nationals

Why Fedde is moving to bullpen while Ross is not (Nats lose 6-1)

May 17, 2017, 3:37pm

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals didn't make a spur-of-the-moment decision to try out Erick Fedde as a reliever. General manager Mike Rizzo said the move had been in the works for a while and was prompted by multiple factors involving both the organization's top pitching prospect and the current state of the big league bullpen. "It's a good way to get your feet wet in the big leagues," Rizzo said. "You start as a reliever, then we can gradually stretch you out and put you back as a starter at...

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Blanton goes on DL with shoulder inflammation, Grace recalled

May 17, 2017, 2:14pm

Nationals

Blanton goes on DL with shoulder inflammation, Grace recalled

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals hope a stint on the disabled list will do for Joe Blanton what pitching in big league games has not. Blanton was placed on the 10-day DL today with right shoulder inflammation, an ailment the veteran reliever mentioned to club officials Tuesday and may have played at least some role in his ragged start to the season. Blanton has a 9.49 ERA in 14 games, having surrendered 20 hits (six of those homers) in only 12 1/3 innings. He last appeared in a game Saturday but...

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Game 39 lineups: Nats at Pirates

May 17, 2017, 11:37am

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals look to make it two in a row against the Pirates tonight, though they'll face a stiffer challenge than they did last night, with Jacob Turner on the mound facing Gerrit Cole. Turner makes his second start of the season, his eighth overall appearance. The right-hander has been mostly effective, but he hasn't been stretched out since his six-inning start at Coors Field on April 24, so it's unclear how far he can go tonight. And once he departs, we'll see who's...

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Turner to start tonight vs. Pirates, Harper finally homers at PNC Park

May 16, 2017, 8:35pm

Nationals

Turner to start tonight vs. Pirates, Harper finally homers at PNC Park

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals have been trying to get Jacob Turner back into their rotation for a few weeks now, only to be forced to keep him in a relief role that has been more of an immediate need for the club. Tonight, they'll finally be afforded the opportunity to put Turner on the mound in the first inning. Turner will start the second game of the Nationals' series against the Pirates, named late last night by manager Dusty Baker after some careful consideration. It will be Turner's...

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Nationals recall left-hander Matt Grace, place right-hander Joe Blanton on DL

May 17, 2017, 12:22pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals recalled left-handed pitcher Matt Grace from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday and placed right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton on the 10-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Grace, 28, joins the Nationals for his fourth Major League assignment of the season, working to a 6.23 ERA in three appearances (4.1 IP). The left-hander has a 4.07 ERA in 34 career Major League...

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District 34 podcast: Bryce Harper's 2018 salary and Nats bullpen solutions

May 17, 2017, 9:43am

Nationals

District 34 podcast: Bryce Harper's 2018 salary and Nats bullpen solutions

It's baseball from here on out in Washington, D.C., after the local hockey and basketball teams' respective playoff runs came to bitter ends. That being said, it's always baseball on the District 34 podcast with myself and Byron Kerr, presented by MASNsports.com. And the Nationals, a first-place team with a nine-game lead in the National League East, are always an exciting team to talk about. For this week's episode, let's first discuss the big news from over the weekend of Bryce Harper...

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Luke Erickson: Do Nats have bullpen arms ready on the farm?

May 16, 2017, 2:13pm

Nationals

Luke Erickson: Do Nats have bullpen arms ready on the farm?

It's never been lost on me that some folks are only interested in the Washington farm insofar as who can replace (fill in name of player struggling). These days, it's the Nationals bullpen where the firemen are bringing the gas and not the water, if you know what I mean. Before I go any further, let me be very plain: I believe the Tony La Russa-style bullpen with so-called roles is both overblown and overrated. I'm with Dick Radatz, who famously sneered, "Your job is to throw strikes when...

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Werth's veteran leadership not lost on young players

May 17, 2017, 3:46am

Nationals

Werth's veteran leadership not lost on young players

Wilmer Difo smacks a home run. Trea Turner gets a double and a stolen base. Bryce Harper crushes another homer. The Nationals are growing as a team with their young players making plays and delivering in clutch situations. It's no secret that these young players watch how the veterans act on and off the field and try to mimic their actions so that they can be consistent major league ballplayers themselves. Brian Goodwin said it the first day he returned to the club early this season. He said...

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Treinen, Romero, Glover combination works for Nats this time

May 16, 2017, 8:05pm

Nationals

Treinen, Romero, Glover combination works for Nats this time

PITTSBURGH - It's only one game, and lord knows we've been teased a few times already this season by one strong performance from the Nationals bullpen into thinking it's a sign of better things to come. So don't put too much stock in what took place over the final three innings of tonight's 8-4 victory over the Pirates. But don't ignore it altogether, either, because it did include some notable developments that could possibly portend more good things to come. Start with Blake Treinen,...

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After brief hiccup, Nationals seize 8-4 victory from Pirates

May 16, 2017, 6:36pm

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - Just when it looked like the Nationals would be asking yet another unproven reliever to notch a save in a tight situation, a Bryce Harper blast provided some much-appreciated cushion. Harper's two-run homer that nearly left PNC Park in the top of the ninth turned a two-run lead into a four-run lead and allowed Koda Glover to pitch the bottom of the inning in a non-save situation. The rookie reliever removed any more drama from the proceedings, finishing off an 8-4 victory for the...

