Byron Kerr

With another win, Nationals feel like they're closer to turning the corner

May 08, 2013, 8:00pm

During some rough patches in April, Nationals players and coaches kept saying it was early in the season and things would turn around. The mild frustration started to become a little more palpable as the team lost games and the offense had trouble with its consistency. But all that time, the Nationals stayed close to the .500 mark. And in the last week, that patience has started to pay off. With Wednesday's 3-1 win over Detroit, the Nationals have won three in a row and five of their last...

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Johnson: Garcia closer to pitching in games

May 08, 2013, 1:30pm

Nationals

Johnson: Garcia closer to pitching in games

Right-hander Christian Garcia has continued to make progress at extended spring training in his recovery from a partially torn tendon in his right forearm. According to manager Davey Johnson, Garcia could be less than two weeks from a rehab assignment. "He has been throwing off the mound quite a bit," said Johnson. "Mostly the reports I have been getting is (he is throwing) fastball, changeup, tomorrow he will mix in curveballs. After he does that, he will throw to hitters (in) batting...

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Johnson can see LaRoche and Zimmerman starting to get on roll again

May 07, 2013, 1:31pm

Nationals

Johnson can see LaRoche and Zimmerman starting to get on roll again

Manager Davey Johnson likes to walk lightly around Adam LaRoche when he is struggling. He knows the veteran can work out his issues at the plate on his own, with a tweak here or there. Johnson, being a former major league hitter himself, has tremendous respect for LaRoche and his ability to be able to self-correct at the plate. But Johnson recently decided to have a little talk with LaRoche and it seems to have paid dividends quickly. Over the last four games, LaRoche has gone 5-for-10 with...

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Maya twirls gem for Syracuse; Cole earns honor in Potomac

May 07, 2013, 3:38am

Nationals

Maya twirls gem for Syracuse; Cole earns honor in Potomac

Potomac Nationals right-hander

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Nationals assign veteran Bill Bray to Harrisburg, release reliever Trevor Holder

May 06, 2013, 10:47am

Nationals

A somewhat surprising move today for the Nationals, as Double-A Harrisburg announced right-hander Trevor Holder has been released. The team has assigned veteran left-hander Bill Bray from extended spring training to Harrisburg. Holder was off to a good start again with the Senators. In seven games, Holder was 0-1 with a 2.89 ERA, allowing just six earned runs, with 13 strikeouts and four walks. On May 4, Holder tossed two innings of shutout baseball. Nationals director of player development...

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Getting Nationals starters to go distance becoming Johnson's strategy

May 05, 2013, 6:21pm

Nationals

The Nationals' offense is certainly not where it wants to be. But it is making progress. One way to achieve the consistency it needs for the team to be a contender is for every player in the lineup to be healthy at the same time. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman returned Friday but now right fielder Jayson Werth is suffering from hamstring tightness. Werth hopes to be back in the lineup when the two-game series with the Tigers opens up Tuesday at Nationals Park. But the biggest trend recently...

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A.J. Cole's gem a good sign of things to come

May 05, 2013, 9:21am

Nationals

A.J. Cole's gem a good sign of things to come

The high Single-A Potomac Nationals have shown early that their starting pitching is going to keep them in games. Left-hander Robbie Ray has been consistent from the beginning sporting a 1.85 ERA, and leads the team with 41 strikeouts. Taylor Jordan has pitched the most innings so far at 36 1/3, going 2-1 with a 1.24 ERA. Taylor Hill is 3-1 in five starts, with a 2.43 ERA. And then there is the return of right-hander A.J. Cole. He was traded to the Oakland A's last offseason. After struggling...

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Now completely healthy, Marrero shows off bat again

May 03, 2013, 6:42pm

Nationals

Now completely healthy, Marrero shows off bat again

The torn hamstring stunted first baseman Chris Marrero's season before it really ever got started in 2012. His shoulder and hamstring slowed him down for much of the time and he never was able to feel 100 percent healthy for long periods of time last season. Following 127 games for Triple-A Syracuse in 2011, he had to fight back from injury in 2012. Marrero ended up playing only 37 contests with the Chiefs last season. So it certainly had to be refreshing for Marrero to work his way through...

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Nationals' first selection in June draft not until No. 68

May 03, 2013, 9:15am

Nationals

Major League Baseball released the draft order for the 2013 First-Year Player Draft set for Thursday, June 6. The Houston Astros will have the No. 1 overall selection. The Nationals do not have a selection in the first round this season. The Nationals forfeited that late round selection because they signed pitcher Rafael Soriano. The Yankees picked up a compensatory pick for the loss of Soriano. New York has three selections in the first round at No. 26, No. 32 and No. 33. The pick the...

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Nationals Ryan Zimmerman confident rehab game has him ready to return

May 02, 2013, 8:24am

Nationals

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was able to pass a big test in his return from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday on a cool night at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Va. Zimmerman played third base for the Potomac Nationals in his lone rehab start to test the recovery of a sore hamstring, and despite an 0-for-3 performance, he felt his swing and timing are back. "Everything feels good," Zimmerman said. "I think seeing some live pitching was good. I saw pretty much every pitch,...

