Byron Kerr

Martinez has his young players speak to umpires before game

May 17, 2019, 3:23am

Last week outfielder Victor Robles was caught off second base in a game at Los Angeles. After the game, manager Davey Martinez said Robles assumed he could stroll over to third base when Juan Soto drew a walk because he thought there was a runner at first base. There was also some confusion as to whether or not a time out was called on field. Apparently, Robles thought there was, and so assumed he could go and speak to third base coach Bobby Henley. The Dodgers saw him venture off second base...

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Robles shows off multifaceted skills in 5-1 win over Mets

May 16, 2019, 2:46am

Nationals

Robles shows off multifaceted skills in 5-1 win over Mets

Nationals center fielder Victor Robles slammed his eighth homer of the season in a 5-1 win over the New York Mets on Wednesday night. But his ability to lay down a perfect push bunt in the first inning provided another example of what the budding star can do with his bat. Robles turns 22 on Sunday. He scored two of the Nats' five runs in the win. In the first inning after Adam Eaton walked, Robles dropped his bunt away from Mets pitcher Wilmer Font, moving Eaton to second base. Font could not...

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Corbin plays role of stopper as Nats drop Mets 5-1

May 15, 2019, 6:51pm

Nationals

Corbin plays role of stopper as Nats drop Mets 5-1

Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin did it again. This time, it was an eight-inning gem for a 5-1 win over the Mets at Nationals Park in which he allowed only one run on four hits. He walked just one batter and recorded a season-high-tying 11 strikeouts. Corbin (4-1) set the tone in the first inning with three straight swinging strikes on a ridiculous 83 mph slider that batters cannot reach down to get. "Once he gets through that first inning, he tends to just cruise," said Nationals manager...

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Robles homers, Rendon and Kendrick connect (Nats win 5-1)

May 15, 2019, 4:15pm

Nationals

Robles homers, Rendon and Kendrick connect (Nats win 5-1)

The Nationals have been hoping for a quick start against the Mets tonight after watching New York score four runs to begin Tuesday night's opener. They got that in this second game of the series. Adam Eaton walked against Mets starter Wilmer Font. Victor Robles singled. Anthony Rendon brought Eaton home with a run-scoring double. A Juan Soto groundout to shortstop scored Robles. Howie Kendrick's single to center scored Rendon. End of one in D.C., the Nats led the Mets 3-0. Left-hander Patrick...

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Turner and Rosenthal head back out to rehab assignments

May 15, 2019, 1:52pm

Nationals

Turner and Rosenthal head back out to rehab assignments

Reliever Trevor Rosenthal and shortstop Trea Turner were both in the clubhouse pregame. But both are headed back out to continue their rehab assignments. Rosenthal has returned to full health from a viral infection but continues to rehab as the Nationals focus on his mechanics. Turner has been out since April 3 with a broken right index finger. Turner headed back to Woodbridge, Va., to play for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals today. They face Down East tonight at Pfitzner Stadium as the...

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Menhart settling in, wants pitchers' focus on preparation

May 14, 2019, 8:38pm

Nationals

Menhart settling in, wants pitchers' focus on preparation

On May 2, Paul Menhart took over for Derek Lilliquist as the Nationals pitching coach. He started his new position with a 10-game road trip from Philadelphia through Milwaukee to Los Angeles. In the midst of the Nationals' four-game set at Dodger Stadium, I had a chance to sit down with Menhart, who has been a coach in the Nationals system for 14 seasons, to see how his first two weeks on the job were going. Menhart spoke about what he wants to accomplish as the pitching coach and what he has...

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Jennings gets "back to the basics" with solid appearance Sunday

May 14, 2019, 4:03am

Nationals

Jennings gets "back to the basics" with solid appearance Sunday

Left-hander Dan Jennings made his first appearance with the Nats April 30 and pitched 2/3 of an inning without allowing a run against the Cardinals. His second stint was May 1, against St. Louis again, and this time he was even better: one inning of scoreless relief with two strikeouts. But then he hit a rough patch. In his next three outings, Jennings allowed a combined five earned runs while recording only three outs. The 32-year-old surrendered the game-changing three-run shot to Rhys...

