nationals

Baker wants players to fully celebrate clincher (Nats lose 6-5 in 11)

September 23, 2016, 4:14pm

PITTSBURGH - They weren't obvious to the naked eye, but they were there this afternoon, tucked away on the fringes of the visitors' clubhouse at PNC Park: boxes of champagne. The Nationals know they'll be popping those things open at some point, perhaps as soon as tonight if they can beat the Pirates and the Phillies can beat the Mets at Citi Field. Yet there weren't many other outward signs of the situation inside the clubhouse before tonight's series opener against Pittsburgh. Guys went...

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Game 153 lineups: Nats at Pirates

September 23, 2016, 11:12am

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - Hello from PNC Park, splendid as ever, and the possible site tonight of something special. Not for the home club, which has held a couple of celebrations here the last few years, but for the Nationals, who tonight have a chance to clinch a division title. The Nationals' magic number, as surely you know by now, is two. In order to clinch the National League East crown tonight, they'll need to beat the Pirates and the Mets will need to lose to the Phillies at Citi Field. So, yeah,...

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Nationals have chance to clinch NL East title tonight

September 22, 2016, 6:41pm

Nationals

From the moment they were eliminated from playoff contention 363 days ago, this was the Nationals' primary focus. They reshaped their roster over the winter. They fired one manager, almost hired another, then wound up with yet another in the end. They watched key free agents depart. They made a couple of calculated moves to address those vacancies. They reported to spring training in Viera with a clear goal in mind. They opened the season with an extra-inning win and never really looked back,...

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Scherzer demonstrates again why he is a Game 1 starter

September 21, 2016, 8:08pm

Nationals

Scherzer demonstrates again why he is a Game 1 starter

MIAMI - Max Scherzer "stops all streaks," according to manager Dusty Baker. He did it again Wednesday for his 18th win of the season. The right-hander delivered another sterling performance and showed Baker was true to his word in an 8-3 dispatch of the Marlins, snapping the Nationals' four-game losing streak. "He's the epitome of the shutdown inning," Baker said. "You get him some runs he knows how to close the door. "Max is awesome. He should be in strong consideration for a Cy Young....

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Opposite dugout: Pirates need series vs. Nats to keep wild card hopes alive

September 22, 2016, 8:12pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Pirates need series vs. Nats to keep wild card hopes alive

Manager: Clint Hurdle (6th season) Record: 76-76 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: CF Andrew McCutchen (24 HR, 75 RBIs), RF Gregory Polanco (22 HR, 85 RBIs), LF Starling Marte (.311/.362/.457), RHP Ivan Nova (5-1, 2.93 ERA), LHP Tony Watson (3.15 ERA with 15 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 1-2 Pitching probables: Sept. 23: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Jameson Taillon, 7:05 p.m., MASN Sept. 24: RHP Joe Ross vs. RHP Ivan Nova, 7:05 p.m., MASN Sept. 25: RHP A.J. Cole vs. LHP Steven Brault, 1:35...

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David Huzzard: Which Nationals will bring home postseason awards?

September 22, 2016, 4:20am

Nationals

Awards season is as much about stories as it is about the performance on the field. With the season drawing to a close, there is a lot of talk about the postseason awards and three Nats names come up consistently in Dusty Baker, Daniel Murphy, and Max Scherzer. Baker has a good chance at winning National League Manager of the Year. He took over a Nationals team that disappointed last season and was much healthier in 2016. How much credit his increased use of the bench deserves for that is up...

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Early Fish miscues stake Nats to lead (Nationals win 8-3)

September 21, 2016, 4:04pm

Nationals

MIAMI - The Nationals manufactured a run and benefitted from sloppy Marlins defense to take an early lead. Facing right-hander Tom Koehler in the third, Danny Espinosa led off with a walk. He moved to second on a 3-4 sacrifice bunt by Max Scherzer. Koehler then tried to pick off Espinosa at second base but the throw was off target and rolled to center field. Espinosa went to third. Christian Yelich mishandled the ball in center field, allowing Espinosa to keep going and score. The Nationals...

