nationals

Game 54 lineups: Nats at Athletics

June 03, 2017, 9:10am

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Nationals proved they could hit the ball out of the Oakland Coliseum at night, when the air is thick and the temperatures drop. Now they'll see if they can do it under theoretically better conditions this afternoon when they face the A's in the second game of their weekend series and attempt to improve to 5-0 on this road trip. Actually, the better indicator of whether the Nats will have a big day at the plate might be the fact that Joe Ross is their starting pitcher...

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For Oakland native Ross, Coliseum debut is special event

June 02, 2017, 10:30pm

Nationals

For Oakland native Ross, Coliseum debut is special event

OAKLAND, Calif. - With all due respect to the multipurpose facility here that has gone by five different names during its five decades of existence, rarely is a ballplayer excited to make his first ever appearance at the Oakland Coliseum. Consider Joe Ross the exception to the rule. And for good reason. When Ross takes the mound at the Coliseum this afternoon for the Nationals, he'll be doing so only 10 minutes from his childhood home, inside the ballpark he came to countless times as a kid,...

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Nats' latest offensive explosion includes five homers (updated)

June 02, 2017, 9:22pm

Nationals

Nats' latest offensive explosion includes five homers (updated)

OAKLAND, Calif. - Another late night on the West Coast, another impressive offensive performance, another dominant start. And, by extension, another convincing win for the Nationals. Tonight's 13-3 victory over the Athletics was the Nats' fourth straight to begin this nine-game swing through California. And like the previous three in San Francisco, it was never seriously in doubt. Michael A. Taylor, Daniel Murphy, Jayson Werth, Brian Goodwin and Anthony Rendon all homered to pace a balanced...

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Depleted or not, lineup continues to rake (Nats win 13-3)

June 02, 2017, 7:39pm

Nationals

Depleted or not, lineup continues to rake (Nats win 13-3)

OAKLAND, Calif. - No Bryce Harper, no problem for the Nationals, who continue to rake at the plate no matter who's absent from the lineup. With Harper serving the second game of his three-game suspension, the Nats are still piling up hits in their series opener against the Athletics. They've already plated six runs on 10 hits through the game's first four innings, with production from nearly every starter. Michael A. Taylor and Daniel Murphy hit solo homers to get things started against A's...

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Heisey pulled off rehab assignment, not ready to return from DL

June 02, 2017, 5:06pm

Nationals

Heisey pulled off rehab assignment, not ready to return from DL

OAKLAND, Calif. - Chris Heisey has rejoined the Nationals, but that doesn't mean he's about to rejoin the active roster. Heisey was pulled of his rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg after only two games and four total at-bats, and flew to California to meet up with the Nats training and coaching staffs prior to tonight's series opener against the Athletics. Out since May 24 with a ruptured right biceps tendon, the veteran outfielder appears to need some more time to recover from the...

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Daniel Murphy turning into road warrior for Nats

June 02, 2017, 10:08am

Nationals

Daniel Murphy turning into road warrior for Nats

The Nationals are road warriors in 2017. In the midst of their second road trip of nine or more games, they are 12-1. The Nationals went a club-record 9-1 on their initial long trip through Atlanta, New York and Colorado in April. This trip, which spans three cities in California for 10 days, features stops in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles. The Nats start the fourth game of this road trip tonight in Oakland already 3-0 on the swing. The Nationals managed to win the finale of a...

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After day off, Nationals now face longest stretch with no break

June 02, 2017, 9:40am

Nationals

OAKLAND - Dusty Baker knows the potential perils of pitfalls of a long West Coast trip. Between the time change, the nice weather and other distractions, it's easy for a previously rolling East Coast club to head out this way and get thrown off track. "This is a business trip, and a lot of times this can turn into a pleasure trip," Baker said Monday morning before his Nationals opened a three-game series with the Giants, the first leg of a three-city trip that stops in Oakland this weekend...

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Game 53 lineups: Nats at Athletics

June 02, 2017, 2:34pm

Nationals

OAKLAND, Calif. - And a pleasant Friday evening to you all from the - wait, what's this placed called these days? - oh, it's just the Oakland Coliseum. This is only the Nationals' second-ever trip here; they were swept back in May 2014. I wasn't covering that series, so this actually is my first time here since the 2002 playoffs. Let's just say it hasn't changed much in the last 15 years. The Nationals are hoping to bring their winning ways over from the other side of the bay after...

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David Huzzard: It's safe to love Zimmerman again

June 02, 2017, 12:30pm

Nationals

David Huzzard: It's safe to love Zimmerman again

Every now and then, my new life in Virginia Beach, Va., takes me down Princess Anne Road to West Neck Road and past Kellam High School. Whenever I drive that way, I think of Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. An autographed picture of him also hangs in my favorite seafood restaurant, Margie and Ray's, and after the last two seasons and before this one, whenever I thought of Zimmerman, I was filled with sadness. As a longtime fan of the Nationals, Zimmerman is a part of many of my best...

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Opposite dugout: Multiple problems have A's bringing up rear in AL West

June 02, 2017, 9:34am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Multiple problems have A's bringing up rear in AL West

Manager: Bob Melvin (7th year) Record: 23-30 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: 2B Jed Lowrie (.290/.360/.404, 16 2B), 1B Yonder Alonso (.285/.384/.642, 31 RBIs), LF Khris Davis (.219/.308/.503, 16 HR), RHP Sonny Gray (2-2, 4.72 ERA, 1.252 WHIP) RHP Santiago Casilla (4.66 ERA, 8 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (3-0 in 2014) Pitching probables: June 2: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. RHP Andrew Triggs, 10:05 p.m., MASN2. June 3: RHP Joe Ross vs. RHP Daniel Mengden, 4:05 p.m., MASN June...

