators the lead. Next up for Rendon could be back-to-back rehab games to test his core again and see if he is ready to join...

Tags:

byron kerr nationals anthony rendon featured_sidebar hagerstown suns harrisburg senators lucas giolito phillips valdez potomac nationals frontstory_nationals2

Purke makes first start in more than a year, plus notes on Werth injury

May 29, 2015, 1:32am

Nationals

Purke makes first start in more than a year, plus notes on Werth injury

Left-hander Matt Purke made his first start of 2015 with low Single-A Hagerstown, falling to Kannapolis 4-0. Purke allowed two runs over four innings, had no walks and struck out three. It has been exactly one year since the 2011 third-round selection had Tommy John ligament replacement surgery. Purke is on an innings limit for each game, and even though he gave up the two runs in the third, it is always a major step to make that initial start of the next season following Tommy John surgery. He...

Tags:

byron kerr jayson werth matt purke nationals clint robinson michael a. taylor nationals farm report tyler moore frontstory_nationals3

Scherzer and Janssen use similar styles to close down series in Chicago

May 28, 2015, 3:26am

Nationals

Scherzer and Janssen use similar styles to close down series in Chicago

The two biggest offseason pitching acquisitions came through huge for the Nationals in the same game Wednesday night in Chicago. Starter Max Scherzer and reliever Casey Janssen, alongside Matt Grace and Drew Storen, held the Cubs without a run in a series-clinching 3-0 victory at historic Wrigley Field. Scherzer struck out a season-high 13 batters over seven innings, allowing only five hits. He walked only one in twirling 108 pitches, 72 for strikes. Then, with two men on and no outs in the...

Tags:

byron kerr casey janssen cubs joe maddon max scherzer mike rizzo nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Morning coffee: Bleier earns Eastern League honor, Auburn roster taking shape

May 27, 2015, 3:24am

Nationals

Morning coffee: Bleier earns Eastern League honor, Auburn roster taking shape

Double-A Harrisburg left-handed pitcher Richard Bleier has been named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week. He had his best start of the season against New Britain. Bleier gave up only two singles in eight shutout innings to notch his third win of the season as the Senators beat the New Britain Rock Cats, 1-0. Bleier also walked only one batter and struck out a season-high seven batters. Bleier is 4-1 with a 2.64 ERA in nine games this season, seven of those starts. He has allowed only three...

Tags:

byron kerr harrisburg senators matthew spann nationals farm report richard bleier tyler mapes featured_sidebar nationals frontstory_nationals3

Morning coffee: Let's play Nats math, plus notes on Giolito, Turner and Difo

May 26, 2015, 2:37am

Nationals

Morning coffee: Let's play Nats math, plus notes on Giolito, Turner and Difo

The Nationals seem to be winning more than a few games by 2-1 margins recently. The pitching has been so good that they have been able to score just enough runs to win, a mark of a solid team. The recent amazing run reached 20 wins in their past 25 games with a 2-1 with at Chicago over the Cubs on Monday. They are 3-1 in games decided by 2-1 scores so far this season, and led Sunday's game 2-1 before notching a pair of big insurance runs late to topple the Phillies 4-1. The Nationals are 10-4...

Tags:

byron kerr denard span lucas giolito nationals trea turner wilmer difo wilson ramos frontstory_nationals3

Bryce Harper showing smarts on offense and defense as he looks to play full season with Nats

May 25, 2015, 3:52am

Nationals

Bryce Harper showing smarts on offense and defense as he looks to play full season with Nats

It happens to young players looking to prove they belong on the big stage and have the ability to play with the big boys. Steven Souza Jr. did it last season, a sickening collision with the outfield wall in Atlanta. Bryce Harper did it at least twice, once against the Dodgers and once against the Braves. Both went after long fly balls that appeared to be impossible to catch. But they went for it. On all three plays, the player was injured or shook up pretty good. Then on Sunday in Nationals...