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Nats positive they can build off competitive series split with Dodgers

May 12, 2019, 9:49pm

Nationals

Nats positive they can build off competitive series split with Dodgers

LOS ANGELES - After a difficult 1-5 start to their long road trip through Philadelphia and Milwaukee, the Nationals bounced back with a solid series against the first-place Dodgers. Los Angeles had won 10 straight home games to begin the season before the Nats arrived. Losing 6-0 on Sunday afternoon, the Nationals went 2-2 in the four-game set. The Nats won the opener 6-0 behind a solid performance from Patrick Corbin and a three-run home from Howie Kendrick. The Dodgers bounced back to take...

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Ryu outduels Strasburg, Nats head home after 3-7 road trip

May 12, 2019, 4:15pm

Nationals

Ryu outduels Strasburg, Nats head home after 3-7 road trip

LOS ANGELES - Dodgers southpaw Hyun-Jin Ryu was hard to solve and Corey Seager blasted a grand slam Sunday in a 6-0 shutout of the Nationals. The left-hander did not allow a base hit until the eighth inning, thanks to another gritty at-bat from veteran Gerardo Parra. Seager put the game away with his second career grand slam in the eighth. The Nats were held to that Parra double. Brian Dozier earned the only walk off of Ryu, but finished 0-for-2 with two strikeouts against his former...

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Pitchers' duel unfolding Sunday in SoCal (Nats fall 6-0)

May 12, 2019, 12:47pm

Nationals

Pitchers' duel unfolding Sunday in SoCal (Nats fall 6-0)

LOS ANGELES - A tremendous pitching battle is unfolding on a sun splashed Sunday afternoon in Southern California between right-hander Stephen Strasburg and Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu. Ryu began with strikeouts of Brian Dozier and Juan Soto in the first inning. He retired the first nine batters he faced, holding the Nationals without a base hit for the first three innings. Strasburg struck out Joc Pederson to begin the game and enjoyed a 1-2-3 first inning. But the Dodgers plated a run in...

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Martinez updates Kendrick, Robles, Turner and Rosenthal news

May 12, 2019, 11:30am

Nationals

Martinez updates Kendrick, Robles, Turner and Rosenthal news

LOS ANGELES - Nationals players are wearing special commemorative caps, socks and using pink bats in the series finale today against the Dodgers on Mother's Day. "I'd like to wish all the mothers a happy and wonderful Mother's Day," Martinez said to open his pregame availability. "Everybody thinks my job is hard, but I can only imagine what moms go through every day and we thank you from the bottom of our heart." On the field, Martinez elected to give infielder Howie Kendrick the day off...

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Game 40 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

May 12, 2019, 8:27am

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - Stephen Strasburg is nearing another milestone in his career. The San Diego native is three wins away from 100 for his career. He is the all-time leader in Nationals starts with 214. Earlier in the month, he reached 1,500 strikeouts, which shows Nationals manager Davey Martinez how good the right-hander has been for 10 seasons. He is now at 1,512. "That's impressive, I mean it really is," Martinez said. "Here's a guy that missed a considerable amount of time in his career and...

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Scherzer thrilled for former teammate Parra's big hit

May 12, 2019, 7:08am

Nationals

Scherzer thrilled for former teammate Parra's big hit

LOS ANGELES - Right-hander Max Scherzer earned his second win of the season Saturday night thanks to a former teammate. Scherzer played alongside new National Gerardo Parra in Arizona in 2009. Parra delivered a grand slam Saturday night lifting the Nationals to a 5-2 win over the Dodgers. Scherzer said Parra had a flair for the dramatic even back then. "It's been 10 years since I played with him. He was a little kid when he came up," Scherzer said. "I told him I remembered when you hit that...

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Parra pulls off dramatic grand slam for 5-2 comeback win in L.A.

May 11, 2019, 9:33pm

Nationals

Parra pulls off dramatic grand slam for 5-2 comeback win in L.A.