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Two months in, Zimmerman continues to produce at the plate

May 31, 2017, 10:56pm

Nationals

Two months in, Zimmerman continues to produce at the plate

SAN FRANCISCO - There is still far more baseball to be played than has been played in 2017. But a not-insignificant amount of baseball has been played to date, with the calendar now turning another page. And just as was the case when April turned to May, Ryan Zimmerman still ranks among the league leaders in almost every offensive category as May turns to June. With a three-run blast during Wednesday night's 3-1 victory over the Giants, Zimmerman raised his home run total to 15 and his RBI...

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Scherzer goes the distance on 100 pitches to beat Giants

May 31, 2017, 10:13pm

Nationals

Scherzer goes the distance on 100 pitches to beat Giants

SAN FRANCISCO - As Max Scherzer stalked his way out to the mound for the bottom of the ninth inning tonight, Dusty Baker would have been justified in sending one of his relievers down to the bullpen to begin warming up. Not because Baker didn't believe Scherzer would be able to complete this game on his own. But with the Nationals leading the Giants by the relatively slim margin of 3-1, it wouldn't have taken much for the script of this contest to flip in a hurry. Yet the thought never really...

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Mays visits Nats clubhouse, plus notes on Lind and Blanton

May 31, 2017, 5:36pm

Nationals

Mays visits Nats clubhouse, plus notes on Lind and Blanton

SAN FRANCISCO - Having Dusty Baker for a manager carries some special perks. Like, for example, having Willie Mays show up in your clubhouse. The Hall of Famer made an unannounced visit to the visitors' clubhouse at AT&T Park this afternoon, catching up with Baker (a longtime friend) and meeting Nationals players and personnel. "They were kind of shy, kind of like little kids, when they see Willie Mays." Baker said. "And I feel like I'm very fortunate to have been with him for quite a...

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Scherzer dealing, Zimmerman mashing (Nats win 3-1)

May 31, 2017, 7:41pm

Nationals

Scherzer dealing, Zimmerman mashing (Nats win 3-1)

SAN FRANCISCO - Max Scherzer had the look early tonight of a guy poised to once again do something special. The end result won't be special after the Giants plated a run in the bottom of the fourth, but Scherzer nonetheless still has the look of a guy putting together another dominant start. The right-hander retired the first 10 batters he faced, four via strikeout, before allowing a clean single and then a not-clean double when Jayson Werth and Michael A. Taylor appeared to lose a routine fly...

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Harper's suspension reduced to three games, starts tonight

May 31, 2017, 10:25am

Nationals

Harper's suspension reduced to three games, starts tonight

SAN FRANCISCO - Major League Baseball has reduced Bryce Harper's suspension to three games after hearing his appeal, and the Nationals slugger will begin serving his time tonight, according to a source familiar with the decision. Harper, who originally was suspended four games for charging the mound Monday after getting intentionally hit in the right hip by a 98 mph fastball from reliever Hunter Strickland, will sit out tonight's series finale against the Giants and the first two games of the...

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Game 52 lineups: Nats at Giants

May 31, 2017, 2:41pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - Things have changed as the Nationals and Giants prepare to play the finale of their series tonight. For one thing, the temperature has warmed up a bit, the clouds have dissipated and it's actually a nice day by the bay. For another, Bryce Harper is suspended and not available to play in any of the next three games. The Nationals will attempt to sweep the series with a diminished lineup. Dusty Baker has bumped Daniel Murphy up to the No. 3 spot, with Ryan Zimmerman remaining in...

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Unlikely Albers-Glover combo has stabilized Nationals bullpen

May 30, 2017, 11:16pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - Maybe everyone should have listened to Koda Glover a couple of weeks ago when the rookie reliever insisted the beleaguered Nationals bullpen would be just fine. Glover reiterated that sentiment Tuesday night after closing out the Nationals' 6-3 victory over the Giants that included the latest in a string of dominant performances by this relief corps. "What'd I tell you earlier? We're starting to roll. We're fine," Glover said. "Like I said when everybody was kind of...

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No drama, only a convincing victory for Nats in San Francisco

May 30, 2017, 10:41pm

Nationals

No drama, only a convincing victory for Nats in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO - The best revenge is living well, and Dusty Baker knew that well in advance of tonight's game against the Giants. Would there be retaliation for Hunter Strickland's intentional plunking of Bryce Harper 24 hours earlier? No, not if the Nationals manager had anything to say about it. "The best thing for us to do is beat up on them and win tonight," Baker said. The Nationals didn't entirely beat up on the Giants, but they made an early statement with some quick offense against...

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Hits piling up on chilly night in San Francisco (Nats win 6-3)

May 30, 2017, 8:03pm

Nationals

Hits piling up on chilly night in San Francisco (Nats win 6-3)

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals made Jeff Samardzija work. And they inflicted some damage against the Giants right-hander. But they also squandered more than a few opportunities to expand their lead and now find themselves in a tight ballgame. Despite racking up nine hits and forcing Samardzija to throw 100 pitches in four innings, the Nationals scored only three runs in tonight's second game of a three-game series at AT&T Park. Ryan Zimmerman and Daniel Murphy delivered back-to-back,...

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Luke Erickson: Looking at the start of short-season ball

May 30, 2017, 4:24pm

Nationals

Luke Erickson: Looking at the start of short-season ball

Now is the time when the Nationals' minor league system starts to expand to its full complement of seven affiliates. It begins with the launch of the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League and the DSL Nationals this weekend. They'll be joined by the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays of the New York-Penn League on June 19 and the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and GCL Nationals a week later. Coverage in the DSL and GCL is nearly non-existent because of the timing (late-morning to noon...