nationals

Braves go long to grab early lead on Gonzalez (Braves win 7-4)

May 19, 2017, 4:23pm

ATLANTA - Left-hander Gio Gonzalez managed to get through the first inning, but he was taxed. The Braves managed two hits in the frame. Gonzalez tossed more than 20 pitches to get out of the jam. In the second, Johan Camargo singled to lead off. After one out, Dansby Swanson launched a first-pitch, two-run shot over the left-center field wall and the Braves lead 2-0. It was Swanson's fourth homer of the season. Gonzalez is up to 40 pitches after two innings. The Nationals' only hit so far was...

Comments

Tags:

braves bryce harper byron kerr nationals frontstory_nationals1

Baker on facing knuckleballer: "Hope he throw you a fastball"

May 19, 2017, 2:35pm

Nationals

Baker on facing knuckleballer: "Hope he throw you a fastball"

ATLANTA - Manager Dusty Baker was in no mood to talk about Gio Gonzalez and his walk totals. Despite a 2.47 ERA, Gonzalez has walked 14 batters in his last three starts. That number spiked a bit with the seven walks allowed on May 3 against Arizona. "I'm just trying to figure why you all always ask me some negative question," Baker said. "I'm serious. It happens. Every start is not the same. Every at-bat is not the same. You just got to let it kind of play out. I don't know why walks are...

Comments

Tags:

braves byron kerr freddie freeman nationals r.a. dickey featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

MASN introduces daily social media show, "MASN All Access"

May 18, 2017, 1:04pm

Nationals

MASN introduces daily social media show, "MASN All Access"

You've seen our promos on MASN's broadcast of Nationals games. "Maximum Access Sports Network," another form of our acronym promoting MASN's dedication to giving fans the most access to their favorite teams. Well, we're staying true to our word. MASN is proud to introduce an all-new daily Facebook Live show "MASN All Access" with host Sara Perlman. The pregame show will feature sound from Nationals games, lineups, pitching matchups, interviews with your favorite players and coaches,...

Comments

Tags:

bobby blanco facebook live masn nationals nationals buzz sara perlman masn all access all access

How running prepares pitchers for game day

May 19, 2017, 4:10am

Nationals

How running prepares pitchers for game day

Manager Dusty Baker likes to see his starting pitchers running to stay at a premium physical level for the entire season. He pointed to his Cy Young Award-winning starter Max Scherzer as the pitcher that most incorporates running into his routine to get ready for each start. Baker said it was something he noticed from his old Dodgers teammates, and others around the league back in the day, and it has stayed with him for his entire career as a player and manager. "All of them ran back then,"...

Comments

Tags:

bob welch byron kerr dusty baker ferguson jenkins jacob turner max scherzer nationals rick sutcliffe tommy john

Game 41 lineups: Nats at Braves

May 19, 2017, 12:05pm

Nationals

ATLANTA - Welcome back to SunTrust Park. It's my first visit to the new ballpark, but this is the Nationals' second time here. I walked over from my hotel across a pedestrian foot bridge. It is a very nice complex but there are lots of new restaurants and buildings and pathways still under construction. Tonight the Nationals arrive and call on left-hander Gio Gonzalez to face 42-year-old knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. Daniel Murphy, Trea Turner, Chris Heisey and Brian Goodwin have never faced...

Comments

Tags:

braves bryce harper byron kerr nationals jayson werth matt wieters ryan zimmerman frontstory_nationals3

Friday morning Nats Q&A

May 18, 2017, 9:27pm

Nationals

It's been a couple of weeks since we did one of these, and since I'm sitting at home after making the drive back from Pittsburgh last night - MASNsports.com's Byron Kerr is en route to Atlanta and will be covering this weekend's series - this seemed like a good time to take some questions and attempt to provide some answers. I'm sure there will be plenty of inquiries about the Nationals bullpen, which is perfectly appropriate given the continued disarray of that unit. But hopefully we can...

Comments

Tags:

nationals nationals pastime q&a featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

News and notes before today's series finale (Nats lose 10-4)

May 18, 2017, 8:06am

Nationals

News and notes before today's series finale (Nats lose 10-4)

PITTSBURGH - It's not uncommon for veteran players to get a day game off after a night game. And given the Nationals' current schedule, with no break between today's series finale against the Pirates and Friday's series opener against the Braves, it's not surprising that Dusty Baker decided to sit both Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman. It does, however, create an imperfect lineup for today's game, with Brian Goodwin batting second, in front of Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon and Daniel...

Comments

Tags:

atlanta braves brian goodwin dusty baker mark lerner mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime pittsburgh pirates stephen drew anthony rendon competition committee featured_sidebar rob manfred frontstory_nationals3

Opposite dugout: Loss of Freeman leaves a big hole for Braves to fill

May 17, 2017, 1:43pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Loss of Freeman leaves a big hole for Braves to fill

Manager: Brian Snitker (2nd season) Record: 16-21 Last 10 games: 5-4 Who to watch: LF Matt Kemp (.336/.373.588 with 6 HR, 23 RBIs), CF Ender Inciarte (.261, 5 HR, 16 RBIs), RF Nick Markakis (.315, 21 RBIs), RHP R.A. Dickey (3-3, 4.22 ERA), RHP Jim Johnson (3.38 ERA, 6 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 0-3 Pitching probables: May 19: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP R.A. Dickey, 7:35 p.m., MASN2 May 20: RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP Bartolo ColÃ³n, 4:10 p.m., MASN May 21: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. LHP...

