Pete Kerzel

The cases for and against recalling Lucas Giolito to face Mets

June 26, 2016, 5:16pm

MILWAUKEE - Dusty Baker said the Nationals will dip into their minor leagues to find a starting pitcher for Tuesday night's home game against the Mets. Since news broke that the Nats would need a starter Tuesday night, social media has been buzzing about the possibility that the hometown fans would get to see right-hander Lucas Giolito, the team's top pitching prospect, make his major league debut. Right now, it appears either Giolito, who is pitching for Double-A Harrisburg, or right-hander...

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Strasburg on injury and treatment, Baker on pitching plans vs. Mets

June 26, 2016, 3:35pm

Nationals

Strasburg on injury and treatment, Baker on pitching plans vs. Mets

MILWAUKEE - Stephen Strasburg has spent more time with the chiropractor over the past week than he has on the mound. The right-hander didn't want to go on the disabled list after a recurring upper back strain twice forced him to be scratched from scheduled starts, but he understands why the DL move was necessary. "Goal No. 1 is to figure out what it is and what's causing it and get back here as soon as I can," Strasburg said in the Nationals clubhouse after Sunday's 3-2 victory over the...

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Nats halt seven-game skid in finale, but it wasn't easy

June 26, 2016, 3:12pm

Nationals

Nats halt seven-game skid in finale, but it wasn't easy

MILWAUKEE - Ending a seven-game losing streak proved just as daunting a task for the Nationals as the difficult path that saddled them with a season-worst skid in the first place. But a 3-2 win over the Brewers on Sunday assured the Nationals of going home for a key series against the Mets with some positive vibes on their side. But to get there, the Nationals had to turn to an emergency starting pitcher who cut short a Saturday bullpen session at 38 pitches when he found out he'd be needed in...

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Losing streak ends with 3-2 Nats win

June 26, 2016, 11:06am

Nationals

MILWAUKEE - Tanner Roark is through three scoreless innings against the Brewers. Now if only the offense could do something to help the right-hander. Roark has allowed one hit - Jonathan Lucroy's leadoff single in the second - walked one and struck out three. Jonathan Villar drew a leadoff walk in the first, but was erased trying to steal on a strong throw from catcher Jose Lobaton. The Nationals are still searching for their first hit. Ben Revere's sharp two-out grounder to second could have...

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Who pitches against Mets? (Strasburg placed on DL)

June 26, 2016, 8:58am

Nationals

Who pitches against Mets? (Strasburg placed on DL)

MILWAUKEE - When the Nationals scratched right-hander Stephen Strasburg from today's start with a recurrence of his upper back strain and decided to start righty Tanner Roark instead, it threw their rotation for this week's key home series against the Mets into disarray. Instead of starting Roark, then right-handers Joe Ross and Max Scherzer against their division rivals, the Nats are now reassessing their options. They haven't yet announced starters for the series, which begins Monday night...

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Game 76 lineups: Nats at Brewers

June 26, 2016, 6:37am

Nationals

MILWAUKEE - The Nationals will turn to Tanner Roark to halt a season-high seven-game losing streak today, while awaiting further word on the upper back strain that caused scheduled starter Stephen Strasburg to be scratched from his second assignment in a week. The current skid is the Nats' longest since 2009. A 2-7 road trip isn't what they expected when this trek began 10 days ago in San Diego. Roark has worked at least six innings in six of his past seven starts, so the right-hander should...

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How Dusty Baker, Nats are dealing with disappointing skid

June 25, 2016, 6:46pm

Nationals

How Dusty Baker, Nats are dealing with disappointing skid

MILWAUKEE - A couple of hours before Saturday's game - a loss that extended their losing streak to seven games, a season high - the Nationals were sitting at their lockers in the visiting clubhouse at Miller Park, several players nodding their heads and silently mouthing the words to the pulsating beat of a rap tune that was blaring from the speaker in the center of the room. All of a sudden, the music stopped, and a few seconds later, it was replaced by a jaunty country tune. As players...

