Strasburg "fine" after comebacker, worst loss of season

Strasburg "fine" after comebacker, worst loss of season
First things first: Stephen Strasburg says he feels fine after taking a comebacker off his right hip in the top of the third inning today, and says that won't impact his ability to pitch in Tuesday night's All-Star Game. The decision to remove Strasburg from the game at the end of that inning, with the Braves already leading by six runs and on their way to a 13-0 drubbing of the Nationals, was made by manager Dusty Baker and pitching coach Mike Maddux, not the pitcher himself. Though Baker...
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Nationals battered by Braves during first shutout loss of 2017

Nationals battered by Braves during first shutout loss of 2017
They didn't get the start they needed from Stephen Strasburg. They didn't get the defense they needed to aid their All-Star pitcher. And they didn't get the offense they typically have produced against Julio Teheran. The Nationals didn't do much right this afternoon, and so the ensuing result - a 13-0 whitewashing at the hands of the Braves - shouldn't come as much of a surprise. In a fairly uninspired performance, the Nationals got down early to Atlanta and never put forth a serious...
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Strasburg hit by comebacker, departs (Nats lose 13-0)

Strasburg hit by comebacker, departs (Nats lose 13-0)
Stephen Strasburg's All-Star first half ended with a thud this afternoon. And that might end up keeping him from pitching in Tuesday night's Midsummer Classic in Miami. Strasburg departed after only three innings today, giving up six runs (three earned) to a Braves lineup that has given him fits plenty of times before. Whether his early departure was a due to the comebacker he took off his right hip is not yet known, but it appeared to play some role in the decision. Strasburg already was...
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Who starts Sunday's first-half finale?

Who starts Sunday's first-half finale?
They haven't made any formal announcement yet, but the Nationals appear to be setting things up for Joe Ross to start Sunday's first-half finale against the Braves. Officially, the Nationals are still deciding between Ross and Tanner Roark for the assignment. "We don't know," manager Dusty Baker said when asked if Ross will make the start. "It just depends on if we might have to use one or the other (today). It'll either be him or Tanner." The insinuation was that the plan could be...
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Game 87 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 87 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
The Nationals and Braves resume their four-game series later this afternoon, with Stephen Strasburg on the mound for his final start of the season's first half. Strasburg is headed to the All-Star Game after this, but it'll be interesting to see if he ends up pitching Tuesday night in Miami on only two days' rest. It may depend on how far he goes today. Julio Teheran starts for the Braves, and that typically has been good news for the Nationals (who have had a lot of success against him) and...
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On the decision to let Scherzer try to finish the eighth inning

On the decision to let Scherzer try to finish the eighth inning
Max Scherzer communicates with his manager and pitching coach as well as anybody in the sport, and for that and many other reasons he has earned the trust of both to dictate (most of the time) how long he can remain in a ballgame. So if you're wondering who decided Scherzer should remain on the mound in the top of the eighth inning Friday night, as his pitch count first topped 110 and then reached 120, the answer is ... Scherzer himself. "He said he was good," manager Dusty Baker said. "We...
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Contributions abound in Nationals' come-from-behind win

Contributions abound in Nationals' come-from-behind win
How did the Nationals pull a 5-4, 10-inning victory over the Braves out of their caps tonight? Take your pick. There was Daniel Murphy's game-winning hit to deep left field in the bottom of the 10th, but that wouldn't have been possible without Adrián Sanchez's first career hit to ignite the rally. And the Nationals only found themselves in a situation where one run would win the game because Matt Albers induced a 6-4-3 double play from Matt Kemp in the top of the 10th with the go-ahead...
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Furious rally propels Nationals to 5-4 10-inning win over Braves

Furious rally propels Nationals to 5-4 10-inning win over Braves
They endured through a miserable Thursday night (and Friday morning) at the ballpark that included a controversial rain delay, the injury of their center fielder and a loss to the Braves. And then they endured through eight frustrating innings tonight in which they couldn't produce against a 42-year-old knuckleballer and were on the verge of another loss. And then came one of those magical bottom-of-the-ninth rallies that can completely change your opinion of a long night at the ballpark....
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Veteran starters dueling on South Capitol Street (Nats win 5-4)

Veteran starters dueling on South Capitol Street (Nats win 5-4)
Max Scherzer has been very good but had one little slip-up. R.A. Dickey, meanwhile, has been near-perfect. And so the veteran right-hander on the mound tonight at Nationals Park making a run at history isn't Scherzer, but rather Dickey, who has tossed four no-hit innings so far to lead the Braves to a slim lead over the Nationals. Dickey and Scherzer each retired the first nine batters he faced before anyone finally broke through in the fourth. Scherzer opened that frame allowing a leadoff...
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With Taylor on DL and Werth weeks away, outfield shuffled again

