Mark Zuckerman

Game 71 lineups: Nats at Marlins

June 20, 2017, 11:29am

MIAMI - It's a new day at Marlins Park, where the Nationals will try to rebound from last night's aggravating 8-7 loss, one that featured a host of poor performances and costly mistakes. Given how much they needed their bullpen (six total innings), the Nats will be asking for length tonight from Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez, the Miami native, is trying to continue his strong first-half run, one that could earn him a trip back home next month for the All-Star Game. This actually is the lefty's...

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After another poor start, Roark searches for answers

June 19, 2017, 8:32pm

Nationals

After another poor start, Roark searches for answers

MIAMI - Tanner Roark thought he had solved his problems a few weeks ago, when he emerged from a rough stretch to begin the season with three consecutive dominant starts. Now the Nationals right-hander finds himself right back where he started, still searching for answers after a third consecutive subpar outing. At this point, Roark is getting pretty mad. At himself. "My body felt good. My arm felt good," he said. "I just need to stop pitching like crap." Monday night's 8-7 loss to the...

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After losing Rendon to neck injury, Nats beat themselves up over loss

June 19, 2017, 8:05pm

Nationals

After losing Rendon to neck injury, Nats beat themselves up over loss

MIAMI - Tonight's 8-7 loss to Miami was disheartening enough for the Nationals, who have suffered their share of comparable losses this season. But this one stung a little more, with players inside the visitors clubhouse at Marlins Park particularly upset because of the manner in which this game was lost. And that doesn't even take into account the loss of Anthony Rendon to a neck injury. (Though the news on that front was relatively encouraging.) "He had a stinger in his neck," manager...

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Nats blow early six-run lead, lose 8-7 on Ozuna's walk-off hit

June 19, 2017, 6:44pm

Nationals

Nats blow early six-run lead, lose 8-7 on Ozuna's walk-off hit

MIAMI - Up six runs against yet another division rival hopelessly trying to get within striking distance of the comfortable division leaders? What could possibly go wrong for the Nationals? Well, a lot, as it turned out. Not only did the Nats blow a six-run lead to the Marlins, their subsequent 8-7 loss in tonight's series opener also saw Anthony Rendon depart with an apparent injury. The Marlins stormed back to score six runs off Tanner Roark in the bottom of the third, tied the game again in...

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Rendon departs in fifth with apparent injury (Nats lose 8-7)

June 19, 2017, 5:19pm

Nationals

Rendon departs in fifth with apparent injury (Nats lose 8-7)

MIAMI - The Nationals thought they had tonight's series opener in hand, up six runs in the third inning. But that lead dissipated in a hurry against Tanner Roark. And if that wasn't agonizing enough to watch, Anthony Rendon then had to be removed from the game with an apparent injury. Rendon had made a quick-reflex, diving snag of Giancarlo Stanton's rocket grounder in the bottom of the third - the ball left the Miami slugger's bat at a whopping 114 mph - and managed to throw across the...

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Harper extends hit streak to 12 games with homer

June 19, 2017, 4:36pm

Nationals

Harper extends hit streak to 12 games with homer

MIAMI - That slump Bryce Harper appeared to be digging himself into on the West Coast a couple weeks ago? Yeah, he's out of it. With his latest home run, Harper not only extended his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games. He also set the tone for the Nationals on a night in which everybody is teeing off against Marlins left-hander Justin Nicolino. Unfortunately, Miami did the same to Tanner Roark in the bottom of the third. Harper destroyed a 3-2 fastball from Nicolino in the top of the...

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Werth, back in D.C., still not cleared for baseball activities

June 19, 2017, 2:15pm

Nationals

Werth, back in D.C., still not cleared for baseball activities

MIAMI - It has been 16 days since Jayson Werth fouled a ball off his left foot, six days since the Nationals outfielder was eligible to return from the disabled list. And it's going to continue to be a while until Werth is back in the Nats lineup. Despite initial hope he wouldn't need more than the minimum 10 days on the DL, Werth remains out. He remains in Washington, rehabbing with the club's non-traveling training staff, not yet having been cleared for baseball activities. "We were...

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Game 70 lineups: Nats at Marlins

June 19, 2017, 11:29am

Nationals

MIAMI - Hello from beautiful - oh, who are we kidding? - Marlins Park. I will say this about the Least Popular Ballpark in the National League: At least it has a roof, because it has been pouring here all day. So weather will not be a factor for tonight's opener between the Nationals and Marlins, nor for the rest of this three-game series. Fresh off a strong weekend in New York, where they took 3-of-4 from the Mets, the Nats now face a quietly improving Miami club. These guys have won 13-of-20...

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Weekend series in New York suddenly looms large for Nationals

June 15, 2017, 4:15am

Nationals

The Nationals have led the National League East division for all but three days this season, every day since April 16. And they've led the division by at least seven games every day since May 13. That's about as comfortable as it gets this early in the baseball calendar. And yet this weekend the Nationals find themselves facing a sudden and surprising big series in New York. The Mets, who have been beset with injuries and all other sorts of calamities in the season's first 2 1/2 months,...

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After dominant road trip, Nationals slog through 2-5 homestand

June 14, 2017, 4:24pm

Nationals

They came home one week ago, flying high after a 7-2 trip through California, and then, despite the lack of an off-day to recuperate, blew out the Orioles in a makeup game. What wasn't there to like about the Nationals at that moment? All along, though, Dusty Baker knew this was going to be an especially difficult stretch of the season for his team. Because of that makeup game, the Nationals found themselves needing to play 20 games in 20 days, never a manager's preference. So Baker couldn't...

