Josh Land

Papelbon suspended by Nationals after dropping appeal of MLB ban (updated)

September 28, 2015, 9:41am

Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon has dropped his appeal of a three-game suspension for throwing at the head area of Orioles third baseman Manny Machado and was to begin serving the ban today. However, the Nationals announced a few minutes ago that they have suspended Papelbon for four games without pay for his altercation Sunday with teammate Bryce Harper. Added to the three-game ban from Major League Baseball, the Nationals' suspension means Papelbon is done for the season. "The behavior...

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Scherzer set to face Reds in makeup game (with lineups)

September 28, 2015, 8:05am

Nationals

Scherzer set to face Reds in makeup game (with lineups)

When right-hander Max Scherzer takes the mound for today's makeup game against the Reds at Nationals Park - as the Nats try to put yesterday's dugout altercation and its aftermath behind them - he'll have an unfamiliar cast behind him. With the Nats eliminated from postseason contention, a lot of bench guys are getting some playing time. Today's Nationals lineup is missing guys like right fielder Bryce Harper, left fielder Jayson Werth, shortstop Ian Desmond and third baseman Yunel...

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More on Williams' decision to pitch Papelbon in ninth after fight with Harper

September 28, 2015, 5:20am

Nationals

More on Williams' decision to pitch Papelbon in ninth after fight with Harper

After Sunday's embarrassing eighth-inning dugout fight between Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon, I questioned Nationals manager Matt Williams during his postgame press conference about his egregious decision to send Papelbon back to the mound to pitch the ninth inning. Here is the exchange: CJ: "What was behind your decision to send Papelbon back out for the ninth?" MW: "At the time, it's a tie game." CJ: "But given what had happened?" MW: "He's our closer." CJ: "It appeared that...

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Marty Niland: Enough blame to go around as promising season runs off the rails

September 28, 2015, 5:14am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Enough blame to go around as promising season runs off the rails

How did it come to this? Six months after after Bryce Harper essentially predicted a World Series championship in the preseason, the Nationals were eliminated from postseason contention with more than a week to play. Despite Harper's MVP-caliber season and Max Scherzer's Cy Young-caliber first half, the defending National League East champions haven't even clinched a winning record with seven games to play. After supposedly trading to shore up their bullpen weakness, the Nationals stood by...

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Andrew Stetka: For Orioles, goals have changed in season's final week

September 28, 2015, 5:02am

Orioles

The Orioles face a daunting task as they enter their final week of 2015. No longer in the running to repeat as American League East champions, and barely hanging on as wild card contenders, the O's are now simply trying to stack as many wins as possible heading into the offseason. A few weeks back, I looked at the team's struggles in the same negative light that many did. Even through that, I was able to search for and find positives. Now, as the team approaches the 81-loss mark, there's...

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Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon react after fight in Nats dugout

September 27, 2015, 3:13pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon react after fight in Nats dugout

After attacking Bryce Harper in the Nationals dugout during the eighth inning of Sunday's 12-5 loss to the Phillies, veteran closer Jonathan Papelbon attempted to explain his actions. "First of all, I'll say I'm in the wrong there," Papelbon said. "I'm going to leave that up to our manager. You know, there's a lot of competition and a lot of ... it's a long season and it's a grind. I think we're going to handle it in-house and stuff like that. I've talked to Bryce and told him how...

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Williams defends decision to send Papelbon back to mound after fight with Harper

September 27, 2015, 2:27pm

Nationals

Williams defends decision to send Papelbon back to mound after fight with Harper

A day after his team was officially eliminated from postseason play, Nationals manager Matt Williams was forced to deal with two of his most high-profile players fighting in the dugout. With the game tied 4-4, Bryce Harper - the favorite to win the National League Most Valuable Player award - lifted an easy fly ball to left. As Jeff Francoeur eased underneath the ball, Harper jogged down the line reaching the bag before heading for the first base dugout. Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon was...

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Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon fight in Nats dugout

September 27, 2015, 12:41pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon fight in Nats dugout

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo made a questionable trade at the deadline, acquiring controversial closer Jonathan Papelbon from the Phillies. In the eighth inning of today's 12-5 loss to the Phillies, Papelbon attacked National League Most Valuable Player candidate Bryce Harper in the Nationals dugout. The two fought for seconds as Nationals players and coaches battled to separate them. Harper had just led off the eighth with a fly out to left field. As he retreated back to the dugout,...

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Jonathan Papelbon attacks Bryce Harper in dugout, Nats lose 12-5

September 27, 2015, 10:18am

Nationals

Jonathan Papelbon attacks Bryce Harper in dugout, Nats lose 12-5

Playing in possibly his second-to-last home game at Nationals Park, Ian Desmond pulverized a hanging slider from right-hander Aaron Harang, sending the ball smacking off the second deck facade in right-center field for a solo homer with two outs in the second. It was Desmond's 19th longball of the season. Moments later, Matt den Dekker drilled Harang's first-pitch heater deep over the center field wall for back-to-back homers. Statcast estimated Desmond's blast at 430 feet and den Dekker's...

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Max Scherzer: "I'm extremely disappointed how the season turned out"

September 27, 2015, 8:27am

Nationals

Max Scherzer: "I'm extremely disappointed how the season turned out"

When the Nationals made the splash of the offseason by signing right-hander Max Scherzer to a blockbuster seven-year $210 million deal, most believed the move would catapult them to a World Series championship in 2015. But this year's Nationals team won't even get the chance to navigate its way through the playoffs after being eliminated by the National League East champion Mets last night. "I'm extremely disappointed how the season turned out," Scherzer said in the Nats clubhouse this...