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Skid hits seven games, Strasburg scratched from Sunday start

June 25, 2016, 4:54pm

Nationals

Skid hits seven games, Strasburg scratched from Sunday start

MILWAUKEE - Just when it felt like the Nationals had absorbed all the frustration they could stomach in one disappointing day - after the Brewers had handed them a 6-5 loss, stretching their season-worst losing streak to seven games - fate delivered a parting gut punch. Stephen Strasburg felt a recurrence of his upper back issue when throwing this afternoon and has been scratched from Sunday's scheduled start, manager Dusty Baker said as he closed his postgame press briefing. Tanner Roark will...

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Brewers knock Gonzalez out after three innings, Nats fall 6-5

June 25, 2016, 1:00pm

Nationals

Brewers knock Gonzalez out after three innings, Nats fall 6-5

MILWAUKEE - Gio Gonzalez usually has good first innings. So today's opening-inning effort by the struggling left-hander was a little out of the ordinary. Or was it, considering that the Nationals are mired in a six-game losing streak. Gonzalez, who has posted a 2.57 first-inning ERA in his previous 14 starts this season, trailed 3-0 after facing five batters. He surrendered an infield single to Jonathan Villar and a single to left by Aaron Hill before getting two outs. On the verge of getting...

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Bullpen session has Papelbon hopeful of midweek return from DL

June 25, 2016, 10:58am

Nationals

Bullpen session has Papelbon hopeful of midweek return from DL

MILWAUKEE - Jonathan Papelbon is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list on June 29, and with a little luck, the Nationals could have their closer back by the middle of next week. Papelbon, who has been on the DL with a right intercostal strain since June 15, threw a 40-pitch bullpen session Saturday afternoon, the first time he's thrown off a mound since being sidelined. Previously, he'd been limited to work on flat ground. "The ball was flying everywhere, but I felt really good,"...

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Game 75 lineups: Nats at Brewers

June 25, 2016, 8:02am

Nationals

MILWAUKEE - The Nationals' losing streak has reached a season-worst six games, and the pitcher they turn to in hopes of halting it this afternoon hasn't won a game in his past six starts. But there is cause for hope. Since beating the Mets at Citi Field on May 18, left-hander Gio Gonzalez is 0-5. He's failed to get to the sixth inning three times in that span, most recently June 19 in San Diego when he gave up six runs (five earned) on eight hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings. Today,...

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Ramos' hot stick has earned trust of Nationals clubhouse

June 24, 2016, 10:06pm

Nationals

MILWAUKEE - As Wilson Ramos keeps chugging along, ripping hit after hit with an authoritative bat, he's pushing an indicator within the Nationals clubhouse to previously unseen heights. A .341/.385/.567 slash line - boosted again after a 4-for-5 night in a 5-3 loss to the Brewers on Friday - is only part of the story. During June, when he's hitting .371 in 19 games while starting exclusively in the fourth, fifth and sixth spots in the lineup, Ramos has done a good job of gaining his...

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Baker bemoans strikeouts, homers again bedevil Scherzer

June 24, 2016, 8:35pm

Nationals

Baker bemoans strikeouts, homers again bedevil Scherzer

MILWAUKEE - The hushed tone of Dusty Baker spoke volumes after a 5-3 loss to the Brewers on Friday night stretched the Nationals' losing streak to a season-worst six games and left a once-thriving offense searching for answers. Baker can live with the occasional skid - it happens to every team at some point during a season, and he didn't think his Nationals would escape baseball normalcy. But the alarming rate at which his hitters struck out against five Milwaukee pitchers - 16 times in all,...

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Scherzer weathers first, wilts in sixth (Nats lose 5-3)

June 24, 2016, 5:08pm

Nationals

Scherzer weathers first, wilts in sixth (Nats lose 5-3)

MILWAUKEE - The Nationals desperately need a Max Scherzer-like outing from Max Scherzer to halt a five-game skid and in the early going at Miller Park, the right-hander was pretty much all or nothing. A weird first inning saw Scherzer strike out the side, walk the bases loaded and surrender a two-run single to Aaron Hill on a 1-2 pitch. The result: a 2-0 Brewers lead. The Nats haven't been able to get anything going offensively against Brewers righty Kyle Davies. Bryce Harper hustled a bloop...

