nationals

With better balance, Harper's swing looking more like 2015

March 16, 2017, 8:35am

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's only been three weeks of games, spring training games at that, so no one should draw any dramatic conclusions about its long-term implications. But those who have been watching Bryce Harper at the plate in the Grapefruit League can't help but notice a significant improvement in his swing. Harper enters today's game against the Mets sporting a .308 batting average and .438 on-base percentage with five homers. Among the notable differences from last season, when...

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PÃ©rez, Solano return to Nats after high drama in WBC

March 15, 2017, 7:09pm

Nationals

PÃ©rez, Solano return to Nats after high drama in WBC

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Oliver PÃ©rez and Jhonatan Solano would rather not have been in the clubhouse at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches yesterday morning, rejoining the Nationals teammates they said goodbye to 10 days earlier en route to the World Baseball Classic. And each player nearly had reason not to return to West Palm Beach just yet, each having seen his home country's team come within a whisker of advancing past the first round of the international tournament over the weekend. For...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Mets in West Palm Beach

March 16, 2017, 5:39am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Mets in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals host the Mets this afternoon inside The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, but there will be an interesting development taking place at the same time outside the ballpark. Max Scherzer is scheduled to start a minor league game, the first time he's facing another team this spring and trying out his three-fingered fastball grip. All things considered, Scherzer's outcome may be more important than anything that takes place in the big league game. As for that...

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Cole still struggling to find consistency from start to start

March 15, 2017, 1:10pm

Nationals

Cole still struggling to find consistency from start to start

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - If everything goes according to the Nationals' plan, A.J. Cole won't be in their opening day rotation. But with Tanner Roark still pitching in the World Baseball Classic and Max Scherzer still avoiding Grapefruit League games while testing his new three-fingered fastball grip, Cole is going to continue getting starts against big league opponents. And what would the Nationals like to see from the 25-year-old right-hander in however many more starts he gets this...

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Roark stays with USA; Zimmerman snaps skid (Nats lose 8-2)

March 15, 2017, 9:42am

Nationals

Roark stays with USA; Zimmerman snaps skid (Nats lose 8-2)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Astros 8, Nationals 2 Recap: A.J. Cole was roughed up by the Houston lineup, allowing seven runs on six hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings. Cole allowed a pair of homers (to Brian McCann and Jon Kemmer) and also walked in a run while throwing 73 total pitches. ... The Nationals scored two runs in the top of the second thanks to Ryan Zimmerman's infield single, Michael A. Taylor's triple to right-center and Stephen Drew's RBI single to left. Need to know:...

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Nats release Norris, responsible only for $688,000 of salary

March 15, 2017, 7:27am

Nationals

Nats release Norris, responsible only for $688,000 of salary

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - From the day they signed Matt Wieters, Derek Norris knew his time with the Nationals would be short-lived. The end finally came this morning, when the club granted the 28-year-old catcher his unconditional release. Norris, who had been acquired from the Padres in early December presumably to be the Nationals' starting catcher, now becomes a free agent hoping to sign with another club before opening day. "With two weeks left in spring training, I feel like I've done...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

March 15, 2017, 5:38am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Hello again from The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. It's good to be back after a little mid-spring trip home (complete with some unexpected snow shoveling). Thanks as always to Pete Kerzel for helping out in my absence. I'll be here through the remainder of camp, and things should start ramping up soon as the big decisions have to be made and the regulars start playing a lot more. Speaking of the regulars ... almost all of them are in the lineup for today's "road"...

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For Eaton, giving back is just another part of the game

March 14, 2017, 8:15am

Nationals

For Eaton, giving back is just another part of the game

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - When you're the new guy on a new team, there are a variety of factors that can make the transition a daunting experience. You have to find a new place to live. You're probably going to spring training in a different location, perhaps in an entirely different part of the country. There are the logistics of a move - do you rent an apartment for the season or buy a house? - and players with families have to consider things like a spouse's job, childcare and...

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Checking in on some camp storylines

March 13, 2017, 1:28pm

Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals are enjoying their second and final off-day of spring training today. Their complex at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches is closed. Players and staff have scattered like the four winds. Speaking of wind, a strong cold front has swept through South Florida, and it's supposed to dip into the 50s at night through the rest of the week. For here, that counts as winter. My flight home has been canceled by the winter storm (which I refuse to refer to by name) and...

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Baker on "electric" Glover, Strasburg's mechanical tweak

March 13, 2017, 1:13pm

Nationals

Baker on "electric" Glover, Strasburg's mechanical tweak

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Another day, another scoreless inning for Koda Glover. The right-hander has now worked five innings this spring, allowing just one hit and two walks with nine strikeouts. This time, he contributed an important shutdown frame after the Nationals had rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to knot their game with the Tigers at 3-3. That's the way it ended after 10 innings. "Koda was electric," manager Dusty Baker said after watching the hard-throwing righty work...

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Stretched-out Strasburg works to combat pitch-tipping (Nats, Tigers tie)

March 13, 2017, 11:38am

Nationals

Stretched-out Strasburg works to combat pitch-tipping (Nats, Tigers tie)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 3, Tigers 3 (10 innings) Recap: Stephen Strasburg threw four innings - twice the length of each of his previous outings - and yielded two runs on three hits. He walked none and fanned five. ... Ryan Zimmerman went 0-for-2 and is 0-for-17 to start the Grapefruit League. ... Bryce Harper had a three-game homer streak snapped. ... Tyler Collins homered off reliever Joe Blanton in the seventh. ... The Nats tied the game with a three-run eighth on a Wilmer Difo...