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Zimmerman blast highlights big offensive night for Nats in 8-3 win

September 21, 2016, 7:40pm

Nationals

Zimmerman blast highlights big offensive night for Nats in 8-3 win

MIAMI - The offense needed a performance like they delivered Wednesday, especially after struggles in Atlanta and to begin this series. Ryan Zimmerman crushed a three-run shot, highlighting an 8-3 win for the Nationals over the Marlins, salvaging the final game of the series and ending a four-game losing streak. Trea Turner also homered in support of Max Scherzer, who allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings for his 18th win of the season. Wilson Ramos added an RBI double and Jayson Werth had a...

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Murphy unable to take step forward in recovery

September 21, 2016, 2:50pm

Nationals

Murphy unable to take step forward in recovery

MIAMI - Second baseman Daniel Murphy will miss his fourth straight start tonight for the Nationals as they finish their series against the Marlins in Miami. Manager Dusty Baker listed the injury as leg soreness on Monday, but progress to recovery has been slow the past couple of days, even though Murphy was employed as a pinch-hitter late in the first two games of the series. "Well, it's the same thing. He hasn't been responding to treatment," Baker said. "So with a day off tomorrow,...

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Solis encouraged by first bullpen session

September 21, 2016, 2:07pm

Nationals

Solis encouraged by first bullpen session

MIAMI - Left-hander Sammy Solis threw 25 pitches in his first bullpen session since going down with shoulder inflammation August 16. "Good, just nice to get back out there," Solis said. "It's been a long time, longer than I anticipated. But just to be back out there knowing that I am that much closer to a game, it's encouraging." Solis said the process of ramping up each bullpen session will not be necessary because of his current relieving role where he might just pitch one inning in a...

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Game 152 lineups: Nats at Marlins

September 21, 2016, 5:49am

Nationals

MIAMI - The Nationals look to salvage the final installment of a three-game series in South Florida tonight, but maybe more importantly, look to get some positive results for their slugger Bryce Harper. There was a bit of a buzz yesterday at Marlins Park regarding Tom Verducci's latest update on Harper's presumed ailing shoulder. Manager Dusty Baker said that report was "inaccurate," but did say that Harper had dealt with a neck issue early in August. He placed Harper back in the lineup in...

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Fernandez outduels Roark, losing streak now at four games

September 20, 2016, 6:34pm

Nationals

Fernandez outduels Roark, losing streak now at four games

MIAMI - The Nationals were unable to solve Jose Fernandez. Tanner Roark came within one pitch of solving the Marlins. Miami downed the Nationals 1-0 on a Giancarlo Stanton home run in the sixth, his 27th of the season and second in this series. The Nats' losing streak has reached four games. Roark pitched seven strong innings again, allowing one run and three hits with three walks and five strikeouts. He has reached 200 innings for the first time in his career (200 1/3), working at least seven...

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Fatigue not an issue for Nats, who need to find key hits

September 20, 2016, 6:54pm

Nationals

Fatigue not an issue for Nats, who need to find key hits

MIAMI - The Nationals have now lost four in a row. The biggest concern recently has been the offense. But getting runners home from scoring position has been an issue off and on for most of the season. Following Tuesday's 1-0 loss to the Marlins, the Nationals have scored only eight runs in their last four games, a span of 34 innings. That statistic might be a little bit skewed because they had to face Marlins ace Jose Fernandez on Tuesday. But then again, they will have to figure out a way to...

