Madson good to go after receiving electric treatment in Phoenix

Madson good to go after receiving electric treatment in Phoenix
MILWAUKEE - When Ryan Madson had to cut short a warmup session in the bullpen at Nationals Park three weeks ago, he assumed something was wrong with his index finger. Why else would that digit hurt when he tried to throw, not only that night in D.C. but four days later in San Diego when he tried to play catch? Madson wound up on the disabled list with a sprained finger. Turns out, though, the issue was in his lower forearm, just above the wrist. Madson discovered this thanks to a visit to his...

Not yet cleared to run, Harper facing tight time frame to return

Not yet cleared to run, Harper facing tight time frame to return
It's been 18 days since Bryce Harper slipped on first base, hurtled awkwardly to the ground and had to be helped back to the dugout at Nationals Park. Eighteen days later, Harper is up and about, walking without a particularly noticeable limp. Which doesn't mean the star outfielder is anywhere close to returning to the Nationals lineup. Harper revealed today that in addition to the significant bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee, he also strained his calf during the Aug. 12 play...

Zimmerman dealing with sore shoulder, won't play again today

Zimmerman dealing with sore shoulder, won't play again today
A Nationals lineup already reeling from injuries is without yet another key bat for at least one more day: Ryan Zimmerman. Zimmerman was unavailable to bat during Friday night's 4-2 loss to the Mets and won't be in the lineup again this afternoon for the second game of the series after injuring his left shoulder sliding into the plate during Thursday night's win in Houston, manager Dusty Baker revealed. "I think he hurt his arm or shoulder, really couldn't swing, on his headfirst slide...

Scherzer throws in bullpen, appears good to return Sunday

Scherzer throws in bullpen, appears good to return Sunday
Max Scherzer appears to be good to go Sunday against the Mets. Scherzer threw off the bullpen mound at Nationals Park this afternoon, the final step he said was necessary to be able to start a game two days later. The Nationals ace was in full uniform as he threw his bullpen session with pitching coach Mike Maddux alongside, standard practice for all members of the rotation in their between-starts routine. He didn't stop to take questions from reporters as he walked down the dugout steps and...

Werth, Turner each play five innings in rehab debuts

Werth, Turner each play five innings in rehab debuts
Jayson Werth and Trea Turner's paths back to the Nationals lineup began Monday night with three at-bats and five innings in the field a piece in Allentown, Pa. Both injured players made their rehab debuts for Triple-A Syracuse, which opened a three-game road series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and completed their pre-planned workloads with no apparent issues. Werth went 1-for-3 with a single, playing five innings in left field. Batting third in the Chiefs lineup, the 38-year-old singled...

Turner and Werth to begin rehab Monday with Syracuse

Turner and Werth to begin rehab Monday with Syracuse
SAN DIEGO - Two key injured Nationals regulars are ready to start playing in games again, with a return to the major league roster now likely sometime next week. Both Trea Turner and Jayson Werth will begin rehab assignments with Triple-A Syracuse on Monday, the Nationals announced today. Turner and Werth each had been working out in recent days at the club's spring training complex in West Palm Beach, ramping up their baseball activities after slowly working their way back from significant...

Murphy scratched from lineup, Madson still has finger pain

Murphy scratched from lineup, Madson still has finger pain
SAN DIEGO - The Nationals announced their starting lineup about 3 1/2 hours before tonight's game at Petco Park, standard procedure. A few minutes later, they had to announce a change to that lineup, which unfortunately also has become standard procedure for this injury-riddled ballclub. The latest: Daniel Murphy, who was scratched from tonight's lineup after the second baseman admitted to manager Dusty Baker he's been playing less than 100 percent in recent days. There was no formal...

Scherzer insists he'll be ready to start Friday vs. Mets

Scherzer insists he'll be ready to start Friday vs. Mets
SAN DIEGO - Max Scherzer has been through this before. Only two weeks ago, as a matter of fact. Which is why the right-hander was massively annoyed but also confident that his inability to start tonight at Petco Park due to inflammation in his neck isn't cause for major concern. "It's just frustrating," he said following the Nationals' 7-1 win over the Padres, made possible by nine innings from six relievers. "I can sit here and laugh at it, because I know what the cause of this is and I...