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Nationals ransacked by Braves 13-2 in series finale

June 14, 2017, 3:23pm

Nationals

On the heels of one of their best West Coast trips ever, the Nationals laid an egg over the last week at home. With an uninspired 13-2 loss to the Braves this afternoon, the Nats ended their homestand on a sour note. They finished 2-5 against Baltimore, Texas and Atlanta, leaving their 7-2 trip through California a distant memory. Today's series finale might have been the low point of the week. It didn't involve a late bullpen meltdown like some previous losses, but it was a fairly lifeless...

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Today's draftees include Baker's son, Cousins' cousin (Nats lose 13-2)

June 14, 2017, 12:25pm

Nationals

Today's draftees include Baker's son, Cousins' cousin (Nats lose 13-2)

On the final day of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft, the Nationals took a couple of kids with awfully recognizable last names. The Nationals drafted both Darren Baker (Dusty's son) and Jake Cousins (Kirk's cousin) amid their flurry of third-day picks that spanned 30 rounds. Darren Baker, 18, is an infielder who hit .396 with a .476 on-base percentage at Jesuit High School in suburban Sacramento, Calif. He has already committed to play for the University of California and is expected to...

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Baker makes plea for bullpen help, discusses Alexandria shooting

June 14, 2017, 11:25am

Nationals

Baker makes plea for bullpen help, discusses Alexandria shooting

Dusty Baker is tired of talking about his bullpen. But every time the subject comes up, the Nationals manager finds new ways to express his opinion and perhaps drop even more hints at the front office to address the club's biggest - only? - glaring hole. "They've all struggled," Baker said of a bullpen that enters play today with a 5.02 ERA (second-worst in the majors) and .808 opponent OPS (tied for worst in the majors). "Which one would you pick out to replace? Cause I hear people from...

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Game 65 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

June 14, 2017, 8:32am

Nationals

The Nationals and Braves wrap up their series later this afternoon (weather permitting) and that means we get the latest round of Bryce Harper versus Julio Teheran. Harper owns no pitcher in baseball like he owns Teheran. In his career, he's 15-for-33 with seven homers, 17 RBIs and a 1.720 OPS against the Braves right-hander. This season? He's 2-for-2 with two homers, five RBIs and a 5.000 OPS. Yeah, probably worth tuning in at least for those head-to-head encounters. Tanner Roark gets the...

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On Murphy's big night in the field and dispute with Porter

June 14, 2017, 4:14am

Nationals

On Murphy's big night in the field and dispute with Porter

Daniel Murphy went 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and two RBIs during the Nationals' 10-5 victory over the Braves on Tuesday night, but he might've had an even greater impact on the proceedings in the field than at the plate. And in spite of a bizarre confrontation with an umpire in the top of the second inning. Murphy fielded six grounders hit his way during the game, turning two of them into above-average double plays. That included a first-inning 4-6-3 on a hot shot by Nick Markakis in...

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With pair of homers, Zimmerman etches name into franchise lore

June 13, 2017, 7:54pm

Nationals

With pair of homers, Zimmerman etches name into franchise lore

It's an odd existence this franchise has lived, what with 36 years spent north of the border in Montreal followed by the last 13 years in Washington, but by Major League Baseball's definition the Expos and Nationals count as one franchise. Whether fans in either city want to embrace that definition or not, there's no denying the talent that has worn this franchise's various uniforms, from Andre Dawson to Tim Raines to Gary Carter to Larry Walker to Vladimir Guerrero to Alfonso Soriano to...

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Zimmerman's homers, bullpen's zeroes give Nats 10-5 victory

June 13, 2017, 6:22pm

Nationals

Zimmerman's homers, bullpen's zeroes give Nats 10-5 victory

Ryan Zimmerman returned to the lineup with a pair of big blasts. And the Nationals bullpen preserved a late lead for the first time on this homestand, helping snap a four-game losing streak. Zimmerman's two home runs off R.A. Dickey paced the Nationals' offensive barrage during tonight's 10-5 victory over the Braves, one that avoided the kind of relief meltdown that became commonplace in previous nights. Enny Romero pitched two scoreless frames after Zimmerman's second blast gave the Nats...

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Zimmerman returns to lineup after three-day break

June 13, 2017, 2:00pm

Nationals

Zimmerman returns to lineup after three-day break

There have been times in recent years when the loss of Ryan Zimmerman for three games wouldn't have had a dramatic effect on the Nationals, given the veteran's well-documented struggles at the plate. Right now, though, every game Zimmerman misses is a big deal for the Nats, who understandably are thrilled to have their cleanup hitter and MVP candidate back in the lineup for tonight's game against the Braves. Zimmerman sat out the last three days after tweaking his back, though he admittedly...

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Game 64 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

June 13, 2017, 11:06am

Nationals

It's an absolute scorcher here at Nationals Park today. And if last night was any indication, the ball should be flying out of the park again. The Nationals will have to hope that unlike last night, they can hit more balls out than they give up. So the challenge is on Joe Ross to duplicate his performance from over the weekend against the Orioles, when he struck out 12 batters. He pitched well against the Braves earlier this season, so perhaps this is a good matchup for the erratic...

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Nationals "comfortable" Romero's maturity won't be an issue

June 12, 2017, 8:34pm

Nationals

In making Seth Romero their first-round draft pick this year, the Nationals know they're getting one of the most talented amateur left-handers out there, with an arm they believe is big league-ready right now. They also know they're getting perhaps the first-rounder with the biggest question mark attached to his name. In the end, general manager Mike Rizzo, vice president of scouting operations Kris Kline and the rest of the Nationals front office believe the immense talent Romero brings to...