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Charlie Fliegel: Ryan Zimmerman's rotten luck

September 21, 2016, 5:24am

Nationals

Charlie Fliegel: Ryan Zimmerman's rotten luck

We don't need to worry about Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, right? Those hits should start coming any minute. After all, despite his poor numbers since coming back, he's top 10 in exit velocity and bottom 10 in BABIP, so, it's all just bad luck. Right? Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Zimmerman is fourth in groundball exit velocity, and top 25 for liners and fly balls. So he hits grounders hard, and it's not like he's not hitting other pitches softly. But he hits so many...

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Baker says report regarding Harper's shoulder is "inaccurate"

September 20, 2016, 2:19pm

Nationals

Baker says report regarding Harper's shoulder is "inaccurate"

MIAMI - Nationals manager Dusty Baker declared before Tuesdays game that an article written by Sport Illustrated's Tom Verducci on right fielder Bryce Harper's shoulder causing problems in his swing was not accurate. Baker also said his quote about Harper's shoulder causing lingering issues was taken out of context. "The story is inaccurate," Baker said. "They asked me about his shoulder problem before. I said exactly that, we gave him four or five days off. I don't even know how long...

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Roark and Fernandez duel in Miami (Marlins win 1-0)

September 20, 2016, 4:12pm

Nationals

Roark and Fernandez duel in Miami (Marlins win 1-0)

MIAMI - As one might have expected, a pair of pitchers with identical 15-8 records and sub-3.00 ERAs are locked in a pitchers' duel at Marlins Park on Tuesday night. Right-hander Jose Fernandez, who is 6-0 against the Nationals, has struck out five through four innings, allowing only a first-inning double to Stephen Drew. Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark got into trouble in the bottom of the third when he allowed a two-out single to Dee Gordon and then a pair of walks to load the bases. But...

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On a mellower, calmer Baker: "If I'm good, the team's good"

September 20, 2016, 7:37am

Nationals

On a mellower, calmer Baker: "If I'm good, the team's good"

MIAMI - Manager Dusty Baker was away from the team last week to attend to a death in the family. During that time, bench coach Chris Speier managed the club. Speier spoke about his close friendship with Baker and how their relationship has been solidified with trust built over decades of working together. Speier commented this time around he has seen a change in Baker's demeanor as a manager. Baker relishes the victories. But Speier noted that Baker now doesn't take the losses as hard as he...

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Game 151 lineups: Nats at Marlins

September 20, 2016, 8:02am

Nationals

MIAMI - It's a marquee matchup tonight, as the Nationals' Tanner Roark challenges the Marlins' Jose Fernandez. Roark, who is 15-8 with a 2.75 ERA, is seeking a career-high 16th win. Fernandez is also 15-8, with a 2.99 ERA. Fernandez has never lost to the Nationals: He is 6-0 with a 1.13 ERA in nine starts, with 72 strikeouts and just seven earned runs allowed. He is 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA against the Nationals this season, surrendering only three earned runs in 19 innings. Roark is 3-7 with a...

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Time to start watching the Dodgers with a scouting eye

September 20, 2016, 11:27am

Nationals

Time to start watching the Dodgers with a scouting eye

No, the Nationals haven't clinched the National League East title. Yet. The champagne celebration has been pushed back just a bit. But it will happen, probably sometime this weekend in Pittsburgh. Maybe not until early next week when the team comes home to face the Diamondbacks. And so while one eye obviously should be kept on the immediate task at hand, it's OK to start focusing the other eye on the Nationals' likely opponent in the National League Division Series: the Dodgers. (Just be...

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How A.J. Cole fought through without his best stuff

September 19, 2016, 9:29pm

Nationals

How A.J. Cole fought through without his best stuff

MIAMI - Nationals right-hander A.J. Cole allowed only two runs in his start Monday, but had to labor to get those 12 outs. Cole had to throw 79 pitches in just four innings and spoke after taking a no-decision in the 4-3 loss to Miami. "I didn't have my best stuff tonight," Cole said. "But I fought to keep my team in the game. I went out there and still tried every inning to get my stuff where I wanted it to. I battled through it. "It didn't really differ at all. Though I went out there...