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Gio Gonzalez looks to win final three-game home series for Nats (with lineup)

September 27, 2015, 7:28am

Nationals

Gio Gonzalez looks to win final three-game home series for Nats (with lineup)

Gio Gonzalez will take the mound for his last start at Nationals Park this season in the Nats' penultimate home game for 2015. Gonzalez is boasting an 11-8 record with a 3.94 ERA on the season. He is 6-4 with a 3.33 ERA in 13 starts at home and 3-1 with a 4.83 ERA in seven day game starts. Gonzalez has faired well against the Phillies this season, going 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA over his first three outings against Philadelphia. The lefty has also done well recently with a 2-1 record and 2.74 ERA in...

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bryce harper chris johnson gio gonzalez jayson werth matt den dekker michael a. taylor nationals nationals pastime frontstory_nationals3

Bryce Harper to Mets: "I hope they win it all and good luck to them"

September 27, 2015, 5:18am

Nationals

Bryce Harper to Mets: "I hope they win it all and good luck to them"

Moments after Bryce Harper smacked a walk-off double scoring Anthony Rendon for a 2-1 win in the 12th inning, the young slugger found himself swarmed by his teammates with his jersey being ripped off. An icy Gatorade bath along with some chocolate syrup followed. By the time Harper made his way to the Nationals clubhouse, he stood in front of his locker while veteran Ian Desmond's two young boys played a few feet away. Despite the Mets clinching the National League East and eliminating the...

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Jayson Werth: "I never thought we'd end up here"

September 26, 2015, 6:40pm

Nationals

Jayson Werth: "I never thought we'd end up here"

After a win over the Diamondbacks on August 4, the Nationals stood a game behind the first-place Mets in the National League East. Jayson Werth uttered the words that shot up I-95 to the Big Apple: "It's our division to lose." Tonight, the Mets clinched the division, thus eliminating the Nats from the playoffs. About 30 minutes after the Nationals finished celebrating a walk-off 2-1 win over the Phillies, Werth hobbled into the clubhouse from the trainer's room. With an enormous ice pack...

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Dreams of World Series title crushed with early elimination

September 26, 2015, 5:32pm

Nationals

Dreams of World Series title crushed with early elimination

Bryce Harper won't receive any rings this year nor will he be hoisting any trophies over the monuments. The Mets clinched the National League East with a convincing 10-2 win over the Reds, officially eliminating the Nationals from a postseason that almost everyone predicted they would be a major factor in. Not even a dominating 13-strikeout performance from Stephen Strasburg coupled with a walk-off RBI double from Harper in the 12th inning could help the vulnerable Nats today. The drama-filled...

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Bryce Harper's walk-off RBI double wins game 2-1 (Nats eliminated)

September 26, 2015, 1:25pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper's walk-off RBI double wins game 2-1 (Nats eliminated)

Stephen Strasburg mowed down the Phillies through the first four innings without allowing a baserunner. Darin Ruf ended Strasburg's bid for perfection with a leadoff single in the fifth. Strasburg induced a double-play groundout from Andres Blanco after Ruf's hit. Strasburg has faced the minimum batters, striking out six through five innings. The Nationals wasted a tremendous scoring opportunity in the fourth. Three straight singles from Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth and Clint Robinson loaded...

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Bryce Harper looks to bust out of mini slump

September 26, 2015, 11:52am

Nationals

Bryce Harper looks to bust out of mini slump

Bryce Harper enters today's matinee with the Phillies without a hit in his last four games, all losses for the Nationals. The 22-year-old went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts last night and is 0-for-10 over the four games, his longest hitless streak of the season. "He's a touch frustrated right now getting some pitches to hit and not hitting them," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "And that's human. But he's one swing away from getting right back at it. It's been a pretty special...

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Stephen Strasburg takes mound for last home start (with lineups)

September 26, 2015, 9:34am

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg takes mound for last home start (with lineups)

Stephen Strasburg takes the mound for the last time at Nationals Park in 2015 this afternoon against the Phillies. The right-hander tied a career high with 14 strikeouts when he faced the Phils at Citizens Bank Park a little over a week ago. Strasburg is 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA and 37 strikeouts over his last three starts. He is 5-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 11 home starts this season and 4-3 with a 4.22 ERA in nine day game starts. Today's outing against Philadelphia will be his fifth this season,...

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Nationals reinstate outfielder Reed Johnson

September 26, 2015, 9:28am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals reinstated outfielder Reed Johnson from the 60-day disabled list on Saturday and transferred center fielder Denard Span (left hip inflammation) from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Johnson, 38, returns to the Nationals' active roster after missing 131 games following surgery to repair a tendon in his left foot. Johnson's return was further delayed when he suffered a...

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Nationals Nationals News Release

Nats on the brink of elimination

September 26, 2015, 5:34am

Nationals

A season which was expected to end deep into fall with a World Series run could come to a sobering end prematurely this afternoon. The Mets trounced the Reds 12-5 last night, dropping their magic number to one to clinch the National League East. So either another New York win over Cincinnati or a Nationals loss to the Phillies will eliminate Washington from the postseason. "This is a very tough year for everybody here," Wilson Ramos said after the Nats dropped their fourth straight game last...

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Hitting the Books With Gary Thorne: The final chapter

September 25, 2015, 6:55pm

Incredibly, a season of baseball and Hitting the Books is at an end. All adventures - and Hitting the Books was an adventure - have their twists and turns, but I must say, this adventure has been straight as an arrow and immensily enjoyable. The passion for reading that glowed from guests on this blog at times took me aback, and in the most positive way. No one ever had to think about a favorite book to discuss. The answer was always on their tongue's edge. Such is the staying power of...