Voth seeks to fine-tune fastball glove side as he preps for Orioles

Voth seeks to fine-tune fastball glove side as he preps for Orioles
Right-hander Austin Voth was unable to set up hitters with his fastball in the spot he wanted to against the Royals last Friday night. When that happens, it has a ripple effect on Voth's other pitches. He ended up throwing 96 pitches in only 4 1/3 innings and allowing four runs. "I'm a little bit, a tick off, I would say," Voth said. "Definitely with my fastball command you can notice that. Like last two games I just haven't been able to stick those fastballs glove side, especially in...
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Strasburg brings sinker back with powerful results

Strasburg brings sinker back with powerful results
Stephen Strasburg had an outstanding first half for the Nationals, rolling to 10 wins. One noticeable secret to his success in 2019 is that he has altered his pitch usage. Strasburg re-introduced his two-seam fastball on a consistent basis for the first time in several seasons. The addition of the sinker has forced hitters to guess more and has made it more difficult to figure out what the right-hander is trying to do on the mound from pitch to pitch. According to Brooks Baseball, Strasburg is...
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Notes on Kieboom, Taylor, Barraclough and Scherzer

Notes on Kieboom, Taylor, Barraclough and Scherzer
Nationals shortstop prospect Carter Kieboom made a couple of nice impact plays in the All-Star Futures Game on Sunday in Cleveland. Kieboom scooped a grounder near the second base bag and threw the runner out to end the third inning and then followed that up with a single in his next at-bat in the top of the fourth. He came around to score the National League's first run in a 2-2 tie after eight innings. Kieboom finished 1-for-2 with a run scored. Kieboom has slashed .320/.431/.590 with 18...
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Doolittle earns the win, but rest is now at the top of his list

Doolittle earns the win, but rest is now at the top of his list
If anyone could use this break, it's Sean Doolittle. The closer was the most consistent part of the Nationals bullpen for 80 games, but recently he has been hit more frequently. He racked up 19 saves in 22 opportunities in the first half for a 3.13 ERA. But since June 23, Doolittle has allowed nine hits in his last seven games, with two runs and three walks. And yet he still notched three saves. On Sunday, Doolittle (6-2) picked up the win when the Nats rallied for three runs in the bottom of...
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Miller, Barraclough on rehab assignments (Nats win 5-2)

Miller, Barraclough on rehab assignments (Nats win 5-2)
Right-hander Justin Miller was back in the Nats clubhouse fresh off multiple pitching sessions in West Palm Beach. Miller has been recovering from a right rotator cuff strain that has had him sidelined since May 18. He has missed 42 games. "I threw live BP (with) the hitters just tracking underneath the tunnels. The next day I had a day off, and the next day I threw a sim game, so live BP, basically. Then after that I had two days off and I threw the first (Gulf Coast League) game. Then I had...
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Nats proud of recent rebound but know they still have work to do

Nats proud of recent rebound but know they still have work to do
The Nationals bounced back from Friday's loss to the Royals with a convincing 6-0 victory Saturday afternoon. Max Scherzer pitched seven shutout innings, Kurt Suzuki hit a two-run shot and Juan Soto went 2-for4 with two RBIs to lift the Nats to 46-42. The Nats are in a battle for second place in the National League. East, six games back of the Braves. The Phillies lost to the Mets 6-5, so they trail Atlanta by 6 1/2 games. The Marlins beat the Braves 5-4 on Saturday. The Nationals are now...
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Nats attack early with Suzuki homer and roll 6-0

Nats attack early with Suzuki homer and roll 6-0
The Nationals left 19 men on base Friday night in the series opening extra-inning loss to the American League Centeral last-place Royals. Saturday afternoon, the Nats got their offense going quickly so those men left on base didn't have a chance to pile up. Kurt Suzuki highlighted a three-run second inning for the Nationals, evening the series with a 6-0 shutout of Kansas City. Trea Turner, Adam Eaton and Juan Soto all had two hits in the 12-hit barrage. Soto and Suzuki had two RBIs apiece as...
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Martinez on Scherzer, Zimmerman, Voth and more (Nats win 6-0)

Martinez on Scherzer, Zimmerman, Voth and more (Nats win 6-0)
Nationals manager Davey Martinez made sure to check that Max Scherzer was good to go after a busy week with his wife Erica giving birth to a baby girl Kacey Hart on Thursday. Usually, a new baby in the family is the only big deal for a week in the life of any proud Dad. It's all in the normal work and life for Scherzer, who makes his 19th start of the season today against Kansas City. He has gone 6-0 in the last month with a 1.00 ERA, being named National League Pitcher of the Month. He...
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Game 88 lineups: Nats vs. Royals

Game 88 lineups: Nats vs. Royals
Even with the extra-inning loss to the Royals in the rearview mirror, the Nationals have some positives to take away from Friday's events at Nats Park. The Nats fell to Kansas City 7-4 in 11 innings, but came back from a 4-1 deficit to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, watching as Ryan Zimmerman's power returned and learned that Anthony Rendon will sacrifice his All-Star Game invitation in order to stay in D.C. and rehab a tight left quad/hamstring for the duration of the...
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Rendon missing All-Star Game due to hamstring/quad issue

Rendon missing All-Star Game due to hamstring/quad issue
Anthony Rendon will have the All-Star designation by his name for the 2019 season, but he will not play in the game or participate in activities at the Midsummer Classic in Cleveland next week because of a left hamstring/quad injury. Major League Baseball announced Friday that the Dodgers' Max Muncy will replace Rendon on the National League All-Star team. Rendon has been dealing with the left quad and hamstring injury for a few weeks. He has decided that rest and rehab here in D.C. would help...
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Rendon not going to All-Star Game (Nats fall 7-4 in 11)