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Fedde will get look in Harrisburg bullpen (Nats win 8-4)

May 16, 2017, 3:46pm

Nationals

Fedde will get look in Harrisburg bullpen (Nats win 8-4)

PITTSBURGH - How significant is the Nationals' need for reliable relief pitching? Significant enough that they're moving their top prospect to the bullpen and will consider promoting him to the big leagues at some point to help shore up the club's biggest problem area. Erick Fedde is due to pitch in relief for Double-A Harrisburg tonight and will continue to get a look in that role, according to organizational sources. The Nationals have no immediate plans to promote the 24-year-old to the...

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Opposite dugout: Pirates have gone from contender to sinking ship

May 15, 2017, 1:47pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Pirates have gone from contender to sinking ship

Manager: Clint Hurdle (7th season) Record: 16-22 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 3B Josh Harrison (.288/.354/.455 with 5 HR, 12 RBIs), 1B Josh Bell (7 HR, 13 RBIs), CF Andrew McCutchen (6 HR, 17 RBIs), RHP Gerrit Cole (1-4, 3.06 ERA, 47 Ks), LHP Felipe Rivero (0.87 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 9 holds, 22 Ks), LHP Tony Watson (1.62 ERA, 8 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (2-4 in 2016) Pitching probables: May 16: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. RHP Chad Kuhl, 7:05 p.m., MASN May 17: RHP Jacob...

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Nationals "very confident" Scherzer will make next start

May 16, 2017, 2:36pm

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - Take a glance at Max Scherzer's left knee, and you might not even notice it's anything less than 100 percent healthy right now. There's virtually no swelling, and the only outward evidence of the 100 mph line drive he took off the knee Sunday night is a small red mark with the faint sign of baseball stitching. "I'm feeling great," Scherzer said this afternoon. And so are the Nationals, who are breathing a huge sigh of relief that there do not appear to be any lasting concerns...

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Minor league pitcher Jefrey Rodriguez suspended 80 games for PED violation

May 16, 2017, 2:38pm

Nationals

Minor league pitcher Jefrey Rodriguez suspended 80 games for PED violation

Major League Baseball announced that high Single-A Potomac right-hander Jefry Rodriguez has received an 80-game suspension without pay after testing positive for a metabolite of Clomiphene, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Rodriguez was off to an outstanding start with the P-Nats. The 23-year-old was recently honored as the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for May 1-7. He has a 3-2 record with a 3.51 ERA in seven...

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#LetsGoRendon: CareFirst Fan Challenge returns featuring Anthony Rendon

May 13, 2017, 4:17pm

Nationals

#LetsGoRendon: CareFirst Fan Challenge returns featuring Anthony Rendon

The CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Fan Challenge is back! And look who's stepping to the plate this year ... Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon! We're leaving the actual challenge up to you, so take him on in anything! Think you can beat Tony Two Bags at tic-tac-toe? Can you take down the third baseman at cornhole, checkers or a cook-off? Maybe a board game or bocce? Whatever it is, tweet us @masnNatonals with pictures, videos, descriptions, etc. of your challenge using #LetsGoRendon. The...

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Johansen released, Valdez to DL in Nats' minor league moves

May 16, 2017, 12:25pm

Nationals

Johansen released, Valdez to DL in Nats' minor league moves

The Nationals announced they have released right-handers Jake Johansen and Mark Blackmar. The club has assigned right-hander Taylor Hill to Double-A Harrisburg from Triple-A Syracuse. Also, catcher Nick Rickles and right-handers Andrew Robinson and Derek Eitel have been assigned to Harrisburg from extended spring training. Johansen is the biggest name of those released today as a 2013 second-round selection. Early on, some in baseball circles envisioned a one-two punch of the 6-foot-6 Johansen...

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Game 38 lineups: Nats at Pirates

May 16, 2017, 11:28am

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - Hello from beautiful PNC Park, where the sun is shining and it's going to be very toasty the next three days as the Nationals and Pirates square off. The stakes aren't quite as high for this series as that other series between teams from Washington and Pittsburgh the last couple weeks, but these are important games for the Nats, who are hoping to avoid the kind of late-inning fiascos that were an issue pretty much every single night last week. Stephen Strasburg is on the mound...

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Tuesday morning Nats thoughts and observations

May 15, 2017, 7:50pm

Nationals

Tuesday morning Nats thoughts and observations

Some thoughts and observations on this Tuesday morning before hitting the road for Pittsburgh (with a mandatory rest stop in Breezewood, Pa., of course) ... * Trea Turner is proving to be a far better shortstop than most of us probably figured he'd be, at least in his first big league season there. Nearly one-quarter of the way through the season, Turner has been charged with only one error. He joins the Padres' Erick Aybar as the only big league shortstops with fewer than two errors to date....

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Brown gets the call to the majors to fulfill lifelong dream

May 15, 2017, 11:22am

Nationals

Brown gets the call to the majors to fulfill lifelong dream

Every baseball play-by-play announcer has dreams of announcing a Major League Baseball game. Just like baseball players, many of them toil in the minors for most of their careers and sometimes never get that chance. But the opportunity has presented itself for Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown. The Syracuse graduate got the call in February that the Nationals needed his services to substitute for Charlie Slowes on 106.7 The Fan. Turns out one of Slowes' sons is...

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Turner and Taylor's improved hitting will spark Nats offense

May 15, 2017, 3:56am

Nationals

Turner and Taylor's improved hitting will spark Nats offense

Here are some promising hitting notes for Trea Turner and Michael A. Taylor. In Sunday's first game, Turner hit the ball hard which was a good sign after an unusually quiet week. Turner was 0-for-13 at Philadephia and 2-for-11 against the Orioles. In Game 1 on Sunday at home against the Phillies again, Turner crushed a two-run homer, finishing only 1-for-5. But manager Dusty Baker said the hitting statistics don't tell the whole story. "He hit three balls on the nose," Baker said. "Had...