Comments

Tags:

braves frontstory_nationals3 nationals nationals buzz opposite dugout pete kerzel

David Huzzard: In NL East, are Nationals battling themselves?

May 19, 2017, 5:51am

Nationals

It is still early in the baseball season and yet it feels like it is over. The Nationals are 10 games over .500, while the second-place Braves are six games under. The National League East is a weak division and the Nationals are a team built to contend while the Mets are hampered by extraordinary bad luck, the Marlins have zero identity and an uncertain future, and the Braves and Phillies are both rebuilding teams on the right track but a year or two away from contention. The Nationals are...

Comments

Tags:

david huzzard guest blogger guestblogger nationals nationals buzz

Roark trying to re-prove himself: "The game is testing me right now"

May 18, 2017, 1:13pm

Nationals

Roark trying to re-prove himself: "The game is testing me right now"

PITTSBURGH - It can be easy to forget, because he has been so consistently good for the Nationals over long stretches in his career, but things have never come that easily for Tanner Roark. This is, after all, a guy who was drafted in the 25th round by the Rangers who went 6-17 with a 4.39 ERA for the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate in 2012. That he turned himself into one of the better starting pitchers in the National League is in itself a remarkable achievement. So while Roark's ragged start...

Comments

Tags:

dusty baker mark zuckerman matt wieters nationals nationals pastime pittsburgh pirates tanner roark featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Nationals lose 10-4, drop second straight to Pirates

May 18, 2017, 11:53am

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - Needing innings today from Tanner Roark and then quality work from his bullpen, Dusty Baker got neither. Roark's latest abbreviated start, combined with more relief struggles, sent the Nationals today to a 10-4 loss to the Pirates and a series loss at PNC Park. Baker was hoping for much better on a steamy afternoon along the shores of the Allegheny River, hoping Roark would be efficient enough to go six-plus innings and spare his bullpen some unnecessary work. But the Nationals...

Comments

Tags:

blake treinen daniel murphy enny romero mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime pittsburgh pirates tanner roark frontstory_nationals1

Game 40 lineups: Nats at Pirates

May 18, 2017, 6:07am

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - We've got an early getaway day here at PNC Park, with a 12:35 p.m. first pitch on what is going to be a very warm afternoon along the banks of the Allegheny River. The Nationals will be looking to win this series, taking two of three from the Pirates before heading down to Atlanta for a weekend series with the Braves. It's Tanner Roark on the mound, looking to bounce back from a bit of a ragged start against the Phillies. The biggest thing holding Roark back so far this season...

Comments

Tags:

lineups mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime pittsburgh pirates tanner roark frontstory_nationals1

Goodwin's mistakes overshadowing his positive contributions

May 17, 2017, 7:46pm

Nationals

Goodwin's mistakes overshadowing his positive contributions

PITTSBURGH - For a guy who has played in just eight games and received only 13 plate appearances, Brian Goodwin has sure found himself in the middle of a lot of significant moments for the Nationals. Some of those moments have been positive ones, including a pair during Wednesday night's game: an RBI double to account for the Nats' lone run off Pirates ace Gerrit Cole and a pinpoint throw to the plate from center field to nail Gift Ngoepe. And some of those moments have been negative ones,...

Comments

Tags:

brian goodwin dusty baker mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime pittsburgh pirates featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Jacob Turner runs out of gas but makes case to remain as fifth starter

May 17, 2017, 7:23pm

Nationals

Jacob Turner runs out of gas but makes case to remain as fifth starter

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals would like Jacob Turner to take over as their No. 5 starter for the immediate future. Circumstances and priorities have prevented that from happening, with the right-hander needed to help stabilize the least-stable bullpen in the majors. Tonight, though, Turner was back on the mound for the first inning, allowed to stay on the mound as long as his arm and results would allow it. And while the end result wasn't positive - the Nationals suffered a 6-1 loss to the...

Comments

Tags:

dusty baker jacob turner mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime pittsburgh pirates featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Pitching fades late as Nationals fall 6-1 to Pirates

May 17, 2017, 6:08pm

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals needed to keep tonight's game within striking distance, knowing they faced a stiff challenge against Pirates ace Gerrit Cole. For six innings, they were able to do that. Then it fell apart and any realistic hope of a comeback was dashed. A three-run homer off tiring starter Jacob Turner in the bottom of the sixth and then three more runs off relievers Oliver PÃ©rez and Matt Albers in the bottom of the seventh carried the Pirates to a 6-1 victory over the Nationals...

Comments

Tags:

brian goodwin jacob turner mark zuckerman matt albers nationals nationals pastime oliver perez pittsburgh pirates frontstory_nationals3

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

May 17, 2017, 3:37pm

Nationals

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

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...

Comments

Tags:

erick fedde joe ross mark zuckerman mike rizzo nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

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...

Comments

Tags:

injuries joe blanton mark zuckerman matt grace mike rizzo nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

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...

Comments

Tags:

jacob turner lineups mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime pittsburgh pirates frontstory_nationals3

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...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper jacob turner mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime pittsburgh pirates erick fedde featured_sidebar joe ross frontstory_nationals1

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...