nationals

One month later, Guthrie still coping with career-ending start

May 07, 2017, 4:02pm

One month has passed, one month since that Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park when Jeremy Guthrie turned into the loneliest man in the world, stuck on the mound with no place to hide, the Phillies battering him all over the park, the Nationals watching helplessly as a 38-year-old pitcher's career came to an agonizing end. Twelve batters faced. Six hits allowed. Four walks issued. Two outs recorded. Ten runs crossing the plate. Forty-seven pitches thrown. An uplifting story about a longtime...

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Game 32 lineups: Nats at Orioles

May 08, 2017, 11:09am

Nationals Orioles

BALTIMORE - The Nationals and Orioles don't typically play each other this early in the season. It's usually quite warm and muggy when the Nats make their annual trek to Camden Yards, and it most definitely is not warm nor muggy today. But no matter the temperature, this always remains a great place to hit, and so the majors' most productive lineup should be licking its chops at the prospect of taking some hacks here for the next two nights. The Nationals have Bryce Harper back in the lineup...

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Nationals recall outfielder Brian Goodwin

May 08, 2017, 11:06am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals recalled outfielder Brian Goodwin from Triple-A Syracuse on Monday and optioned outfielder Rafael Bautista to Syracuse. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Goodwin, 26, joins the Nationals for his first Major League assignment of the 2017 season. In 25 games for Triple-A Syracuse, Goodwin is hitting .256 (23-for-90) with four doubles, two home runs, 11 RBI, 10 walks, two stolen bases and nine runs scored. He...

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Wieters hopes to carry over legacy from Baltimore to Washington

May 07, 2017, 11:40am

Nationals Orioles

Wieters hopes to carry over legacy from Baltimore to Washington

When catcher Matt Wieters came up to the Orioles at 23 in 2009, his plan was to win a World Series and be an Oriole for life. Then in 2014, when Nick Markakis signed with Atlanta and Nelson Cruz went to Seattle, the reality of baseball as a business hit Wieters for the first time. He wondered about his future. "When Nick and Nelson left, I realized we weren't going to have a 12-year run with the same guys,'' Wieters said. "I think every player wants to play his entire career with the team...

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Marty Niland: A Nats fan's response to a youngster in search of a team

May 08, 2017, 5:16am

Nationals

Marty Niland: A Nats fan's response to a youngster in search of a team

Baseball fans may have heard the story of Pete Van Vleet of Ashland, Va., who wrote to every major league team, asking each to make a case for his newborn son, Jack, to be their fan. The 42-year-old Richmond native, a former colleague at The Associated Press, did not have a home team to root for growing up, and chose the Houston Astros because they were a National League contender in the early 1980s. He wants his kids to choose a team as he did. His 5-year-old daughter, Madeline, roots for the...

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Baker, Nats left to hope for the best with the bullpen they've got

May 07, 2017, 3:56pm

Nationals

Baker, Nats left to hope for the best with the bullpen they've got

PHILADELPHIA - Most managers, especially those of good teams, have a short list of regular candidates to summon from the bullpen for the final innings of a close game. A couple of setup men, a lefty specialist, a closer. Dusty Baker has a good team, the best team in the majors by record through the season's first five weeks. He does not, however, have the aforementioned short list of reliable relievers to call upon with his team leading by a few runs late. At least not at the moment. Shawn...

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Does Turner stay in 'pen or return to rotation? (Nats lose in 10)

May 07, 2017, 10:22am

Nationals

Does Turner stay in 'pen or return to rotation? (Nats lose in 10)

PHILADELPHIA - Jacob Turner has turned into an unlikely pitching weapon for the Nationals. The question now is where (and when) should Turner next pitch for the Nats? The club needs a fifth starter after sending struggling Joe Ross to the minors. The club also needs as much help as it can get in the bullpen right now. At the moment, Turner's ability to pitch in relief seems to take precedence. He tossed four scoreless innings out of the bullpen Wednesday night against the Diamondbacks, then...

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Bullpen can't finish off sweep, Nats lose 6-5 to Phillies

May 07, 2017, 2:28pm

Nationals

Bullpen can't finish off sweep, Nats lose 6-5 to Phillies

PHILADELPHIA - Dusty Baker has been forced to mix and match in his bullpen early this season, especially in the last week as his best relievers have landed on the disabled list and other veterans have lost the faith of their manager. The Nationals were able to get by like this thanks to a lot of offense and some quality relief work from some unexpected sources, but it was probably too much to expect it to continue like this without a blip at some point. That blip came late this afternoon at...

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Game 31 lineups: Nats at Phillies

May 07, 2017, 7:47am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have gotten off to some good starts in recent years (think 2012, 2014, 2016) but they've never gotten off to a start as good as this one. Yes, at 21-9 the Nats have produced their best record through 30 games not only in club history but in franchise history (that includes the Expos years). That they've been able to do this in spite of the bullpen issues, the fifth starter issues and the Adam Eaton injury should serve as some significant evidence just how good...

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Few style points for Cole, but positive results in 2017 debut

May 06, 2017, 8:00pm

Nationals

Few style points for Cole, but positive results in 2017 debut

PHILADELPHIA - A.J. Cole knows his final line Saturday night was not entirely reflective of the way he pitched. He and the Nationals also know style points weren't important in this one. Positive results were of far greater consequence. "I was always fighting the whole game, really trying to get ahead of hitters and throw strikes," the right-hander said. "And a lot of times, I was getting behind, which made it pretty difficult for me. But like I said, you have the defense behind me making...

