Mark Zuckerman

Source: Nats signing veteran Hellickson to minor league deal

March 16, 2018, 1:55pm

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - After spending the last month watching their in-house candidates pitch in person and prominent free agents agree to deals elsewhere, the Nationals appear to have found a surprise new choice to be their No. 5 starter. The club has agreed to terms on a minor league contract with Jeremy Hellickson, according to a source familiar with the deal, making the 30-year-old right-hander the sudden odds-on favorite to fill the final spot in the Nationals rotation. Hellickson's deal...

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Gonzalez proves he's fine, Fedde proves he's back

March 16, 2018, 12:53pm

Nationals

Gonzalez proves he's fine, Fedde proves he's back

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - From his perch in the Nationals dugout, Davey Martinez saw Gio Gonzalez start moving his body around in a manner that suggested something didn't feel right. And when the left-hander grabbed his side, Martinez had only one thought. "No, no, no," the first-year Nationals manager said. "Now's not the time." So Martinez told director of athletic training Paul Lessard the two of them needed to go check on Gonzalez. Lessard, who has been with the club for three seasons,...

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Despite brief scare, Gonzalez solid vs. St. Louis (Nats win 4-2)

March 16, 2018, 10:42am

Nationals

Despite brief scare, Gonzalez solid vs. St. Louis (Nats win 4-2)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Despite giving everyone in the park a brief scare that prompted a mound visit from a trainer, Gio Gonzalez made it through today's outing in one piece and pitched quite well against a Cardinals lineup featuring several regulars. Gonzalez allowed one run in five innings, that coming on Jedd Gyorko's leadoff homer to left in the top of the fourth. The moment of panic, though, came during his final inning. After throwing a pitch to Dexter Fowler, Gonzalez appeared to land...

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Eaton plans to make long-awaited return Saturday

March 16, 2018, 8:35am

Nationals

Eaton plans to make long-awaited return Saturday

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Adam Eaton's long-awaited day has finally arrived. Nearly 11 months after tearing the ACL in his left knee, the Nationals outfielder will be in the lineup Saturday playing in a major league spring training game for the first time. "It's time to go," he said, "and we're going to go." Eaton is penciled in to bat third and start in left field when the Nationals face the Mets. He'll get two at-bats and play multiple innings in the field, with no restrictions beyond...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in West Palm Beach

March 16, 2018, 6:40am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's a beautiful day here, not just for a ballgame but also for some golf. So, naturally, Davey Martinez had his entire team engage in a closest-to-the-pin competition this morning. Everyone had to hit a blind, 100-yard shot off the agility field, over the bullpen and into a circled-off area on Field 2. There were several bullseyes (denoted by three quick air horn blasts) and several more near-bullseyes (denoted by one or two air horn blasts). In the end, the team...

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Is Fedde forcing his way into the No. 5 starter's job?

March 15, 2018, 7:14pm

Nationals

Is Fedde forcing his way into the No. 5 starter's job?

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals had been saying all along they were content to enter the season picking a No. 5 starter from the pool of less-than-ideal candidates already in-house, but all along there loomed the specter of a major spring training addition. Now, though, with only 13 days to go until the season opener, and with Jake Arrieta a Phillie, Lance Lynn a Twin and Alex Cobb still unsigned but apparently not on their radar, the Nats have all but confirmed they will indeed go into...

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Finding meaningful developments on an ugly day for Nats

March 15, 2018, 1:20pm

Nationals

Finding meaningful developments on an ugly day for Nats

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Earlier this spring, Davey Martinez explained that he never lets himself obsess over a day's game for more than 30 minutes upon its completion, win or lose. In this sport, there's no value in stressing out over what just happened, not when there's another game to prepare for in 24 hours. So as he sat in his office this afternoon following an excruciating 12-3 exhibition loss to the Astros that featured just about every manner of sloppiness possible in one ballgame,...

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Rizzo on state of bullpen and S. Romero's return (Nats fall 12-3)

March 15, 2018, 10:07am

Nationals

Rizzo on state of bullpen and S. Romero's return (Nats fall 12-3)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Koda Glover hasn't thrown a baseball since reporting to camp with a sore shoulder. Joaquin Benoit, signed the first week of spring training, has a 9.00 ERA. Matt Albers is in Arizona wearing a Brewers uniform. That might all be cause for concern for the Nationals, who don't have any real sure things in their bullpen beyond the three veterans acquired last July in trades. But general manager Mike Rizzo insists he's not looking for more upgrades from outside the...

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Time running out for Murphy, but Eaton about ready to play

March 15, 2018, 8:34am

Nationals

Time running out for Murphy, but Eaton about ready to play

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Though they still won't rule out the possibility, the Nationals recognize Daniel Murphy's odds of being ready for opening day are getting slimmer by the day. Murphy, who had microfracture surgery on his right knee in October, has been taking batting practice and fielding light grounders but has not been in any game-like situations yet. With the season opener in Cincinnati only 14 days away, time is running out for the veteran second baseman to get the preparation...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

March 15, 2018, 5:27am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Would you believe we're now only two weeks away from opening day? It's true: A mere 14 days from now, the Nationals will be taking the field in Cincinnati for a game that actually counts in the standings. If you're looking for the Nats to field their full "A" lineup for the first time this spring, though, you're going to have to keep waiting. Adam Eaton, Michael A. Taylor and Ryan Zimmerman continue to get their at-bats in minor league games, and Daniel Murphy...

