Mark Zuckerman

With two positive steps forward, Doolittle can smile again

August 31, 2020, 9:02pm

If you're looking for silver linings from Nationals losses - and lord knows that's fast becoming a nightly pursuit - Sean Doolittle is your man. The left-hander's return from a two-week stint in Fredericksburg to rehab his knee and get his mechanics back in order has gotten off to an especially encouraging start. Sunday's relief appearance in Boston - four batters faced, two outs recorded, two weakly hit singles allowed - was a nice step in the right direction. Monday's 1-2-3 bottom of the...

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Familiar pattern in Nationals' 8-6 loss to Phillies (updated)

August 31, 2020, 5:57pm

Nationals

If Mike Rizzo's message in standing pat at this afternoon's trade deadline was to let his Nationals players know he still believes this group is capable of a second-half push into a pennant race, the message they sent back to their general manager tonight in Philadelphia was that nothing has changed on the field. This 8-6 loss to the Phillies bore far too much resemblance to so many losses that have preceded it this season. The starting pitcher, Erick Fedde, again dug his team into a sizeable...

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Nationals stand pat at deadline, stick with roster (updated)

August 31, 2020, 12:15pm

Nationals

What does a defending champion sitting seven games under .500 in the strangest season in baseball history do at the trade deadline? Nothing. The Nationals did not make any deals before today's 4 p.m. deadline, opting instead to stick with the roster as currently constructed and hope it can turn things around over the final month of this 60-game season. "If there's something out there that we could've gotten, they would've gotten it to help us," manager Davey Martinez said from...

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Even in odd season, deadline day feels familiar for Nats

August 30, 2020, 7:32pm

Nationals

Even in odd season, deadline day feels familiar for Nats

As he watched a Nationals club with lofty expectations struggle to generate any kind of positive momentum and arrive at the trade deadline with a sub-.500 record, general manager Mike Rizzo explained why he felt like his best course of action was to stand pat with the roster as is, neither buying a big-name player who could make an immediate impact or sell a popular veteran set to become a free agent at season's end. "Track record," Rizzo said. "We believe in the players we have. ... We...

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Another bad start for Voth, another series loss for Nats (updated)

August 30, 2020, 1:03pm

Nationals

Another bad start for Voth, another series loss for Nats (updated)

The 2020 season is now more than halfway complete, and the defending World Series champs still have won only a single three-game series. Not even a weekend at Fenway Park against a Red Sox roster that is now a shell of its 2018 championship form could cure what ails the Nationals. The 2019 champs still can't get consistent starting pitching or consistent offensive production with runners on base. And because of that, the Nats lost again this afternoon, 9-5, for yet another series loss and yet...

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After fortuitously timed signing, Holt hopes to help Nats

August 30, 2020, 8:48am

Nationals

After fortuitously timed signing, Holt hopes to help Nats

Though he knew he wouldn't be re-signing with the Red Sox last winter and wound up with the Brewers instead, Brock Holt decided to keep living in his suburban Boston home. So when the veteran utility man was designated for assignment last week, he returned home and decided to enjoy the time with his pregnant wife, Lakyn, and their 3-year-old son, Griffin, while waiting to get a call from another club. The call came Friday from the Nationals, and Holt was eager to join the defending World...

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Game 31 lineups: Nats at Red Sox

August 30, 2020, 7:14am

Nationals

The 2020 regular season is now 50 percent complete, and the Nationals have won exactly one series to date. And even that requires an asterisk: They won both of their designated "road" games against the Blue Jays at Nationals Park, which officially counted as its own two-game series even though it immediately followed Toronto's two straight wins in the same park with the Nats serving as home team. Point is, this team simply hasn't been able to get onto any kind of modest roll and at least...

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Braymer all smiles after "humbling and awesome" debut

August 28, 2020, 9:52pm

Nationals

Braymer all smiles after "humbling and awesome" debut

Ben Braymer, like every young ballplayer, had always wondered what his major league debut would look like. He had conjured up some images in his head, perhaps imagining a start at Nationals Park against the Braves or Phillies. Or maybe he'd be on the road in a hostile environment like Philadelphia. But Fenway Park? In relief? With no fans in attendance? While wearing a nameless No. 42 jersey? None of that ever crossed the left-hander's mind until it all happened to him Friday night during the...

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Scherzer starts, finishes strong in blowout at Fenway (updated)

August 28, 2020, 6:53pm

Nationals

Scherzer starts, finishes strong in blowout at Fenway (updated)

For a guy who firmly believes a start is defined by the last 10 to 15 pitches he throws, Max Scherzer was not satisfied with his two previous outings this summer. In each case, an otherwise strong start ended on a sour note, with the Nationals ace surrendering four late runs to fritter away what seemed like a comfortable lead. So when he walked off the mound at fabled Fenway Park tonight, having just put a definitive stamp on a classic Scherzer pitching performance, the three-time Cy Young...

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Eaton moved down in order, pairing Turner and Soto at top

August 28, 2020, 2:02pm

Nationals

Eaton moved down in order, pairing Turner and Soto at top

Injuries, opt-outs and inconsistent performances have forced Davey Martinez to reconsider his batting order almost every day this season. Tonight, circumstances prompted the Nationals manager to make one of his biggest lineup changes to date. Adam Eaton, who has batted second in each of the 25 games he's played so far this year, was bumped down to the sixth spot for tonight's series opener against the Red Sox. That move, which allows Juan Soto to move up to the No. 2 position, was made in...