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Zimmerman's season-opening tear continues: "That's Bonds-like"

May 06, 2017, 7:39pm

Nationals

Zimmerman's season-opening tear continues: "That's Bonds-like"

PHILADELPHIA - The comparison, on the surface, is ludicrous. Because one of the players involved did this for entire seasons at a time, while the other has merely done it for five weeks. But the comparison came straight from Dusty Baker's mouth, and if anyone in the world is qualified to make this statement, it is the only person who has managed both players in question. After watching Ryan Zimmerman go bananas at the plate once again tonight during the Nationals' 6-2 victory over the...

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Pair of homers and effective pitching carry Nats to 6-2 victory

May 06, 2017, 6:08pm

Nationals

Pair of homers and effective pitching carry Nats to 6-2 victory

PHILADELPHIA - Rather than stress too much over how he was going to cobble together his bullpen tonight, Dusty Baker conjured up a less-stressful road map to victory a few hours before the Nationals and Phillies took the field. "Hopefully we score a lot of runs," the manager said. "And hopefully Cole goes deep in the game." Baker got his wish. On both counts. The Nationals once again got homers from Ryan Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon. And they got six innings of one-run ball from A.J. Cole,...

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Who's tonight's closer? Stay tuned (Nationals win 6-2)

May 06, 2017, 4:01pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - It's turning into a daily question for Dusty Baker: Who's your closer tonight? "Same thing as yesterday," the Nationals manager said this afternoon. So, Matt Albers gets the ninth inning again? "I don't know, Albers has thrown two days in a row," Baker said. "I don't know. We'll figure it out as the game goes. That's how it's been every day." The conglomeration of Shawn Kelley, Koda Glover and Sammy SolÃs all landing on the disabled list while Blake Treinen and...

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Harper better but out of Nats lineup for at least one more game

May 06, 2017, 2:16pm

Nationals

Harper better but out of Nats lineup for at least one more game

PHILADELPHIA - Bryce Harper informed Dusty Baker today his minor groin tweak has healed, hoping that might convince the Nationals manager to put him in the lineup for tonight's game against the Phillies. Deep down, though, Harper must've known Baker's standard policy for this type of situation. Which is why he remained on the bench for the second straight day. "He's better," Baker said. "When they tell me they're better, I like to hold them out at least another day." It has long been...

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Game 30 lineups: Nats at Phillies

May 06, 2017, 11:41am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have the best record in baseball, a .690 winning percentage, and they've done so despite a steadily revolving door of pitchers. Tonight the door opens again, and in walks A.J. Cole, making his first big league start of the season. Cole technically takes over Joe Ross' rotation spot, though the Nationals would have liked to give that spot to Jacob Turner (had he not been needed to throw four innings out of the bullpen on Wednesday). The 25-year-old Cole made four...

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Strasburg's gutsy effort includes 119 pitches and a homer

May 05, 2017, 10:02pm

Nationals

Strasburg's gutsy effort includes 119 pitches and a homer

PHILADELPHIA - His pitch count over 110, his left calf cramping up each time he finished his delivery and his gray Nationals jersey soaked through on a humid night at Citizens Bank Park, Stephen Strasburg looked done during the bottom of the sixth Friday night. And when Dusty Baker, Mike Maddux and Paul Lessard emerged from the visitors' dugout upon seeing Strasburg in some amount of discomfort, the right-hander's night figured to be over. Strasburg, however, had other ideas. He glared as his...

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After 461 appearances, Albers finally gets to save the game

May 05, 2017, 8:07pm

Nationals

After 461 appearances, Albers finally gets to save the game

PHILADELPHIA - Matt Albers has been a professional pitcher for 16 seasons, a major leaguer for 12, a full-time reliever for 10. He's the guy who is called upon to pitch in whatever situation is needed on a given night. Long relief. Extra innings. Mop-up work. A random sixth or seventh inning here or there. And a whole lot of ninth innings ... with his team trailing. It's about as unglamorous a role as there is in baseball, and after more than a decade it surely gets you typecast. Albers has...

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Nats ride homers, Strasburg, altered bullpen to 4-2 victory

May 05, 2017, 6:26pm

Nationals

Nats ride homers, Strasburg, altered bullpen to 4-2 victory

PHILADELPHIA - Ryan Zimmerman homered again, which is no surprise. Anthony Rendon homered, which is not a surprise this week. But a Stephen Strasburg home run? That was most surprising and elicited the biggest gasp among the crowd at Citizens Bank Park tonight. Strasburg's solo blast, only the second of his career, helped the Nationals open up a lead tonight. His heavy workload on the mound held the Phillies in check and ultimately put his team in position for a 4-2 victory in the opener of...

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Sore groin keeps Harper out of lineup (Nationals win 4-2)

May 05, 2017, 3:42pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Still dealing with a sore groin, Bryce Harper is not in the starting lineup for tonight's series opener against the Phillies, but the Nationals remain confident the injury isn't anything serious and that their slugger will return in short order. "He's a little sore," manager Dusty Baker said. "Like I said yesterday, he's day-to-day. I said I'll check with him daily. I didn't check with him today, but I checked with the trainers. Hopefully he'll come back sometime this...

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Kelley lands on DL with strained lower back, Grace recalled

May 05, 2017, 2:42pm

Nationals

Kelley lands on DL with strained lower back, Grace recalled

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals hoped they'd have Shawn Kelley available out of their bullpen tonight after he missed the last two days with an illness. Turns out they're going to be without him a while longer after they placed him on the 10-day disabled list with a strained lower back. The surprise move came only 15 minutes before first pitch between the Nationals and Phillies, after Kelley's back flared up while trying to determine if he'd be able to appear in the series opener at Citizens...