Josh Land

Nationals reinstate right-hander David Carpenter, option right-hander Taylor Hill to Triple-A

July 09, 2015, 8:21am

The Washington Nationals reinstated right-handed pitcher David Carpenter from the paternity list on Thursday, and optioned right-handed pitcher Taylor Hill to Triple-A Syracuse. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Carpenter, 29, is 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA in eight games (6.0 IP) with the Nationals. Acquired from the New York Yankees on June 11, Carpenter is 0-1 with a 4.01 ERA in 30 total games (24.2 IP) this season. He and his wife, Brittny,...

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Nationals Nationals News Release

Zach Wilt: Manny Machado and the Home Run Derby

July 09, 2015, 5:23am

Orioles

Zach Wilt: Manny Machado and the Home Run Derby

For the third consecutive season, an Orioles player will be participating in the Home Run Derby. Chris Davis represented Charm City in 2013 and Adam Jones donned the orange and black at the Derby a year ago. This year, 23-year-old Manny Machado will step into the batter's box and look to be the first Oriole to win the contest since Miguel Tejada in 2004. In 2015, the Home Run Derby has a few changes. For starters, it's now a single-elimination bracket-style tournament, where players are...

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adam jones chris davis guest blogger guestblogger home run derby manny machado orioles orioles buzz zach wilt

David Huzzard: Re-examining how free agency affects the Nationals

July 09, 2015, 5:06am

Nationals

One of the big refrains coming into the 2015 season for the Nationals was that because of the loss of pending free agents Denard Span, Ian Desmond, Doug Fister and Jordan Zimmermann at the end of the season, the window is closing. While this has always been somewhat faulty logic, it made sense that the Nationals would have difficulty replacing four good players. But the season has not gone according to plan, and the idea that the window would be closing because of the loss of those four players...

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Williams on Nats' injuries: "I don't know if I can remember a team that's been hit this hard"

July 09, 2015, 4:47am

Nationals

Williams on Nats' injuries: "I don't know if I can remember a team that's been hit this hard"

The Nationals will spend this much needed off-day on the mend before making the short drive up the Baltimore-Washington Parkway tomorrow afternoon for an interleague series with the Orioles. Both teams enter the weekend reeling. On July 1, Baltimore jumped into their first lead in the American League East since the season's opening week. Since then, the Orioles have dropped six of seven, scoring only 10 runs combined in the losses. The Twins completed a three-game sweep over Baltimore...

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Nationals will take the rest after rainout; starters up in the air

July 08, 2015, 4:24pm

Nationals

If there ever was a good time for weather to postpone a baseball game, it was tonight. Stricken by injuries across his ballclub, Nationals manager Matt Williams was planning to field a lineup with Bryce Harper, Ian Desmond and six reserves in the series finale against the Reds. Shortly after heavy showers ended any chance of playing, Williams was asked if the rain dance worked. "Next," Williams said with a sly look while trying to hold back laughter. The recent wet weather over the past five...

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Gonzalez aims to prevent season sweep; Hill recalled (with lineups, game postponed)

July 08, 2015, 12:00pm

Nationals

Gonzalez aims to prevent season sweep; Hill recalled (with lineups, game postponed)

Left-hander Gio Gonzalez takes the hill as the Nationals attempt to prevent a season sweep by the Reds. Gonzalez has pitched brilliantly his last two starts, allowing just one run over 14 innings with 10 strikeouts and two walks. The Reds tagged Gonzalez for four runs over 5 1/3 innings in the Nationals' 8-5 loss back on May 30. The big blow came on a two-run homer from Reds first baseman Joey Votto in the third. Votto has torched the Nats in the Reds' five wins this year. He's batting .450...

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Rachel Levitin: Respect for Harper's decision on Home Run Derby

July 08, 2015, 5:13am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Respect for Harper's decision on Home Run Derby

The votes are in and it's all official - Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper are going to the All-Star Game to represent the Nationals. The 2015 game in Cincinnati is Scherzer's third game and first appearance with the Nats, while this is Harper's third appearance at the All-Star Game and festivities. This time around, Harper will not be participating in the Home Run Derby after receiving a National League record of 13.85 million fan votes. Harper is hot this season, which is why he's landed a...

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Orioles option right-hander Kevin Gausman to Triple-A Norfolk

July 07, 2015, 8:24pm

Orioles

The Orioles tonight announced that they have optioned right-hander Kevin Gausman to Triple-A Norfolk. Gausman, 24, made his third start of the season for the Orioles tonight against the Minnesota Twins. In 11 games (three starts) with Baltimore this season, Gausman went 1-1 with a 5.00 ERA (27.0IP, 15ER).

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Orioles Orioles News Release

Domenic Vadala: Would a small change benefit Birds?

July 07, 2015, 6:18pm

Orioles

Domenic Vadala: Would a small change benefit Birds?

First off, greetings from the Delmarva shore, which is where I am this week! I'm taking my annual summer hiatus from the big city, if you will - so far so good, I suppose! Much like Ocean City, coastal Delaware is a place that's chock full of orange and black this time of year, and as I've walked along the boardwalks of the "Small Wonder State," I've seen lots of TVs showing Orioles games in bars and restaurants. Speaking of small wonders, we all know that small ball is a part of the...

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Best of the Decade: Zimmermann's season-ending no-hitter

July 07, 2015, 5:40pm

Nationals

Best of the Decade: Zimmermann's season-ending no-hitter

As the Nationals celebrate 10 seasons in Washington, D.C., we reflect on some of the best moments since the franchise moved to the nation's capital. Each Wednesday for the next 10 weeks, check out Nationals Pastime for a remembrance of one of the watershed moments in Nationals history. The postseason was awaiting the Nationals when Jordan Zimmermann took the mound on the final day of the 2014 season. Washington had clinched the National League East title 13 days prior, but manager Matt...

