nationals

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

May 07, 2017, 2:28pm

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...

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Game 29 lineups: Nats at Phillies

May 05, 2017, 11:30am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - As was the case in Washington, it poured in Philadelphia this morning. But as is the case in D.C., the rain has mostly cleared out now and so the Nationals and Phillies shouldn't have much trouble getting the opener of their weekend series in tonight at Citizens Bank Park. If and when they play, Stephen Strasburg will be on the mound for the Nats in a ballpark in which he has enjoyed an awful lot of success. Strasburg has 1.64 ERA in seven career starts here, including seven...

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Albers, Romero and Taylor shine in series-clinching win

May 05, 2017, 4:45am

Nationals

Albers, Romero and Taylor shine in series-clinching win

For all the handwringing about the Nationals bullpen, they did a nice job of bouncing back in the Diamondbacks series. In the Colorado series, the pitching staff allowed 29 runs in five games. Nineteen of those runs came in the late innings. Against Arizona, the bullpen allowed two runs in the first game, none on Wednesday and one on Thursday. The final scores of the last two games were 2-1 and 4-2. Far cry from the 23-5, 15-12 and 16-5 games they had been a part of within the last 10 days. The...

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Opposite dugout: Phillies coming along, but have plenty to work on

May 04, 2017, 7:45pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Phillies coming along, but have plenty to work on

Manager: Pete Mackanin (3rd season) Record: 12-15 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 2B CÃ©sar HernÃ¡ndez (.336 average with 39 hits), 3B Maikel Franco (.231 average with 5 HR, 25 RBIs), RHP Jeremy Hellickson (4-1, 3.18 ERA), RHP HÃ©ctor Neris (0-1, 3 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 3-3 Pitching probables: May 5: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. RHP Nick Pivetta, 7:05 p.m., MASNMay 6: TBA vs. RHP Vince Velasquez, 7:05 p.m., MASNMay 7: RHP Tanner Roark vs. RHP Jeremy Hellickson, 2:35 p.m.,...

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Nationals to recognize 2017 Honorary Bat Girl Contest winner on Mother's Day

May 05, 2017, 11:34am

Nationals

Yesterday, Major League Baseball announced the winners of the 2017 Honorary Bat Girl contest, which recognizes baseball fans who have been affected by breast cancer and have demonstrated a commitment to battling the disease. This year's Honorary Bat Girl for the Washington Nationals is Melissa Green of Arlington, Va. She will be honored during the pregame ceremony before the team plays the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, May 14 at 1:35 p.m. For a Q&A with our 2017 Honorary Bat Girl, visit...

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David Huzzard: Nats dispelling some back luck by racking up wins

May 05, 2017, 5:34am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Nats dispelling some back luck by racking up wins

Adam Eaton is out for the season, Bryce Harper left yesterday's game with a groin strain, the back end of the rotation is a mess with a career minor leaguer just being inserted as the fifth starter and then there's the bullpen, and I think we all know the problems there. Yet the Nationals are 19-9, the best record in the major leagues. The Nationals are having the same bad luck with starters staying healthy they've always had and now have issues with pitching depth. And yet they just keep...

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Bryce Harper left game with groin tightness, listed as "day-to-day"

May 04, 2017, 2:01pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper left game with groin tightness, listed as "day-to-day"

The Nationals dropped the Diamondbacks 4-2 Thursday afternoon at Nats Park to win the series, and they now head off to Philadelphia to begin a five-game two-city road trip. That was all well and good, but the biggest postgame concern centered around the health of right fielder Bryce Harper who left the game in the seventh inning. Harper was replaced by Chris Heisey after finishing 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. His diving catch in right field of a liner from Diamondbacks starting pitcher...

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Scherzer helps his own cause (Nats win 4-2, Harper exits early)

May 04, 2017, 9:57am

Nationals

Scherzer helps his own cause (Nats win 4-2, Harper exits early)

For the second game in a row, the Nationals starting pitcher again helps his own cause to get his club on the board. On Wednesday night in the third and his team down 1-0, Gio Gonzalez fought hard to make contact with one out and Michael A. Taylor on third base. His grounder to shortstop scored Taylor to tie the game at 1-1. The Nationals went on to win 2-1. Thursday afternoon with two outs and the bases loaded in the second frame, Max Scherzer sent a dribbler on the infield grass toward third...