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr ian desmond nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Harper's balanced game leads to another Nationals win, 4-1 victory

May 24, 2015, 1:52pm

Nationals

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper's quest to become a complete baseball player took another positive step forward with a game that mixed timely at-bats with pinpoint accuracy courtesy a rifle of an arm from right field. Harper contributed both offensively and defensively in the Nationals' 4-1 series-clinching win over the Phillies. He had a RBI single, a RBI groundout and an outfield assist to lift the Nationals to their 19th win in their last 24 games. On defense, Harper gloved what appeared...

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr jake diekman matt williams nationals phillies ryan zimmerman featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Minor league notes: Ramsey, den Dekker, Kieboom, Ward and more

May 24, 2015, 2:02am

Nationals

Minor league notes: Ramsey, den Dekker, Kieboom, Ward and more

Right fielder Caleb Ramsey had two hits including a home run, but Double-A Harrisburg could not hold a lead in a 4-3 loss to New Britain. Ramsey went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and cranked his first homer of the season. He had two of the three hits for Harrisburg. Starter Joe Ross allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings, but Gilberto Mendez and Brian Dupra came on to pitch 3 2/3 scoreless innings the rest of the way, allowing no hits and striking out four batters. Ross had six strikeouts and no...

Tags:

byron kerr caleb ramsey drew ward evan meek jake johansen joe ross nationals farm report spencer kieboom frontstory_nationals2

Williams on defense, Cole and Janssen; players react to 8-1 "clunker"

May 23, 2015, 4:00pm

Nationals

Williams on defense, Cole and Janssen; players react to 8-1 "clunker"

Saturday's 8-1 loss to the Phillies was a tough one for the Nationals with Stephen Strasburg allowing six runs, five earned over just 3 2/3 innings. It's the third start in the past four where he did not complete four frames. But, the defense was not stellar either. The sloppy fielding netted four errors, tying a season-high from the April 27 8-4 loss at Atlanta. Nationals manager Matt Williams said they didn't take any solace from the loss just because they have played better defense during...

Tags:

a.j. cole byron kerr casey janssen ian desmond matt williams nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Williams confirms Tanner Roark will start Monday at Cubs; Strasburg note

May 23, 2015, 10:30am

Nationals

Williams confirms Tanner Roark will start Monday at Cubs; Strasburg note

Nationals manager Matt Williams confirmed that right-hander Tanner Roark will start Monday's afternoon game in Chicago against the Cubs. "Tanner is going to pitch Monday," Williams said. "So the way it lines up, it gives (Jordan Zimmermann) an extra day." Roark made a career-high 31 starts in 2014. He won a career-high 15 games to 10 losses, throwing close to 200 innings and sporting a 2.85 ERA. Williams said right-hander Doug Fister might throw during batting practice today, but it looks...

Tags:

byron kerr matt williams nationals stephen strasburg tanner roark doug fister featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Updates on Lopez, Turner, former Nats and other notes

May 23, 2015, 3:20am

Nationals

Updates on Lopez, Turner, former Nats and other notes

High Single-A Potomac Nationals right-hander Reynaldo Lopez had a tough outing Friday in a 8-4 loss at Myrtle Beach. Lopez (2-1) lasted only 2 2/3 innings, allowing five earned runs on five hits with one walk, a wild pitch and two strikeouts. The P-Nats did crank three homers. Isaac Ballou, Brandon Miller and former Pelican Christopher Bostick went yard, but it wasn't enough as the P-Nats fell to 5-9 versus Southern Division opponents. Despite the loss, Lopez has still impressed in his jump to...

Tags:

byron kerr denard span lucas giolito nationals potomac nationals reynaldo lopez featured_sidebar trea turner frontstory_nationals3

Harper's 16th homer another to admire in Nationals' 2-1 win over the Phillies

May 22, 2015, 6:58pm

Nationals

Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper makes the incredible look commonplace. The back-to-back National League player of the week hit another home run Friday, No. 16 on the year, to open the scoring in a 2-1 win over the Phillies. He leads the National League in home runs and is one behind Nelson Cruz of Seattle (17) for the most homers in the majors. In the month of May alone, Harper has hit 11 homers with 24 RBIs. Shortstop Ian Desmond was asked what he thought of Harper's run this month. "I...