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What drives veteran Madson to keep pitching at elite level?

March 14, 2018, 2:08pm

Nationals

What drives veteran Madson to keep pitching at elite level?

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Ryan Madson is the type of person who doesn't provide a quick, stock answer to a question. Ask the 37-year-old reliever something and he'll pause before saying anything, consider his thoughts on the subject and then reveal them in a matter-of-fact tone. Which made his answer to the following question - "After a long and productive career spanning 15 seasons, what drives you to keep pitching in the majors?" - more elaborate and more interesting than a reporter might...

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Scherzer ramps things up, Nats make six more cuts

March 13, 2018, 6:49pm

Nationals

Scherzer ramps things up, Nats make six more cuts

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Maybe it was the fact they were playing under the lights for the first time this spring. Maybe it was the fact he was stretched out to five innings for the first time. Or maybe it was simply the fact he's Max Scherzer. Whatever the case, the Nationals ace seemed to be even more amped up than usual for tonight's start against the Mets, one in which he posted five zeros, allowed one hit, struck out nine and strutted around the mound more than once. Scherzer may not be...

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Wieters keeps hitting, Scherzer keeps dealing (Nats win 7-4)

March 13, 2018, 4:41pm

Nationals

Wieters keeps hitting, Scherzer keeps dealing (Nats win 7-4)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla - The closer we get to opening day and the more he keeps piling up hits, the more Matt Wieters looks like he may legitimately have figured something out at the plate. Already having shown marked improvement through the first half of spring training, Wieters hasn't let up tonight. The veteran catcher had hits in each of his first two at-bats against Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler, raising his Grapefruit League batting average to a cool .438. Wieters' hits tonight, like...

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Updates on Cole, Taylor, Murphy and more

March 13, 2018, 2:31pm

Nationals

Updates on Cole, Taylor, Murphy and more

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Though he couldn't make his scheduled start Monday due to an illness, A.J. Cole is already back throwing and should be able to slot back into his spot in the Nationals rotation by the end of the week. Cole was supposed to face the Tigers in Lakeland but had to be scratched a day in advance after he fell victim to a stomach bug. The right-hander did feel well enough Monday to throw a side session off a bullpen mound, manager Davey Martinez said, and he emerged from that...

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The history of Nats managers, through Zimmerman's eyes

March 13, 2018, 11:32am

Nationals

The history of Nats managers, through Zimmerman's eyes

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals have experienced plenty of change over the years, nowhere more so than in the manager's office. Davey Martinez is now the club's seventh full-time manager in 14 seasons in Washington, with none of his predecessors having survived longer than 2 1/2 seasons. Only one player has been around for every one of the seven skippers: Ryan Zimmerman, the organization's first draft pick in 2005. Zimmerman's career has included its own share of changes, but he has...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Mets in West Palm Beach

March 13, 2018, 11:13am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Mets in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - And we're back. Caught a flight back down to Florida this morning, just in time to see the Nationals take on a Mets split-squad this evening at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Thanks as always to Pete Kerzel for filling in during my break; I'll be with you the rest of the way, which actually isn't that much longer. There are only 12 Grapefruit League games left on the schedule before the club packs up and heads north. We still aren't seeing anything close to...

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Excited Soto gets his first chance to play in front of coaches

March 04, 2018, 12:05pm

Nationals

Excited Soto gets his first chance to play in front of coaches

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Juan Soto's exuberance, possibly over-exuberance, was understandable. Here was a 19-year-old prospect standing in the batter's box in a major league Grapefruit League game for the first time, pinch-hitting for Howie Kendrick in the bottom of the sixth of Sunday's game against the Tigers. So when Soto nearly swung out of his shoes a couple of times while striking out against 22-year-old right-hander Gerson Moreno, those in the park with big league experience weren't...

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Adams, Harper return healthy and productive in win over Tigers

March 04, 2018, 11:23am

Nationals

Adams, Harper return healthy and productive in win over Tigers

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - As happy as he was to see Matt Adams launch a ball off the right field wall in the bottom of the second today, Davey Martinez also couldn't help but cringe a little once he realized Adams was going to have to try to stretch the hit into a triple. "I'm going: 'Oh lord, stop,'" the manager said. "He said he felt fine. My biggest thing about spring training is the fear of injuries. Every day we get through a game and nobody gets hurt, it's a good day." Chalk up...

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Harper belts first homer of spring (Nats win 6-2)

March 04, 2018, 9:21am

Nationals

Harper belts first homer of spring (Nats win 6-2)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It had been a quiet spring so far for Bryce Harper. Too quiet, to be honest. There was his introductory press conference, during which he made it clear he won't answer questions about his looming free agency. There were some nondescript at-bats in his first couple of Grapefruit League games. And then there were three days off after having an ingrown toenail removed. Sooner or later, Harper was going to do something eye-catching, right? Yep. It happened in the bottom of...

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Nationals' plan behind the plate remains a question

March 04, 2018, 7:04am

Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - One of the few legitimate roster decisions the Nationals need to make this spring is behind the plate, where Matt Wieters returns as the No. 1 catcher but the backup position is up for grabs. As much conjecture as there was over the winter about the Nationals pursuing an upgrade - J.T. Realmuto? Alex Avila? Jonathan Lucroy? - general manger Mike Rizzo continues to stand behind Wieters, who he believes is primed for a bounceback season. The backup job? That's up for...