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Robbie Ray continues to pitch well early for Single-A Potomac

May 02, 2013, 8:10am

Nationals

Robbie Ray continues to pitch well early for Single-A Potomac

Left-hander Robbie Ray received a no-decision Wednesday that might have been a bit overshadowed in the high Single-A Potomac Nationals' 3-2 loss to Carolina at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Va. Ray did walk four batters, but did a very nice job of getting out of potential jams with seven strikeouts over five innings. He scattered four hits and allowed two runs. His pitches were so accurate at painting the edge of the plate that the Mudcats arguing of those close calls got a batter and their...

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Zimmerman on rehab game: "Hammy felt great"

May 01, 2013, 6:54pm

Nationals

Zimmerman on rehab game: "Hammy felt great"

WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman looked back to 100 percent health on the field, his hamstring returning to full strength, during his rehab assignment with the high Single-A Potomac Nationals on Wednesday night. "Everything went great," Zimmerman said. "It was good to get back out there. Everything felt fine so I will work out tomorrow at the stadium and fly to Pittsburgh tomorrow night. "I came here and got ready for a game (doing) everything that I would...

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Hagerstown catcher Severino surging to prospect status with Nationals

May 01, 2013, 10:46am

Nationals

19-year old Dominican catcher Pedro Severino has made a nice step up to Low Single-A Hagerstown Suns, and is off to a good start in his first profesional season. In 70 games for Gulf Coast Nationals from 2011 and 2012, Severino hit .201 with 11 extra base hits and 17 RBIs. Focusing on last season, he hit .220 in 38 games, dwindling his strikeout total from 27 down to nine. Nationals director of player development Doug Harris said Severino is a "high energy kid who is really throwing well. He...

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Solis and Purke return timeline updated to late May

May 01, 2013, 10:13am

Nationals

Solis and Purke return timeline updated to late May

Left-hander Sammy Solis (Tommy John) and left-hander Matt Purke (shoulder) continue their mound progressions in Florida as they work their way back from surgeries. Solis threw a few innings in extended spring training last week and looked good, according to club source. Updating his return, another source reports Solis is still "several weeks" from returning to games, and it appears that will take place in the "second half of May." Meanwhile, Purke is a "tick behind the Solis timeline."...

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Zimmerman scratched from lineup in Potomac rehab start

April 30, 2013, 3:53pm

Nationals

Zimmerman scratched from lineup in Potomac rehab start

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was scratched from Tuesday's doubleheader for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Va. Zimmerman is expected to be in the lineup Wednesday for the P-Nats, to test his hamstring under live game conditions. If everything goes well, Zimmerman is likely to join the Nationals in Pittsburgh when they start a weekend series with the Pirates on Friday. Rain in the area forced postponement of Monday's game at Potomac. The...

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Zimmerman to rehab tonight in Woodbridge

April 30, 2013, 9:11am

Nationals

Zimmerman to rehab tonight in Woodbridge

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman (hamstring) is expected to make a rehab appearance tonight for high Single-A Potomac. The first game of the doubleheader is set to begin at 6 p.m. Zimmerman would most likely just play the first game and try to get a least three at-bats. He will wear jersey No. 33. * Hagerstown Suns right-hander Ivan Pineyro put in a gem of a start last weekend with 12 strikeouts in a 3-0 win over the Hickory Crawdads. Pineyro went six innings, allowed three hits, no...

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Rosenbaum's success could offer Nationals another spot start option

April 28, 2013, 5:32pm

Nationals

Syracuse Chiefs starter Danny Rosenbaum is off to a great beginning for 2013. Fresh off his return to the Nationals from the Colorado Rockies, who plucked him in the Rule 5 draft, Rosenbaum is 2-1 with a 1.14 ERA in four starts. Rosenbaum has tossed 23 2/3 innings and allowed only three runs, 16 hits, one homer, eight walks and has struck out five. Saturday's gem over Durham was the best of all the starts so far this season. Against the Bulls, Rosenbaum went seven innings, allowing only...

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Johnson has confidence in starters for the long haul

April 28, 2013, 4:18am

Nationals

Johnson has confidence in starters for the long haul

Manager Davey Johnson has an early season philosophy of not riding his starters too long in games. His reasoning includes wanting the rotation to be fresher as the season goes on, the ability to get the starters ramped up as each start passes and protection for the bullpen after some shaky outings to start the season. But if the starter can pitch well enough into the late innings and keep his pitch count down, Johnson will go with you, especially if in the past the starter has shown the...

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Suzuki relishes games like Zimmermann pitched Friday night

April 26, 2013, 6:20pm

Nationals

Suzuki relishes games like Zimmermann pitched Friday night

Catcher Kurt Suzuki loves being a part of a game like Friday night. He worked with his pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann, as the right-hander allowed a leadoff single by Xavier Paul in the third inning and nothing else in a 1-0 complete-game shutout for the Nationals. Suzuki had a feeling early on that Zimmermann could do this. It was Zimmermann's second complete game of the year, matching his effort April 15 at Miami. "You can kind of tell," Suzuki said. "It was similar to the game in Miami....

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Johnson on relationship with Rizzo and Harper's anniversary

April 26, 2013, 1:56pm

Nationals

Johnson on relationship with Rizzo and Harper's anniversary

One of the many reasons the Nationals are successful on the field and can maintain that tempo throughout a season is the relationship between their manager and general manager. Manager Davey Johnson said he's on the same page with general manager Mike Rizzo when deciding what happens on the field. "He is the best GM I have ever had in a lot of respects," Johnson said. "I like that he is smart and that he played second base. He was a scout. He surrounds himself with intelligent people....