Scherzer scratched, placed on DL with recurring neck injury

Scherzer scratched, placed on DL with recurring neck injury
SAN DIEGO - Max Scherzer thought his neck troubles were behind him. Turns out they aren't. And because of it, the Nationals are going to need to ask their bullpen to pitch an entire game tonight. And then someone else to make a start next week. Scherzer was scratched from his scheduled start against the Padres after reporting the same problem that forced him out of his Aug. 1 start in Miami. This time, however, the issue was on the other side of his neck, prompting the Nationals to place...

Madson goes on DL with finger sprain, Kelley activated

Madson goes on DL with finger sprain, Kelley activated
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...

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

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...

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

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...

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

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...

Taylor grateful to return (Nats lose 4-2)

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...

Turner starts full throwing, almost cleared for swinging bat

Turner starts full throwing, almost cleared for swinging bat
Trea Turner was out at his familiar shortstop position this afternoon, fielding grounders and making throws across the diamond for the first time since an errant fastball fractured his wrist six weeks ago He's been running nearly nonstop the entire time he's been on the disabled list. All that's left for Turner to do is swing a bat, and that should be happening in the very near future after the Nationals leadoff man was cleared to begin rotational weight-lifting with right hand. "That...

Strasburg throws simulated game, says rehab start is next

Strasburg throws simulated game, says rehab start is next
Stephen Strasburg took a key step in his return to the mound for the Nationals this afternoon by throwing a simulated game, the most significant test the right-hander has put his elbow through since going on the disabled list 2 1/2 weeks ago. Strasburg said he threw 57 pitches over four simulated "innings," facing two batters (teammates Jayson Werth and Andrew Stevenson), and emerged with no concerns about the state of his elbow. "It feels really good," he said. "I'm definitely happy with...

Scherzer on track for Monday, Strasburg still unclear (Nats lose 7-4)

Scherzer on track for Monday, Strasburg still unclear (Nats lose 7-4)
CHICAGO - As the Nationals cobble together their rotation for the rest of the weekend, they can take solace knowing they should head into next week with the situation much more stable. Max Scherzer, who hasn't pitched since departing with neck spasms before the second inning Tuesday night in Miami, threw off the bullpen mound at Wrigley Field this morning and is preparing to start Monday against the Marlins in Washington. Gio González, who officially was placed on the paternity leave list...

Romero likely headed to DL with forearm strain

Romero likely headed to DL with forearm strain
MIAMI - The Nationals' ever-changing bullpen appears destined for another change after Enny Romero had to leave tonight's loss to the Marlins with a forearm strain that manager Dusty Baker said likely will send the left-hander to the disabled list. Pitching the sixth inning in what was a blowout loss to Miami, Romero faced four batters, allowing a run. He said he felt the tightness in his forearm after throwing a changeup to Giancarlo Stanton, then attempted one more fastball after that....

Update on Scherzer and other injured Nationals (Nats down 7-0)

Update on Scherzer and other injured Nationals (Nats down 7-0)
MIAMI - Max Scherzer remained upbeat this afternoon, believing his neck injury isn't serious and can be fixed with a simple adjustment that could allow him to make his next start for the Nationals on schedule. Scherzer said he believes he has a pinched nerve in his neck, one that forced him out of Tuesday night's start after only one inning. The remedy: He plans to see a chiropractor sometime in the next 24 hours. It's too soon to know if Scherzer will be able to make his next start...

Scherzer homers, then departs with neck spasm (Nats lose 7-6)

Scherzer homers, then departs with neck spasm (Nats lose 7-6)
MIAMI - Max Scherzer abruptly pulled himself from tonight's start against the Marlins after throwing an errant warmup pitch before the bottom of the second inning, immediately motioning toward the Nationals dugout that he could not continue. Scherzer, who had tossed a perfect first inning and then launched the first home run of his career in the top of the second, jogged to the mound to begin the bottom of the second and appeared to be fine. But after a warmup toss sailed wide of catcher Matt...