LOS ANGELES - Hey, check out the new guy. Down in the late innings and a capacity crowd of 53,647 roaring, the Nationals pulled off one of their most dramatic comeback victories of the season thanks to their all everything super-utility signee from two days ago. Outfielder/first baseman Gerardo Parra crushed a 2-2 four-seam fastball off Dodgers reliever Dylan Floro with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning and his team down 2-1. The baseball sailed deep over the right-center field...

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Rosenthal makes rehab appearance with Harrisburg (Nats win 5-2)

May 11, 2019, 4:59pm

Nationals

Rosenthal makes rehab appearance with Harrisburg (Nats win 5-2)

LOS ANGELES - Nationals reliever Trevor Rosenthal participated in a rehab game tonight for Double-A Harrisburg. He tossed a scoreless inning for the Senators, striking out one and walking none. He fired 11 pitches in the seventh inning at Hartford, eight for strikes. Nationals manager Davey Martinez talked about Rosenthal's status prior to that rehab appearance. "We'll see how he feels after today's game," Martinez said. "We'd like for him to go back and pitch a couple more...

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Soto returns to lineup, feels "really good right now"

May 11, 2019, 4:26pm

Nationals

Soto returns to lineup, feels "really good right now"

LOS ANGELES - Nationals welcomed back slugging left fielder Juan Soto after missing 10 days due to back spasms. He last played in a game May 1 and is batting third tonight against the Dodgers. The Nats went 3-6 without Soto. Soto was hitting .248 with a .368 on-base percentage and a .467 slugging percentage, and he still leads the team with 22 RBIs and is tied for the lead in homers with six. He has five doubles, 19 walks and 16 runs scored. "Yeah, he said he's really good to go," said...

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Game 39 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

May 11, 2019, 8:53am

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - The Nationals and Dodgers are now all even at one game apiece in their four-game set at Dodger Stadium. The Nats won the opener 6-0 and the Dodgers won 5-3 on Friday night. The Nationals did some good things Friday but ultimately were unable to solve Kenta Maeda. They ended up with only four hits. The defense made some plays with Brian Dozier and Anthony Rendon shining, but also had a misstep when Adam Eaton could not make a play in right field and the ball got behind him. Today...

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Pederson too much for SÃ¡nchez in 5-0 Nats loss

May 10, 2019, 10:24pm

Nationals

Pederson too much for SÃ¡nchez in 5-0 Nats loss

LOS ANGELES - Right-hander AnÃbal SÃ¡nchez had trouble finding a way to get Dodgers slugger Joc Pederson out. Pederson's two monster home runs were the big hits as the Los Angeles Dodgers rolled to a 5-0 win over the Nationals on Friday night. SÃ¡nchez could not finish five innings and fell to 0-6. The series is now even at one game apiece. David Freese added a two-run homer in the seventh off of Matt Grace. After the Nats opened with a 6-0 shutout Thursday night, the Dodgers returned...

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Soto takes full BP; Doolittle can handle workload (Nats fall 5-0)

May 10, 2019, 5:47pm

Nationals

Soto takes full BP; Doolittle can handle workload (Nats fall 5-0)

LOS ANGELES - It looked like normal pregame preparation for left fielder Juan Soto on Friday night, prior to the second game of the Nationals' series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. That is a very good sign for Nationals manager Davey Martinez and Soto. The slugger is on course to be activated Saturday. He has been on the injured list since May 1 with back spasms. "He's doing good," Martinez said. "He's going to do full activity today. Ground balls, fly balls, hit, on...

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Game 38 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

May 10, 2019, 1:29pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - The Nationals came to play in game one in their 6-0 win over the Dodgers. Howie Kendrick and Patrick Corbin were the biggest heroes, but the Nats also were able to do a couple of things they've had trouble doing in the season's early going: scoring runs in multiple innings and having their bullpen shut down the opponent in the final two innings. The 6-0 win is the first shutout of the Dodgers in Nationals history. The Expos last shut out the Dodgers 3-0 on September 14, 1999....