nationals

With eventful save in L.A., Glover keeps growing into closer role

June 06, 2017, 10:42pm

LOS ANGELES - Dusty Baker keeps saying the only way for a closer to get experience is to, well, get experience. You don't know how any young reliever is going to handle the pressure of the ninth inning until he starts pitching it. And you don't know how he's going to handle the extra pressure of a ninth inning on the road against an elite opponent until he gives it a try. So consider Tuesday night a significant experience for Koda Glover, and a positive one at that. Handed a 2-1 lead in the...

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Game 58 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

June 07, 2017, 8:41am

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - When this long road trip through the state of California began 10 days ago, would you have taken a 7-1 record with a chance to sweep the Dodgers in today's finale? I think so. Today's game, quite frankly, is gravy for the Nationals, who already took the first two in this series and now face Clayton Kershaw in a Wednesday matinee at Chavez Ravine. A win would be fantastic, but nobody should be complaining too much if they don't pull this one off. Stephen Strasburg certainly...

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Nats ride Scherzer's 14 strikeouts to 2-1 victory over Dodgers (updated)

June 06, 2017, 9:08pm

Nationals

Nats ride Scherzer's 14 strikeouts to 2-1 victory over Dodgers (updated)

LOS ANGELES - The running joke around the Nationals is that anytime Max Scherzer takes the mound, you better watch because something special is probably going to happen. Thing is, it's not a joke. It's real. And these days, Scherzer is spectacular. Or as teammate Koda Glover described it: "He's a stud." The Nationals ace added another memorable performance to his ever-growing resume tonight, striking out 14 Dodgers in only seven innings, 11 of them in the game's first 3 2/3 innings. And...

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Luke Erickson: Is too much attention being paid to Tebow?

June 05, 2017, 6:56am

Nationals

Luke Erickson: Is too much attention being paid to Tebow?

A lot of attention was paid this past weekend to the 29-year-old left fielder for the visiting Columbia Fireflies in a four-game series at the Nationals' Single-A Hagerstown affiliate, a matchup of the third-place team in the Southern Division against the first-place team in the Northern Division. From a baseball perspective, this is puzzling. After Sunday's game, he had 16 RBIs and 16 walks, 53 strikeouts and 53 total bases in 47 games. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) is .629 - roughly 60...

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Glover ready to pitch tonight, Ross to start Thursday

June 06, 2017, 5:30pm

Nationals

Glover ready to pitch tonight, Ross to start Thursday

LOS ANGELES - When Koda Glover was unavailable to pitch Monday night against the Dodgers due to the fact he was - in manager Dusty Baker's words - "a little sore," it might have raised a few eyebrows among Nationals fans. It doesn't appear you have anything to be worried about, though. Glover's arm was indeed sore, and he informed the coaching staff shortly before gametime he needed the night off. But the rookie reliever said it was simply a case of his arm not being ready to come back and...

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Scherzer racking up strikeouts again (Nationals win 2-1)

June 06, 2017, 7:21pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - Max Scherzer has something special going on tonight at Dodger Stadium. No, the Nationals ace isn't working on another no-hitter; he has allowed two clean hits in three innings, not to mention an unearned run. But through three innings, Scherzer has nine strikeouts. Even though one Los Angeles batter made an out on a ball put into play. Scherzer struck out three batters a piece in each of his first three innings, but one of them - a called third strike to Cody Bellinger in the...

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Game 57 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

June 06, 2017, 2:28pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - The Nationals already won 5-of-6 in the Bay Area to begin this road trip. They already won the opener of this three-game series against the Dodgers. And now they send Max Scherzer to the mound tonight. Not a bad position to be in, eh? Scherzer will be looking to pick up where he left off Wednesday night in San Francisco, when he went the distance and struck out 11 to beat the Giants in dominant fashion. The ace now has 100 strikeouts in 77 1/3 innings, tops in the league and ahead...

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Nationals maximize full arsenal of lefties to topple Dodgers

June 05, 2017, 10:56pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - The Dodgers, as the Nationals saw firsthand last October, are awfully vulnerable against left-handed pitching. Even though they've improved somewhat in that regard this season, so many of their prominent batters swing from the left side of the plate that an opposing manager would be foolish not to play the matchups as much as possible when given the opportunity. Dusty Baker knew that heading into Monday night's game. And so - aided in part by the fact Koda Glover reported a sore...

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District 34 podcast: Nats cruising through West Coast swing

June 06, 2017, 12:07pm

Nationals

District 34 podcast: Nats cruising through West Coast swing

On what is usually considered a dreaded West Coast road trip, the Nationals have cruised to a 6-1 record through the first seven games, allowing us to slide into a new episode of the District 34 podcast. Byron Kerr and I are back to recap the Nats' West Coast swing so far, in which they are outscoring their opponents 44-29 over a three-game sweep of the Giants, winning two out of three against the Athletics and winning the opener versus the Dodgers. The lineup is slugging, the pitchers are...

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Bullpen comes through for Nationals in 4-2 win over Dodgers (updated)

June 05, 2017, 9:15pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - The outcome of this week's series at Dodger Stadium isn't going to have a dramatic effect on the Nationals' season. No matter the result, they're going to head home with a winning record on this long California trip and will be comfortably in first place in the National League East. There was an understanding, though, heading into tonight's opener that these next three days will serve as something of a measuring stick for a Nationals club that by luck of schedule and division...