With Taylor on DL and Werth weeks away, outfield shuffled again
They lost Adam Eaton to a season-ending ACL tear on April 28. They lost Jayson Werth to a bone bruise on the inside of his left foot on June 3. And now that they've lost Michael A. Taylor to a strained right oblique muscle, the Nationals are finding their outfield depth tested like never before. With Taylor officially placed on the 10-day disabled list this afternoon, the Nationals will turn to their third-string center fielder for the immediate future: Brian Goodwin. And they'll turn to a...
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Game 86 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 86 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
The sun is shining, the tarp is all rolled up, everybody is (sort of) refreshed after sleeping in this morning and the Nationals and Braves are preparing to play the second game of their four-game series tonight. The Nationals have issued a public apology for their handling of last night's (non-)rain delay and have begun to take some other steps toward appeasing those who were impacted by their decisions. They still have more to do to make things right. In the meantime, the Nats and Braves...
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Nats expect to finalize deal with top pick Romero today

Nats expect to finalize deal with top pick Romero today
The Nationals and left-hander Seth Romero are expected to finalize a deal before today's 5 p.m. EDT deadline, ensuring the organization's first-round draft pick can begin his professional career in short order. Romero, the 25th overall selection of last month's draft, has - like many first-round picks - delayed signing until deadline day, but he's expected to come to terms on time, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. Terms of Romero's expected deal aren't known, but the...
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After aggravating delay, Nationals lose game and Taylor

After aggravating delay, Nationals lose game and Taylor
The 3-hour, 5-minute rain delay - or the 3-hour, 5-minute non-rain delay, a more accurate description - was bad enough and will have long-lasting negative ramifications for the Nationals, who mishandled an admittedly tricky situation. The subsequent 5-2 loss to the Braves that required 3 hours, 10 minutes to play and was completed at 1:20 a.m. didn't help matters, though the result of one game shouldn't have long-lasting ramifications. But then throw the loss of Michael A. Taylor to a...
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Storm's approach delays series opener (Nats lose 5-2)

Storm's approach delays series opener (Nats lose 5-2)
The foul lines and batter's boxes had been chalked, the infield dragged. The starting pitchers were beginning to stretch in the outfield. The sky above Nationals Park included a fair amount of blue. Yet the start of tonight's game between the Nationals and Braves has been delayed due to approaching weather, the club announced at 6:40 p.m. There is indeed a line of storms approaching from the southwest, though forecasts show the rain arriving sometime around 8:30 p.m., leaving a window for the...
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Rendon finishes third in Final Vote; Baker explains rotation plan

Rendon finishes third in Final Vote; Baker explains rotation plan
Despite a furious push from the Nationals, Anthony Rendon won't be attending the All-Star Game. Rendon finished third out of five National League candidates in this year's All-Star Final Vote, losing out to Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner (who earned a ticket to Miami) and Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant. Rockies first baseman Mark Reynolds and Marlins first baseman Justin Bour finished fourth and fifth, respectively. The Nationals pulled out all the stops over the last three days in...
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Game 85 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 85 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
Let's cut right to the chase: No, I have no idea if they're going to be able to play tonight's game. As was the case last night, the forecast doesn't look good, maybe even worse. But that doesn't mean the Nationals and Braves won't try to get their series opener in. In other words: Stay tuned. As soon as we know, you'll know. If they do play, it'll be Gio Gonzalez on the mound for the Nationals, who elected to skip Tanner Roark's spot after last night's rainout and keep Gonzalez, Max...
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Newly acquired Rodriguez pitches ninth in Harrisburg's victory

Newly acquired Rodriguez pitches ninth in Harrisburg's victory
Francisco Rodriguez officially became a member of the Nationals organization Wednesday night, pitching an inning of relief for Double-A Harrisburg. Rodriguez, the veteran closer signed to a minor league contract last week after he was released by the Tigers, officially joined the roster at Harrisburg. That was a bit of a surprise, considering he was expected to pitch for Triple-A Syracuse. The Nationals, though, aren't so much worried about the level of competition Rodriguez faces as much as...
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Series finale vs. Mets postponed, no makeup announced

Series finale vs. Mets postponed, no makeup announced
The Nationals' series finale against the Mets was postponed when heavy rain converged upon the District shortly before scheduled first pitch and didn't show signs of letting up anytime soon. No makeup date was immediately announced. The two clubs do share a common off-day on Sept. 11, which falls in the middle of a 10-game homestand for the Nationals and the start of a nine-game road trip for the Mets. Otherwise, the teams are scheduled to meet once more in Washington this season: Aug....
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Harper gets day off; Baker explains (start delayed)

Harper gets day off; Baker explains (start delayed)
Bryce Harper is not starting tonight's series finale against the Mets. That may disappoint fans who have tickets to this game, but there could've been even more disappointed fans Tuesday because Dusty Baker initially planned to sit Harper for the Nationals' Independence Day game. "It was planned," Baker said. "I was planning on doing it yesterday, but we talked about it and he loves playing on the Fourth of July. It's like his birthday, he said. So I told him I'll give you the next day...
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Game 85 lineups: Nats vs. Mets

Game 85 lineups: Nats vs. Mets
The Nationals are going for a sweep of the Mets tonight, but in order to pull that off they'll need not only to beat Jacob deGrom but to do it without Bryce Harper in their lineup. Harper is getting a rare day off, only his second this season for a reason not involving minor injury or suspension. We'll find out shortly from Dusty Baker if there's anything else going on, but Harper certainly is deserving of getting a breather if that's all it is. Brian Goodwin takes over in right field, with...
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