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Ribs back in place, Strasburg on track to start series finale

June 24, 2016, 2:59pm

Nationals

Ribs back in place, Strasburg on track to start series finale

MILWAUKEE - Stephen Strasburg strode into the Nationals clubhouse at Miller Park about three hours before Friday's game, sweat glistening off his face after he threw a lighter-than-usual bullpen session, a necessary hurdle before rejoining the rotation after being scratched from his scheduled Monday start. Strasburg said he felt fine after an upper back strain forced him out of a marquee matchup against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw on Monday night, and sounded encouraged that he'd make his...

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Game 74 lineups: Nats at Brewers

June 24, 2016, 12:04pm

Nationals

MILWAUKEE - The Nationals continue their 10-game road trip tonight at Miller Park, and send right-hander Max Scherzer to the mound in hopes of snapping out of a season-high five-game losing streak. Scherzer hasn't seen a lot of the Brewers in his career, but has made three starts against them among his four appearances and carries a 1-0 record and 1.64 ERA into tonight's game. Yep, those are numbers that bring hope to a team with a black cloud circling over it. He'll be opposed by...

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Orioles recall Tolliver from Triple-A Norfolk, place Duensing on DL

June 22, 2016, 11:59am

Orioles

The Orioles today announced that they have recalled left-hander Ashur Tolliver from Triple-A Norfolk and placed left-hander Brian Duensing on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to June 20) with left elbow inflammation. Tolliver, 28, pitched to a 2.70 ERA (2 ER/6.2 IP) in five games with the Tides this season. Over 23 minor league games this season between Triple-A Norfolk and Double-A Bowie, Tolliver went 1-1 with a 2.48 ERA (9 ER/32.2 IP) and two saves. He made his Major League debut on...

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Gulf Coast League Orioles open season Friday in Sarasota

June 22, 2016, 8:41am

Orioles

The Orioles' Gulf Coast League (GCL) team will play its first home game of the 2016 season at the Ed Smith Stadium complex on Friday, June 24, at 12:00 p.m. against the GCL Rays. The GCL, which includes 17 teams, gives recently drafted or signed players their first experience in professional baseball. The Orioles are scheduled to play 30 GCL home games between June 24 and August 31. The games are open to the public at no cost. Parking also is free and located in the East Lot at the corner of...

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Opposite dugout: Padres reside in NL West cellar, but on a winning streak

June 20, 2016, 5:50pm

Orioles

Opposite dugout: Padres reside in NL West cellar, but on a winning streak

Manager: Andy Green (1st season) Record: 29-42 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 1B Wil Myers (.292 with 16 HR, 44 RBIs), RF Matt Kemp (15 HR, 47 RBIs), CF Melvin Upton Jr. (32 RBIs, 15 SB), RHP Fernando Rodney (14 saves, 0.00 ERA, 0.83 WHIP) Season series vs. Orioles: First meeting (2-2 in 2013) Pitching probables: June 21: RHP Luis Perdomo vs. RHP Tyler Wilson, 7:05 p.m., MASN June 22: RHP Erik Johnson vs. TBA, 7:05 p.m., MASN Inside the Padres: When the Padres hit Camden Yards for a two-game...

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Nats agree to terms with 23 selections from First-Year Player Draft

June 20, 2016, 10:47am

Nationals

Nats agree to terms with 23 selections from First-Year Player Draft

The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with 23 players from the 2016 First-Year Player Draft, including their first pick (No. 28 overall), shortstop Carter Kieboom. Nationals President of Baseball Operations & General Manager Mike Rizzo and Assistant General Manager & Vice President of Scouting Operations Kris Kline made the joint announcement. Kieboom, 18, will begin his professional career in Viera, Fla., playing for the Gulf Coast League Nationals. The standout infielder was...