Mark Zuckerman

Reluctant Wieters appreciates warm reception from Orioles

May 08, 2017, 7:58pm

BALTIMORE - Matt Wieters isn't the type to seek attention, and so Monday at Camden Yards was in some ways a nightmare scenario for the veteran catcher. Not that Wieters wasn't excited to see his former Orioles teammates in his first appearance here with the Nationals, but he had to be uncomfortable with all the attention that was heaped upon him because of it. Wieters tried to keep his in-game chatter with Baltimore players to a minimum. "I think they know from playing with me that once the...

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Gonzalez, Nats confounded by trio of first-inning homers

May 08, 2017, 7:32pm

Nationals Orioles

Gonzalez, Nats confounded by trio of first-inning homers

BALTIMORE - Only once in his Nationals career had Gio Gonzalez surrendered three homers in a game. Never in his major league career had he surrendered three homers in an inning. So imagine the shock the left-hander and his teammates were experiencing around 7:15 p.m. Monday night when Joey Rickard, Mark Trumbo and Trey Mancini all went deep the span of six batters, turning the bottom of the first at Camden Yards into a stunning display of power. Then again, if anybody knows the potential of the...

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Nats fall behind early, drop series opener 6-4

May 08, 2017, 6:04pm

Nationals Orioles

Nats fall behind early, drop series opener 6-4

BALTIMORE - If the next four nights represent the Nationals' toughest test of the season to date, they didn't exactly pass Part One. Gio Gonzalez served up three home runs during a nightmare first inning, and the Nats never recovered during a 6-4 loss to the Orioles in the opener of this year's Battle of the Beltways. Gonzalez was rocked from the moment he took the mound at Camden Yards, digging his team into a deep hole. The league's most productive lineup, meanwhile, wasn't buoyed enough...

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Harper returns, Drew getting close, Kelley and Glover throw

May 08, 2017, 2:28pm

Nationals Orioles

Harper returns, Drew getting close, Kelley and Glover throw

BALTIMORE - Slowly but surely, the Nationals are getting closer to getting their injured players back on the field. Bryce Harper returns to the lineup tonight after missing three games with a sore groin. Stephen Drew is hoping to begin a rehab assignment this weekend, putting the shortstop on track to return from his hamstring injury next week. And Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover each threw off the bullpen mound at Camden Yards this afternoon as the relievers get close to a return from the...

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Game 32 lineups: Nats at Orioles

May 08, 2017, 11:09am

Nationals Orioles

BALTIMORE - The Nationals and Orioles don't typically play each other this early in the season. It's usually quite warm and muggy when the Nats make their annual trek to Camden Yards, and it most definitely is not warm nor muggy today. But no matter the temperature, this always remains a great place to hit, and so the majors' most productive lineup should be licking its chops at the prospect of taking some hacks here for the next two nights. The Nationals have Bryce Harper back in the lineup...

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One month later, Guthrie still coping with career-ending start

May 07, 2017, 4:02pm

Nationals

One month later, Guthrie still coping with career-ending start

One month has passed, one month since that Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park when Jeremy Guthrie turned into the loneliest man in the world, stuck on the mound with no place to hide, the Phillies battering him all over the park, the Nationals watching helplessly as a 38-year-old pitcher's career came to an agonizing end. Twelve batters faced. Six hits allowed. Four walks issued. Two outs recorded. Ten runs crossing the plate. Forty-seven pitches thrown. An uplifting story about a longtime...

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Baker, Nats left to hope for the best with the bullpen they've got

May 07, 2017, 3:56pm

Nationals

Baker, Nats left to hope for the best with the bullpen they've got

PHILADELPHIA - Most managers, especially those of good teams, have a short list of regular candidates to summon from the bullpen for the final innings of a close game. A couple of setup men, a lefty specialist, a closer. Dusty Baker has a good team, the best team in the majors by record through the season's first five weeks. He does not, however, have the aforementioned short list of reliable relievers to call upon with his team leading by a few runs late. At least not at the moment. Shawn...

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Bullpen can't finish off sweep, Nats lose 6-5 to Phillies

May 07, 2017, 2:28pm

Nationals

Bullpen can't finish off sweep, Nats lose 6-5 to Phillies

PHILADELPHIA - Dusty Baker has been forced to mix and match in his bullpen early this season, especially in the last week as his best relievers have landed on the disabled list and other veterans have lost the faith of their manager. The Nationals were able to get by like this thanks to a lot of offense and some quality relief work from some unexpected sources, but it was probably too much to expect it to continue like this without a blip at some point. That blip came late this afternoon at...

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Does Turner stay in 'pen or return to rotation? (Nats lose in 10)

May 07, 2017, 10:22am

Nationals

Does Turner stay in 'pen or return to rotation? (Nats lose in 10)

PHILADELPHIA - Jacob Turner has turned into an unlikely pitching weapon for the Nationals. The question now is where (and when) should Turner next pitch for the Nats? The club needs a fifth starter after sending struggling Joe Ross to the minors. The club also needs as much help as it can get in the bullpen right now. At the moment, Turner's ability to pitch in relief seems to take precedence. He tossed four scoreless innings out of the bullpen Wednesday night against the Diamondbacks, then...

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Game 31 lineups: Nats at Phillies

May 07, 2017, 7:47am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have gotten off to some good starts in recent years (think 2012, 2014, 2016) but they've never gotten off to a start as good as this one. Yes, at 21-9 the Nats have produced their best record through 30 games not only in club history but in franchise history (that includes the Expos years). That they've been able to do this in spite of the bullpen issues, the fifth starter issues and the Adam Eaton injury should serve as some significant evidence just how good...