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Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "House"

July 07, 2015, 12:47pm

Orioles

Hitting the Books with Gary Thorne: "House"

So let's put my broadcaster partner to work this week and let Jim Palmer talk about his favorite book, "House" by Tracy Kidder. Before listening to Jim, consider this: The book is about building a house. It's about the architecture, the design, the people, the conflicts and the results. Jim found symbolism is this book related to building a wining baseball team. If you keep that in mind as you listen to Jim, I think you will find the analogy fascinating. When the book was published in 1985,...

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gary thorne hitting the books orioles

Scherzer and Harper's All-Star extravaganza heads to Cincinnati

July 07, 2015, 6:06am

Nationals

Scherzer and Harper's All-Star extravaganza heads to Cincinnati

The Washington Nationals may only be sending two players to the All-Star Game in Cincinnati next Tuesday, but they have arguably been baseball's best two players throughout this season's first half. Bryce Harper didn't just win a popularity contest with his National League record 13,864,950 fan votes, he more than earned his way to the Midsummer Classic. His .344 batting average is third best in the majors, 25 homers are second most and his 60 RBIs are the third highest total. Harper's .471...

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all-star game bryce harper chris johnson max scherzer nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Matt of Matt's Bats: Picking the Nationals' all-time All-Stars

July 07, 2015, 5:43am

Nationals

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is on Tuesday, July 14. At least one representative from each major league team plays for home field advantage in the World Series. Fans vote for the starting nine position players, a players' vote fills in reserves, and then the manager consults with the leagues and picks the pitching staff and remaining bench players. This year's contest is at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Two Nationals made it in - Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer - and that...

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Injury bug continues to chase Nationals in 3-2 loss

July 06, 2015, 7:53pm

Nationals

The Nationals showed up to spring training with injuries and they've continued to play short-handed since opening day. They've persevered through serious setbacks and nagging twinges to maintain their expected position atop the National League East. At some point, though, the depleted roster has to catch up to them. Tonight, the Nationals couldn't outlast the Reds after losing center fielder Denard Span and third baseman Yunel Escobar. An eighth-inning solo homer from Eugenio Suarez off Nats...

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chris johnson denard span doug fister matt williams nationals nationals pastime yunel escobar featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Matt Kremnitzer: O'Day has been better than ever

July 06, 2015, 7:36pm

Orioles

Matt Kremnitzer: O'Day has been better than ever

Darren O'Day is a very good relief pitcher, but you already know that. You probably also know by now that O'Day was selected to the All-Star Game along with fellow Orioles Adam Jones, Manny Machado, and Zach Britton. All are deserving choices, though plenty of deserving players around the league are left off the team each year. Regardless, it's impressive to have four players on the team overall and two pitchers from the same bullpen. It's impossible to watch O'Day pitch without marveling...

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Denard Span, Yunel Escobar leave game (Nats lose 3-2)

July 06, 2015, 4:36pm

Nationals

Denard Span, Yunel Escobar leave game (Nats lose 3-2)

Nationals center fielder Denard Span left tonight's game after the second inning. The Nationals don't provide injury updates during the game, but Span has been bothered by back spasms since June 7. Michael A. Taylor took over for Span in center field while Matt den Dekker entered the game in left. The Reds and Nationals nearly made it through the first inning before heavy showers arrived. After a 29-minute rain delay, Bryce Harper stepped into the batter's box and launched the first pitch...

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Max Scherzer named National League All-Star

July 06, 2015, 3:16pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer named National League All-Star

In one of the worst-kept secrets ever, Max Scherzer will join Bryce Harper at next Tuesday's All-Star Game in Cincinnati. Despite leading the National League East by 4 1/2 games, only Harper and Scherzer have been chosen to represent the Nationals at the Midsummer Classic. Scherzer has been arguably the game's most dominating pitcher through the first half of the season. He was named the NL Pitcher of the Month in May and June. The high point game when Scherzer tossed his first career...

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Bryce Harper passing on Home Run Derby

July 06, 2015, 1:31pm

Nationals

There wasn't any doubt on whether Bryce Harper would make the All-Star Game, not after smashing 25 homers, driving in 60 runs and batting .347/.474/.722 through the Nationals' first 82 games of the season. The question was if Harper planned to showcase his muscles in the Home Run Derby at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati next Monday. Harper addressed the issue today at Nationals Park before the start of a three-game series against the Reds. "I'm not doing the Derby," Harper said....

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Nationals look for revenge against Reds; Solis recalled (with lineups)

July 06, 2015, 12:17pm

Nationals

The Reds slammed the brakes on a scorching May for the Nationals with a three-game sweep in Cincinnati over the final three days of the month. It was a rough series for the Nationals bullpen, with relievers Taylor Jordan, Aaron Barrett and Casey Janssen taking a loss each. Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani will get his second crack at the Nationals tonight. The rookie allowed two runs on eight hits over six innings to claim the win over Washington on May 29. The Nationals recalled lefty...

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Nationals recall left-hander Sammy Solis, place right-hander David Carpenter on paternity list

July 06, 2015, 11:13am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals recalled left-handed pitcher Sammy Solis from Double-A Harrisburg and placed right-handed pitcher David Carpenter on the paternity list. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Solis, 26, returns to the Nationals for his second stint of the season. In five games out of the Nationals' bullpen earlier this season, Solis was 1-0 with a 5.00 ERA in 9.0 innings of work. Solis began his Major League career with six consecutive...