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr ian desmond matt williams nationals nelson cruz featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Williams: Roark will start Monday or Tuesday as Fister heals on D.L.

May 22, 2015, 1:35pm

Nationals

Williams: Roark will start Monday or Tuesday as Fister heals on D.L.

With Doug Fister (right forearm tightness) still recovering on the disabled list, Nationals manager Matt Williams announced during Friday's pregame media availability that Tanner Roark will get the next start to fill Fister's spot. "He's getting stretched out for either Monday or Tuesday," Williams said. "We have the availability for either one of those days. He threw to some hitters today. It depends on what happens in our games the next three days and whether we have to use him or not....

Tags:

byron kerr doug fister nationals sammy solis tanner roark featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Grace and Treinen big finds for Nats bullpen, P-Nats break out with 11 runs

May 22, 2015, 2:51am

Nationals

Grace and Treinen big finds for Nats bullpen, P-Nats break out with 11 runs

Left-hander Matt Grace has been a find for the Nationals this season. The UCLA product has been left in to face lefties and righties recently and has not allowed a run in three straight appearances. Grace is 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA. In his last two outings, he battled and worked around walks to a dangerous hitter in the Yankees lineup, Mark Teixeira. Tuesday night it was four sliders that Teixeira didn't swing at. Wednesday, he got behind on three sinkers, 3-0. A fastball got it to 3-1, but then...

Tags:

blake treinen byron kerr john simms matt grace nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Giolito notches first high Single-A win; updates on Janssen, Rendon, Davis and others

May 21, 2015, 4:24am

Nationals

Giolito notches first high Single-A win; updates on Janssen, Rendon, Davis and others

Last week it was a new career high in strikeouts. This week it's his first high Single-A victory. His teammates took care of that for him with a nice comeback. Right-hander Lucas Giolito (1-2) also went a season-high seven innings and fired 87 pitches. This is a rarified air for the kid the Nationals have been uber careful with since he recovered and returned from Tommy John surgery. Giolito notched nine strikeouts and allowed three earned runs, walking none. He threw 63 of his 87 pitches for...

Tags:

anthony rendon byron kerr casey janssen erik davis lucas giolito nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Zimmermann and Moore star in another Nats comeback win

May 20, 2015, 7:17pm

Nationals

Zimmermann and Moore star in another Nats comeback win

The Nationals survived an early deficit and the emotions from losing their best player to an ejection in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Yankees. Despite giving up two runs in the first inning, starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann felt pretty confident about his outing, lasting seven innings and holding the Yankees to five hits with one walk and six strikeouts. "Everything was working. I had pretty good stuff tonight," Zimmermann said. "First inning was just they were on the fastball and I left...

Tags:

byron kerr jordan zimmermann matt williams nationals tyler moore featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Following return from surgery, Span employs measured pace to reach mid-season form

May 20, 2015, 2:03pm

Nationals

Following return from surgery, Span employs measured pace to reach mid-season form

Center fielder Denard Span started the 2015 season on the disabled list as he recovered from core surgery. Since his return, Span has hit .327 (32-for-98) with nine doubles, three homers, three stolen bases and 12 RBIs in 23 games. He has been provided scheduled days off and has recovered well to start the following game. The next day soreness has been normal, what you would expect after a game the night before, and has reported no after effects from the offseason surgery. "I am pleased....

Tags:

brett gardner byron kerr denard span matt williams nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Treinen's bounceback fueled by confidence of entire bullpen

May 20, 2015, 3:21am

Nationals

Treinen's bounceback fueled by confidence of entire bullpen

It has been an amazing turnaround for the Nationals. After losing 13 of their first 20 games, the Nationals have rebounded, winning 16 of the next 20. The bullpen has been a major part of the run with a healthy mix of veterans and younger guys, some getting their first shot at high-leverage situations and delivering. Right-hander Blake Treinen struggled earlier in the season, especially against lefties. He had allowed eight earned runs in his first 11 appearances this season, watching his ERA...