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Game 29 lineups: Nats at Red Sox

August 28, 2020, 12:23pm

Nationals

They are playing baseball tonight in Boston, where the Nationals make their first trip to Fenway Park since 2015 and only their fourth visit in club history. Each of the three previous series there has been lopsided: The not-so-good 2006 Nats were swept, the very good 2012 team swept the Red Sox in something of a coming-out party and the disappointing 2015 team played poorly while losing two-of-three in a mid-April series. Tonight is a special occasion across the majors, which is celebrating a...

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After emotional day, a challenge for Nats to refocus on baseball

August 27, 2020, 8:20pm

Nationals

After emotional day, a challenge for Nats to refocus on baseball

At the end of an emotional day during an emotional week during an emotional year, the Nationals gathered on buses headed for Dulles International Airport, took a charter flight to Boston, checked into their hotel, tried to put everything swirling around their heads aside for a little while and get a good night's rest. They'll wake up this morning and focus on preparing for their series opener against the Red Sox, a game that by coincidence is taking place on Major League Baseball's...

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Nationals, Phillies jointly decide not to play series finale (updated)

August 27, 2020, 11:01am

Nationals

Tonight's series finale at Nationals Park was postponed after players from both the Phillies and Nationals chose not to participate in the latest symbolic move by professional athletes to redirect attention toward racial inequality and police brutality. Phillies players met at their team hotel at 1 p.m. today and about an hour later decided not to play. Phillies manager Joe Girardi called Nationals skipper Davey Martinez, who had already planned to meet with Nationals players at 4 p.m., and as...

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Nats expect Kieboom to return once swing progresses

August 26, 2020, 10:20pm

Nationals

Nats expect Kieboom to return once swing progresses

The Nationals' decision to demote Carter Kieboom on Wednesday, while surprising, came down to one irrefutable fact: The rookie infielder wasn't hitting enough to continue warranting a spot on the major league roster. It was not, manager Davey Martinez insisted, a reflection of a change in the organization's long-term belief in Kieboom. "I told him: 'Hey, you're going to be our third baseman,' " Martinez said during Wednesday night's postgame Zoom session with reporters, the first...

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Nationals play on, lose another to Phillies (updated)

August 26, 2020, 5:25pm

Nationals

As a significant portion of the sporting world stepped off the field and the court tonight in an attempt to redirect attention toward racial inequality and police brutality, the Nationals and Phillies played as scheduled, the domino effect of the Milwaukee Bucks' decision to call off their NBA playoff game having not had much time to reach Washington before this early 6:05 p.m. ballgame. Players, managers and others with both clubs surely will have things to say about what's happening in this...

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Slumping Kieboom demoted, Doolittle activated off IL

August 26, 2020, 11:34am

Nationals

Slumping Kieboom demoted, Doolittle activated off IL

Their 60-game season nearly halfway complete, the Nationals decided to pull the plug (at least temporarily) on Plan A for replacing Anthony Rendon at third base. The Nats optioned struggling rookie Carter Kieboom to their alternate training site in Fredericksburg this afternoon, an unexpected transaction that also saw reliever Sean Doolittle activated off the 10-day injured list. Though Kieboom had been struggling at the plate - he was batting .200 (10-for-50) with zero extra-base hits, 11...

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Game 28 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

August 26, 2020, 11:24am

Nationals

The Nationals need a good start tonight from Patrick Corbin. It's that simple. With their own lineup ailing and ace Aaron Nola on the mound for the Phillies, it's probably too much to count on a big night at the plate. So it's up to Corbin to provide quality innings, hold the Philly lineup down and allow Davey Martinez to use only a couple of his best relievers late instead of asking them to provide the kind of length that has been required more often than not this season. The left-hander...

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Nats lose battle of bullpens to Phillies after rain delay (updated)

August 25, 2020, 6:31pm

Nationals

Nats lose battle of bullpens to Phillies after rain delay (updated)

Rarely do we think of D.C.'s summer weather as an advantage for the Nationals, who lament the heat, humidity and evening thunderstorms as much as any commuter from Fairfax or Silver Spring. But when a storm rolled through South Capitol Street at the end of the fifth inning tonight, it felt appropriate to wonder if the Nats might actually benefit from the situation. When play resumed, the Phillies were probably going to have to pull starter Jake Arrieta, even though he had cruised through five...

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Martinez sticking with Voth, wants him to trust fastball more

August 25, 2020, 11:38am

Nationals

Martinez sticking with Voth, wants him to trust fastball more

Davey Martinez hadn't yet met with Austin Voth when he held his daily pregame Zoom session with reporters this afternoon. But the Nationals manager was more than willing to share in advance what he planned to say to his struggling right-hander. "I can tell you now: I'm not going to give up on him," Martinez said. Despite a consistent pattern of ineffectiveness in his first five starts of the season - typically coming the second time he has to face an opposing lineup - it appears Voth will...

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Game 27 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

August 25, 2020, 10:12am

Nationals

The season is nearly halfway complete, and tonight the Nationals and Phillies finally meet for the first time in 2020. And they meet as co-cellar-dwellers in the National League East. Who saw that coming? For many reasons, this is an important three-game series. The Nats need to start winning more games than they lose. And they need to start getting more consistent work from their rotation. Erick Fedde has been a pleasant surprise so far this year. Now that he's permanently starting in place...