Mark Zuckerman

Madson goes on DL with finger sprain, Kelley activated

August 17, 2017, 5:30pm

SAN DIEGO - Just when the Nationals appeared to have to solved their bullpen woes, one of their recently acquired arms has gone down with an injury. Ryan Madson was placed on the 10-day disabled list today with a sprained right index finger, an injury that is not believed to be serious but will nonetheless sideline the club's new setup man for the time being. Shawn Kelley, who already had been close to returning from a long rehab assignment, was activated off the DL and is available out of the...

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Game 119 lineups: Nats at Padres (Madson to DL, Kelley activated)

August 17, 2017, 2:33pm

Nationals

Game 119 lineups: Nats at Padres (Madson to DL, Kelley activated)

SAN DIEGO - Hello from Petco Park, where it's a spectacularly perfect day. Shocking, I know, considering we're in San Diego. The Nationals open a seven-game road trip with the first of four here against the Padres, the undercard I suppose for next week's series in Houston against an excellent Astros club. The Padres are not excellent; they rank last in the majors, scoring 3.88 runs per game, and 23rd in the majors, allowing 5.08 runs per game. The Nats, of course, have boasted the National...

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Nationals keep winning, despite few actual winning streaks

August 15, 2017, 7:39pm

Nationals

The Nationals reached a new milestone during Tuesday night's win over the Angels. They're now 25 games over .500 for the first time this season. Given the fact the Dodgers were on the verge of moving to a staggering 50 games over .500, the Nationals' achievement may not sound all that impressive. But considering the injuries they've overcome, it's no small feat. At 71-46, the Nats are currently on pace to win 98 games, which would match the club record they set in 2012. "I've been...

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With another gem, Gonzalez's season of dominance continues

August 15, 2017, 7:12pm

Nationals

With another gem, Gonzalez's season of dominance continues

He's done this twice in 16 days now, flirted with something special late in a game he's started, so it wasn't unfair to ask Gio Gonzalez when tonight he thought about the fact he had a no-hitter going against the Angels. "Oh god, I'm over that already," the Nationals left-hander insisted. "No more of that. If I can just manage to keep going into the fifth, sixth, seventh inning, I'm just happy to see that." Gonzalez has managed to keep going into the sixth and seventh innings this...

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Gonzalez cruises, Kendrick homers twice in Nats' 3-1 win

August 15, 2017, 5:42pm

Nationals

Gonzalez cruises, Kendrick homers twice in Nats' 3-1 win

Gio Gonzalez kept dominating, Howie Kendrick kept homering and the Nationals bullpen kept finishing things off tonight during a 3-1 victory over the Angels. Gonzalez tossed six scoreless innings, failing to give up a hit until there were two outs in his final frame, and continued his standout season with yet another gem. The left-hander now sports an 11-5 record and 2.49 ERA, has gone at least five innings in all 24 of his starts, has 20 quality starts, has allowed more than four runs only once...

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Strasburg on track to return Saturday, Turner takes BP on field

August 15, 2017, 2:24pm

Nationals

Strasburg on track to return Saturday, Turner takes BP on field

Stephen Strasburg appears to be on track to pitch for the Nationals this weekend after a successful rehab start Monday night. And Trea Turner appears to be on track to play shortstop for them not too much longer after that, after taking batting practice on the field this afternoon for the first time since fracturing his wrist. Today's swath of injury updates on South Capitol Street included two bits of particularly encouraging news involving two of the Nationals' most prominent rehabbing...

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Game 117 lineups: Nats vs. Angels

August 15, 2017, 11:22am

Nationals

After a much-deserved day off, the Nationals are back to work tonight, opening a very quick, two-game interleague series with the Angels. What would have been a marquee matchup between Mike Trout and Bryce Harper unfortunately doesn't carry the same luster anymore, with Harper on the disabled list after injuring his knee Saturday night. So that one head-to-head showdown between the two stars last month in Anaheim will have to suffice. Gio Gonzalez makes the start, seeking a better result than...

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Tuesday morning Nats Q&A

August 14, 2017, 8:12pm

Nationals

It was quite an eventful weekend on South Capitol Street, between the weather, Bryce Harper's injury, three games in just over 24 hours, a walk-off grand slam and other assorted developments. The Nationals needed a day off yesterday (and, I suppose, so did some reporters) but everyone's back to work today, with the Angels coming to town for a quick, two-game series. Before we get to that, let's spend some time this morning taking your questions. As always, submit them in the comments section...

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Nats will keep piecing together lineup while waiting for "cavalry"

August 13, 2017, 6:54pm

Nationals

Nats will keep piecing together lineup while waiting for "cavalry"

As he tried to put Bryce Harper's knee injury into context with the rest of the ailments that have been suffered by the Nationals this summer, Mike Rizzo managed to crack a quick smile with one line. "We've got some significant WAR on the disabled list right now," the general manager said. "And we're still playing extremely well." Indeed, the Nationals already had Trea Turner, Adam Eaton, Jayson Werth, Michael A. Taylor, Stephen Strasburg, Joe Ross, Stephen Drew, Shawn Kelley and Koda...

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Kendrick's walk-off slam ends Nats' long day in dramatic style

August 13, 2017, 6:39pm

Nationals

Kendrick's walk-off slam ends Nats' long day in dramatic style

They played three games in just slightly more than 24 hours, losing their biggest star to injury along the way and needing extra innings at the end of a really long day. After all that, at least the Nationals could say they walked away having won this rapid-fire series against the Giants. With a 6-2, 11-inning victory this evening made possible by Howie Kendrick's walk-off grand slam, the Nationals salvaged a doubleheader split. Combined with their rain-delayed win Saturday night (and early...