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Werth begins DL stint, Raburn gets start (Nationals win 4-2)

June 05, 2017, 5:23pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - If you're looking for a bright spot about Jayson Werth landing on the disabled list, the fact he was able to ditch the crutches and walk around with his left foot in a protective boot today is at least somewhat encouraging. Werth was placed on the 10-day DL this afternoon, a move that was backdated to Sunday since he didn't play in the Nationals' series finale against the Athletics. Thus, he'll be eligible to return June 14, and the club is hopeful he'll be ready by...

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Opposite dugout: As weather heats up, so have the Dodgers

June 04, 2017, 6:15pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: As weather heats up, so have the Dodgers

Manager: Dave Roberts (2nd season) Record: 35-23 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: C Yasmani Grandal (.273 average with 6 HR, 24 RBIs); SS Corey Seager (.271 average with 55 hits); LF Cody Bellinger (12 HR, 31 RBIs); LHP Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 2.28 ERA); RHP Brandon McCarthy (5-2, 3.38 ERA); RHP Kenley Jansen (1.17 ERA with 9 saves). Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (5-1 in 2016) Pitching probables: Monday, June 5: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu, 10:00 p.m., MASNTuesday, June 6:...

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Werth going on DL with bruised foot, Raburn getting promoted

June 05, 2017, 2:06pm

Nationals

Werth going on DL with bruised foot, Raburn getting promoted

LOS ANGELES - Jayson Werth's left foot isn't seriously injured, but it is injured enough to require a stint on the disabled list. The Nationals have placed Werth on the 10-day DL with a bruised foot and promoted veteran outfielder Ryan Raburn from Triple-A Syracuse to fill his roster spot for tonight's series opener against the Dodgers. Werth fouled a ball off his foot in the ninth inning of Saturday's game in Oakland, then sat out Sunday's game. X-rays taken of his foot were negative for...

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Game 56 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

June 05, 2017, 2:36pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - Hello from Dodger Stadium, which looks resplendent as ever in this, its 56th year of existence. The Nationals have made their way down from the Bay Area after going 5-1 in San Francisco and Oakland. Now they face not only the toughest leg of this road trip but possibly their toughest test of the season to date in the red-hot Dodgers. The Nationals won't have Jayson Werth for this series after placing the veteran left fielder on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised left foot....

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Monday morning notes on Roark, Werth and the Dodgers

June 04, 2017, 11:00pm

Nationals

Monday morning notes on Roark, Werth and the Dodgers

OAKLAND, Calif. - It got lost in the shuffle amid all those ninth-inning runs Sunday afternoon, but Tanner Roark pitched yet another impressive game and continues to resurrect what was beginning to look like a wayward season. With 7 2/3 strong innings against the Athletics, Roark extended his recent hot stretch and further distanced himself from the struggles that had consumed him only a few weeks ago. "He was in control," manager Dusty Baker said. For six innings, Roark certainly was. He...

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Nationals select contract of outfielder/infielder Ryan Raburn

June 05, 2017, 2:36pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of outfielder/infielder Ryan Raburn from Triple-A Syracuse on Monday and placed outfielder Jayson Werth on the 10-day disabled list with a left foot contusion, retroactive to June 4. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Rafael Martin was designated for assignment. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Raburn, 36, joins the Nationals for his first Major League assignment of the season. The...

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After a crazy ninth in Oakland, Nats are "just glad that we won"

June 04, 2017, 5:08pm

Nationals

After a crazy ninth in Oakland, Nats are "just glad that we won"

OAKLAND, Calif. - This was going to be Tanner Roark's day, the latest in a string of dominant starts by the right-hander, who has turned his season around in the process. Then this was going to be Ryan Zimmerman's day, the latest in a string of clutch hits by the slugger, whose three-run homer off Ryan Madson in the top of the eighth inning got Roark off the hook and gave the Nationals a late lead over the Athletics. But these are the Nationals, after all, and games almost always seem to come...

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Marty Niland: NL-best Nats should be well represented in All-Star Game

June 04, 2017, 7:35pm

Nationals

Marty Niland: NL-best Nats should be well represented in All-Star Game

These are great days to be a Nationals fan. Once upon a time, Washington was ridiculed as "first in war, first in peace and last in the American League." Now, after winning five of the first six games on their current West Coast road trip, the Nats are first in the National League, and first in just about everything else. At 35-20, the Nats have the edge on the 36-23 Rockies for the league's best record, and that's not all. Who is leading not only the National League but all of baseball in...

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Nationals hang on for wild 11-10 win over A's

June 04, 2017, 3:20pm

Nationals

OAKLAND, Calif. - Six years later, Ryan Zimmerman made Ryan Madson pay once again with a big blast late to win a ballgame for the Nationals. Facing the veteran reliever for the first time since 2011, Zimmerman launched a three-run homer down the left field line, breaking an eighth-inning tie and propelling the Nationals to what became a 11-10 victory over the Athletics after a wild ninth inning for both lineups. The blast was Zimmerman's 16th of the season, tied for the league lead and...

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Harper returns after serving suspension in Vegas (Nats win 11-10)

June 04, 2017, 10:46am

Nationals

Harper returns after serving suspension in Vegas (Nats win 11-10)

OAKLAND, Calif. - Bryce Harper is back with the Nationals, back in the lineup after a four-day trip home to Las Vegas he never wanted to take but nonetheless tried to enjoy. "I'm just happy to be back," he said. "I'm definitely happy to be back here with the guys and to be able to play today. I'm glad that's out of the way and we can all move forward." Having served his full three-game suspension (with an off-day for the Nats in the middle of that) Harper was free to rejoin the team for...