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Few style points for Cole, but positive results in 2017 debut

May 06, 2017, 8:00pm

Nationals

Few style points for Cole, but positive results in 2017 debut

PHILADELPHIA - A.J. Cole knows his final line Saturday night was not entirely reflective of the way he pitched. He and the Nationals also know style points weren't important in this one. Positive results were of far greater consequence. "I was always fighting the whole game, really trying to get ahead of hitters and throw strikes," the right-hander said. "And a lot of times, I was getting behind, which made it pretty difficult for me. But like I said, you have the defense behind me making...

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Zimmerman's season-opening tear continues: "That's Bonds-like"

May 06, 2017, 7:39pm

Nationals

Zimmerman's season-opening tear continues: "That's Bonds-like"

PHILADELPHIA - The comparison, on the surface, is ludicrous. Because one of the players involved did this for entire seasons at a time, while the other has merely done it for five weeks. But the comparison came straight from Dusty Baker's mouth, and if anyone in the world is qualified to make this statement, it is the only person who has managed both players in question. After watching Ryan Zimmerman go bananas at the plate once again tonight during the Nationals' 6-2 victory over the...

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Pair of homers and effective pitching carry Nats to 6-2 victory

May 06, 2017, 6:08pm

Nationals

Pair of homers and effective pitching carry Nats to 6-2 victory

PHILADELPHIA - Rather than stress too much over how he was going to cobble together his bullpen tonight, Dusty Baker conjured up a less-stressful road map to victory a few hours before the Nationals and Phillies took the field. "Hopefully we score a lot of runs," the manager said. "And hopefully Cole goes deep in the game." Baker got his wish. On both counts. The Nationals once again got homers from Ryan Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon. And they got six innings of one-run ball from A.J. Cole,...

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Who's tonight's closer? Stay tuned (Nationals win 6-2)

May 06, 2017, 4:01pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - It's turning into a daily question for Dusty Baker: Who's your closer tonight? "Same thing as yesterday," the Nationals manager said this afternoon. So, Matt Albers gets the ninth inning again? "I don't know, Albers has thrown two days in a row," Baker said. "I don't know. We'll figure it out as the game goes. That's how it's been every day." The conglomeration of Shawn Kelley, Koda Glover and Sammy SolÃs all landing on the disabled list while Blake Treinen and...

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Harper better but out of Nats lineup for at least one more game

May 06, 2017, 2:16pm

Nationals

Harper better but out of Nats lineup for at least one more game

PHILADELPHIA - Bryce Harper informed Dusty Baker today his minor groin tweak has healed, hoping that might convince the Nationals manager to put him in the lineup for tonight's game against the Phillies. Deep down, though, Harper must've known Baker's standard policy for this type of situation. Which is why he remained on the bench for the second straight day. "He's better," Baker said. "When they tell me they're better, I like to hold them out at least another day." It has long been...

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Game 30 lineups: Nats at Phillies

May 06, 2017, 11:41am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have the best record in baseball, a .690 winning percentage, and they've done so despite a steadily revolving door of pitchers. Tonight the door opens again, and in walks A.J. Cole, making his first big league start of the season. Cole technically takes over Joe Ross' rotation spot, though the Nationals would have liked to give that spot to Jacob Turner (had he not been needed to throw four innings out of the bullpen on Wednesday). The 25-year-old Cole made four...

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Strasburg's gutsy effort includes 119 pitches and a homer

May 05, 2017, 10:02pm

Nationals

Strasburg's gutsy effort includes 119 pitches and a homer

PHILADELPHIA - His pitch count over 110, his left calf cramping up each time he finished his delivery and his gray Nationals jersey soaked through on a humid night at Citizens Bank Park, Stephen Strasburg looked done during the bottom of the sixth Friday night. And when Dusty Baker, Mike Maddux and Paul Lessard emerged from the visitors' dugout upon seeing Strasburg in some amount of discomfort, the right-hander's night figured to be over. Strasburg, however, had other ideas. He glared as his...

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After 461 appearances, Albers finally gets to save the game

May 05, 2017, 8:07pm

Nationals

After 461 appearances, Albers finally gets to save the game

PHILADELPHIA - Matt Albers has been a professional pitcher for 16 seasons, a major leaguer for 12, a full-time reliever for 10. He's the guy who is called upon to pitch in whatever situation is needed on a given night. Long relief. Extra innings. Mop-up work. A random sixth or seventh inning here or there. And a whole lot of ninth innings ... with his team trailing. It's about as unglamorous a role as there is in baseball, and after more than a decade it surely gets you typecast. Albers has...

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Nats ride homers, Strasburg, altered bullpen to 4-2 victory

May 05, 2017, 6:26pm

Nationals

Nats ride homers, Strasburg, altered bullpen to 4-2 victory

PHILADELPHIA - Ryan Zimmerman homered again, which is no surprise. Anthony Rendon homered, which is not a surprise this week. But a Stephen Strasburg home run? That was most surprising and elicited the biggest gasp among the crowd at Citizens Bank Park tonight. Strasburg's solo blast, only the second of his career, helped the Nationals open up a lead tonight. His heavy workload on the mound held the Phillies in check and ultimately put his team in position for a 4-2 victory in the opener of...

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Sore groin keeps Harper out of lineup (Nationals win 4-2)

May 05, 2017, 3:42pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Still dealing with a sore groin, Bryce Harper is not in the starting lineup for tonight's series opener against the Phillies, but the Nationals remain confident the injury isn't anything serious and that their slugger will return in short order. "He's a little sore," manager Dusty Baker said. "Like I said yesterday, he's day-to-day. I said I'll check with him daily. I didn't check with him today, but I checked with the trainers. Hopefully he'll come back sometime this...