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Bryce Harper: "If I feel good, I'm going to play"

August 13, 2017, 1:58pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper: "If I feel good, I'm going to play"

Bryce Harper's initial thought when he fell to the ground in heap Friday night? The same as everyone who was watching it in the stadium and on television: He might have suffered a major knee injury to end his season. "Of course, you're going to think the worst, and I'm one of the worst at it," Harper admitted this afternoon. "I think I'm going to die every time I have a stomachache. It's definitely a bad feeling." But while the rest of the baseball-watching world woke up this morning...

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Nationals drop opener of doubleheader, 4-2, to Giants

August 13, 2017, 12:14pm

Nationals

The Nationals may have had their spirits lifted by the news that Bryce Harper's knee injury is not as serious as they initially feared, but that wasn't enough to overcome a lack of sleep (or the Giants pitching staff) during today's doubleheader opener on South Capitol Street. Rookie right-hander Chris Stratton tossed seven scoreless innings, and the Nationals couldn't mount enough of a rally late during a 4-2 loss to San Francisco, a sour opening to a long day of baseball. Taking the field...

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Taylor grateful to return (Nats lose 4-2)

August 13, 2017, 10:18am

Nationals

Taylor grateful to return (Nats lose 4-2)

Michael A. Taylor didn't expect it to take five weeks to return from a strained right oblique muscle. Then again, he also didn't expect to be summoned back to Washington this morning to replace an injured Bryce Harper. Nevertheless, Taylor found himself boarding a plane in Hartford early this morning bound for Washington, then hitching a quick ride to Nationals Park to be in the clubhouse in time for today's doubleheader against the Giants. Having already played both ends of Double-A...

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Harper has "significant" bone bruise, may return this season

August 13, 2017, 8:21am

Nationals

Harper has "significant" bone bruise, may return this season

Bryce Harper suffered a "significant" bone bruise inside his left knee but sustained no ligament or tendon damage, according to Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo, who said the starting right fielder could return to play before the end of the season. That's a far more encouraging diagnosis than the Nationals initially feared late Saturday night when they watched Harper's left leg slip on first base, causing his knee to hyperextend before he fell to the ground in pain and had to be helped...

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Game 115 lineups: Nats vs. Giants

August 13, 2017, 6:36am

Nationals

It's a beautiful day in Washington, D.C. Given everything that happened yesterday, here and nearby, at least we've got that. The Nationals and Giants are playing two today, with the original game bumped up to 1:05 p.m. and the makeup of Friday night's game scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. Which means these teams will, in theory, be playing three games in 24 hours. The bigger news, of course, involves Bryce Harper. We hope to have some kind of update shortly, so please stay tuned for that. In...

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Baker tries to leapfrog Bochy and Piniella on managerial win list

August 12, 2017, 5:06am

Nationals

Baker tries to leapfrog Bochy and Piniella on managerial win list

Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy have been managing against each other for the better part of the last two decades, their careers nearly running parallel. Baker first became manager of the Giants in 1993, with Bochy hired by the Padres in 1995. Baker was fired by the Giants after the 2002 World Series; four years later, Bochy took over in San Francisco. Baker has since managed the Cubs, Reds and now Nationals; Bochy still remains with the Giants, owner of three World Series rings. Along the way, the...

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Opener postponed, split doubleheader Sunday

August 11, 2017, 6:13pm

Nationals

Opener postponed, split doubleheader Sunday

The Nationals' weekend opener against the Giants was postponed this evening due to rain, but not before another round of confusion and poor communication with a fan base that has grown increasingly frustrated by the club's handling of these situations. With more rain in the forecast early Saturday, the two teams will play a day-night doubleheader on Sunday, with the originally scheduled 1:35 p.m. game bumped up to 1:05 p.m. and a makeup game now scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Tickets for tonight's...

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Baker doesn't expect fireworks this weekend (game postponed)

August 11, 2017, 1:47pm

Nationals

Baker doesn't expect fireworks this weekend (game postponed)

If you're expecting any fireworks this weekend between the Nationals and Giants, Dusty Baker is cautioning you not to get yourself worked up too much. Yes, the last meeting between these clubs included a brawl. But it's been 2 1/2 months since then, and it really didn't stem from any beef between the Nats and Giants as a whole, but rather from San Francisco reliever Hunter Strickland, who three years after serving up two playoff homers to Bryce Harper decided to intentionally drill him with...

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Game 114 lineups: Nats vs. Giants

August 11, 2017, 11:08am

Nationals

The last meeting between the Nationals and Giants was rather eventful. If you've forgotten, it involved Hunter Strickland, Bryce Harper and a three-year-old beef. That series took place way back on Memorial Day in San Francisco, and a lot has changed since then. So will there be any reason for any carryover this weekend? I've got to think probably not. What good does it do the Nationals, 15 games up in the division and trying to get everybody healthy for October, to instigate...

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With game on the line, Doolittle sticks with his best pitch

August 10, 2017, 8:24pm

Nationals

With game on the line, Doolittle sticks with his best pitch

Sean Doolittle is a one-pitch pitcher. He's not afraid to admit it. As noted before, he's willing to throw the occasional slider or changeup, but at his core he's a fastball guy and he'll keep living and dying by that fastball. Which is why, in part, the final at-bat of Thursday night's game at Nationals Park was so compelling. With two outs and the tying runner on third base, Doolittle was facing Marlins leadoff man Dee Gordon. The left-hander kept pumping out high fastballs, and Gordon...