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Ward and Stevenson leave positive impression on Baker

March 13, 2017, 7:04am

Nationals

Ward and Stevenson leave positive impression on Baker

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals made 10 cuts this morning, optioning four players to minor league affiliates and reassigning six others to minor league camp. Right-handers Jimmy Codero and Austin Voth and infielder Matt Skole were optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. Catcher Raudy Read was optioned to Double-A Harrisburg. Reassigned to minor league camp were right-handers Dustin Antolin and Taylor Hill, infielders Corban Joseph and Drew Ward, and outfielder Andrew Stevenson. Additionally,...

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Starting lineups: Tigers vs. Nationals at West Palm Beach

March 12, 2017, 4:29pm

Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg will attempt to rebound from a poor March 8 start against the Cardinals in Jupiter when he takes the mound for the Nationals in today's 1:05 p.m. game against the Tigers. In that outing, Strasburg was tagged for six runs on seven hits in two innings. Maybe Detroit pitching will be the cure for first baseman Ryan Zimmerman's spring offensive ills. Zimmerman is 0-for-15 with three walks and three strikeouts in Grapefruit League play. Justin Verlander...

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Baker believes Rendon can be a run-producing weapon

March 12, 2017, 3:45pm

Nationals

Baker believes Rendon can be a run-producing weapon

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Get used to seeing third baseman Anthony Rendon hitting in the middle of the Nationals lineup - and not just because second baseman Daniel Murphy is still playing with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. "There's certain guys in your lineup that are foundation guys in your lineup, and he's one of the foundation guys in your lineup," manager Dusty Baker said of Rendon. Last season, Rendon got off to a terrible start. Hitting mostly out of the two-hole - where...

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After simulated game, Scherzer to move to four-day plan

March 12, 2017, 1:19pm

Nationals

After simulated game, Scherzer to move to four-day plan

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Max Scherzer won't have to wait another five days to see how the fractured knuckle on his right ring finger reacts to the stress of pitching in game conditions. Next time out, it'll only be a four-day wait. Scherzer threw 38 pitches during a simulated game this morning and came out of the activity with no apparent problems, said Nationals pitching coach Mike Maddux. "I thought Max looked really good," Maddux said. "He threw all four pitches for strikes. He had...

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Ross mixes pitches effectively in four scoreless frames

March 12, 2017, 12:37pm

Nationals

Ross mixes pitches effectively in four scoreless frames

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Joe Ross ended his strongest start of spring training with a flourish, retiring the final eight hitters he saw during a scoreless four-inning outing. "I felt good. I felt like my mechanics were a lot better this outing than last one," Ross said. "My command seemed a lot better, too. I got a little tired towards the end, but other than that, I was real happy with how it went." The right-hander allowed two hits, walked one and struck out four. He threw 60 pitches, 36...

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Baker reviews Scherzer's simulated game (Nats win 5-4)

March 12, 2017, 8:30am

Nationals

Baker reviews Scherzer's simulated game (Nats win 5-4)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 5, Astros 4 Recap: Adam Eaton, Bryce Harper and Drew Ward each homered ... Harper homered for the third straight game ... Joe Ross tossed four scoreless innings ... Jacob Turner allowed four runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings of work ... Andrew Stevenson smacked a walk-off RBI single to left-center in the bottom of the ninth to score Wilmer Difo from third base. Need to know: Joe Nathan, who is battling for one of the sacred spots in the Nats bullpen, tossed...

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Nathan unsure of future with Nats: "I wish I could tell you"

March 11, 2017, 2:42pm

Nationals

Nathan unsure of future with Nats: "I wish I could tell you"

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - With a little less than two weeks before the reported March 24 opt-out date in his minor league contract, veteran reliever Joe Nathan isn't quite sure where he stands with the Nationals. And that's all right with the 42-year-old right-hander, whose 377 career saves are the second-most among active major leaguers. "I wish I could tell you," Nathan said. "That's probably one of the more difficult things, really not having a clue what route these guys want to go. ......

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Starting lineups: Astros at Nationals at West Palm Beach

March 11, 2017, 3:02pm

Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Matt Wieters will make his long-awaited Grapefruit League debut for the Nationals this afternoon. He'll be behind the plate catching right-hander Joe Ross when the Nats host the Astros at 1:05 p.m. in a game that will be televised live on MASN. Wieters, signed last month to a one-year, $10.5 million deal with a player option for a second year at $10.5 million, is expected to catch three or four innings, according to manager Dusty Baker. That should be enough to get the...

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Relive "Nationals Classics": Historic Harper and walk-offs galore

March 09, 2017, 9:19am

Nationals

Hope you're enjoying our slate of Nationals spring training games so far. Be sure to tune in later today as the Nats host their roommates at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, the Astros, at 1 p.m. on MASN. New catcher Matt Wieters is scheduled to make his Nationals debut. After today's game, the next Nationals spring training broadcast on MASN isn't until Monday, March 20. So to hold you off until then, we've got a great nine-game schedule of "Nationals Classics" airing throughout the...