Rendon not going to All-Star Game (Nats fall 7-4 in 11)
Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon will not participate in this year's All-Star Game, Major League Baseball announced via Twitter this evening. MLB tweeted that Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy would replace Rendon at the Midsummer Classic next week in Cleveland. Rendon has been nursing what he's called a "nagging injury" for a few weeks now, and has not been running full speed down the line. The third baseman has said recently he would not mind using the four days off during the break...
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Doolittle admits he is "a little tired" from his recent workload

Doolittle admits he is "a little tired" from his recent workload
Sean Doolittle did it again, finding a way to record a save, as the Nationals edged the Marlins 3-1 to win the first two games of the series. But again, this save, his 19th on the season, was not easy. With one out in the top of the ninth and the Nats leading 3-0, the Marlins put together back-to-back-to-back singles to ignite a rally attempt against the Nationals closer. Doolittle bore down and struck out JT Riddle for the second out. But then César Puello was hit by a pitch to allow Neil...
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Martinez still seeks answers for solving eighth inning (Nats win 3-1)

Martinez still seeks answers for solving eighth inning (Nats win 3-1)
The bullpen has had a lot more positive moments the last month which has helped a great deal in the team's 18-8 June. But the Nationals have still not found the complete answer for the eighth inning. Right-hander Wander Suero could not complete the eighth Tuesday night without allowing a run. The Nats' 2-1 lead went by the wayside when César Puello doubled and Miguel Rojas connected on a deep fly ball to left field. Game tied 2-2. Saturday night in the bottom of the seventh at Comerica...
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Soto leads Nats to 16-game homer streak, plus Taylor update

Soto leads Nats to 16-game homer streak, plus Taylor update
The Nationals have now hit a homer in 16 consecutive games, setting a new club record. The 1999 Expos also hit a home run in 16 straight games. Juan Soto's two-run shot in the first inning gave the Nats a 2-1 lead. It was his 15th homer of the season. Last year, he hit 22 home runs. The Nats have combined to hit 28 homers in those 16 games. Soto had a homer and a triple in his first two at-bats. "All the guys, they're hitting the ball hard," said Nationals manager Davey Martinez. "The...
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Turner works long at-bat to plate Gomes for the walk off winner 3-2

Turner works long at-bat to plate Gomes for the walk off winner 3-2
After Wander Suero blew a save in the eighth, the Nationals found a way to win the game anyway, scoring a run in the bottom of the ninth thanks to an outstanding at-bat from Trea Turner. With two outs, Turner's double to the right-center field gap scored Yan Gomes from first base and the Nats walked off the Marlins 3-2 at Nationals Park. The Nats have won four straight over the Fish and 11 of their last 14 overall to go two games above .500 (43-41) for the first time this season. Juan Soto hit...
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Nats net seven international players (Nats win 3-2)

Nats net seven international players (Nats win 3-2)
The Nationals announced the signing of seven international free agents today, including top-20 international prospect right-handed pitcher Andry Lara from Coro, Venezuela. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Lara is 16 years old and was signed by Ronald Morillo, reportedly for a $1.25 million signing bonus. Lara is rated as the No. 16 international free agent by MLB Pipeline. The other two Venezuelan signees: left-hander Franklin Marquez and outfielder Roismar Quintana. The Nationals signed four players...
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Martinez said Corbin emotional at loss of "best friend" Skaggs

Martinez said Corbin emotional at loss of "best friend" Skaggs
The baseball world today is continuing to mourn the death of Los Angeles Angels left-hander Tyler Skaggs. Manager Davey Martinez began his pregame meeting with the media with a statement from the Nationals: "On behalf of the Washington Nationals, our family here, myself, players, coaches, our heartfelt condolences to Tyler's family, the Anaheim Angels. It's a tough ordeal. Regardless of teams we play on, this is a baseball family. He's part of it. I wish the family well. Like I said, our...
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Doolittle appreciates reaching 100 saves in his career

Doolittle appreciates reaching 100 saves in his career
For a guy who started out in baseball as an infielder/outfielder, a pitcher in high school, and a player who early on had to battle through two knee surgeries, getting to 100 saves in Major League Baseball seems even more remarkable. Left-hander Sean Doolittle transitioned back to pitching only in 2011 and made his major league debut in 2012. From that point on, Doolittle accumulated 100 saves with the Oakland A's and the Washington Nationals. No. 100 came June 30, 2019 at Detroit as the...
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Scherzer and Rendon excited to represent Nats as All-Stars

Scherzer and Rendon excited to represent Nats as All-Stars
DETROIT - Major League Baseball announced Sunday that Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon and right-hander Max Scherzer have been selected to represent the Nationals in the 2019 All-Star Game, which will be played July 9 in Cleveland. This is Rendon's first All-Star citation in his seven seasons as a big leaguer. His consistency on offense has been evident these last few seasons; he has hit .301 or better each season since 2017. This season, he has been even better, batting .311 with 19...
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Back in Detroit, Scherzer strikes out 14 in 2-1 Nats win

Back in Detroit, Scherzer strikes out 14 in 2-1 Nats win
DETROIT - When at Comerica Park, Max Scherzer usually pitches really, really well. The veteran right-hander spent five seasons with the Tigers, reaching the World Series with them in 2012 and winning the Cy Young for the first time in 2013. He felt right at home again Sunday. In firing 115 pitches, Scherzer allowed only one run over eight innings, striking out 14 as he Nationals won the game 2-1 and the series against the Tigers. Washington has won 10 of its last 13 and gets back above .500...
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