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Nats have many factors to weigh on final NLDS roster decisions

October 05, 2016, 9:05pm

The Nationals have until 10 a.m. Friday to submit and announce their roster for the National League Division Series. Don't be surprised if they take every last minute available to them before finalizing which 25 players will take the field against the Dodgers. These decisions are easier said than done, and Dusty Baker, Mike Rizzo and everyone else involved in the process have some legitimately tough decisions to make. "Do you keep some veterans?" Baker asked rhetorically on Wednesday. "Do...

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Baker confirms Pedro Severino will start at catcher in NLDS Game 1

October 06, 2016, 10:54am

Nationals

Baker confirms Pedro Severino will start at catcher in NLDS Game 1

Nationals manager Dusty Baker set his battery for Game 1 of the National League Division Series with the announcement today that rookie Pedro Severino will catch Max Scherzer in Friday's opener. "OK, No. 1, Severino is catching tomorrow," Baker said "He's pretty good against left-handed pitchers. I don't think he's seen one quite like this in (Clayton) Kershaw before. He's worked with our guys and (Jose) Lobaton is a little bit injured, and that's one reason why he's not catching...

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District 34 podcast: Previewing the Nationals-Dodgers NLDS showdown

October 06, 2016, 10:07am

Nationals

Playoff baseball is back in Washington, D.C.! The Nationals and Dodgers will kick off their National League Division Series tomorrow at Nats Park with a Game 1 showdown between Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw. Daniel Murphy has had success in the postseason. Bryce Harper always seems to shine brightest on a big stage. Anthony Rendon has made huge contributions during the playoffs. And Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman always seem to come up clutch when needed. For our playoff preview episode of...

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Pedro Severino ready to embrace next challenge of NLDS

October 06, 2016, 4:09am

Nationals

Pedro Severino ready to embrace next challenge of NLDS

Nationals 23-year-old catcher Pedro Severino started playing baseball in the infield until a coach recommended he become a catcher. That's where Severino realized how good he was at throwing runners out and how he enjoyed the moment so much. During the Marlins series to end the season, Severino threw a runner out at second base and could be seen on MASN cameras nodding his head several times in agreement when the runner was called out. "When I was 14 years old I was third baseman," Severino...

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Dusty Baker reflects on the time he was traded to the Dodgers

October 05, 2016, 11:54am

Nationals

Dusty Baker reflects on the time he was traded to the Dodgers

The Nationals face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series starting Friday. Inevitably, the matchup will bring back memories for manager Dusty Baker about his time as a player with the club. Baker played for the Dodgers from 1976-1983. He was traded to the Dodgers from the Atlanta Braves, where he started his big league career in 1968. Baker was asked what he felt about getting traded to the Dodgers. It turned out to be another one of the all-time great Baker...

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Nats add live BP to workout, Murphy passes running test

October 05, 2016, 12:27pm

Nationals

Nats add live BP to workout, Murphy passes running test

The Nationals added another element to today's pre-playoffs workout: live batting practice. And Daniel Murphy added more elements to his personal workout in an attempt to return from injury and start Game 1 of the National League Division Series: hard running in both the outfield and on the bases. By all accounts, both went according to plan, leaving everybody as ready as they could reasonably expect to be at this point for Friday's series opener against the Dodgers. All of the Nationals'...

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Spotlight will shine on Nationals lefties during NLDS

October 04, 2016, 9:50pm

Nationals

The Dodgers do many things well. They pitch well. They hit for power. They play good defense. There is, however, one thing they really don't do well: hit left-handed pitchers. No team in baseball was less productive against lefties than the Dodgers, whose .213 batting average was 21 points worse than anybody else in the majors, and whose .622 OPS was 55 points worse than anybody else in the sport. And so the spotlight will shine brightly on few during the National League Division Series more...

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Trea Turner the difference maker Nats have been searching for

October 05, 2016, 3:01am

Nationals

Trea Turner the difference maker Nats have been searching for

In any professional sports matchup, to separate two evenly matched teams you need a difference maker, an elite talent that is a cut above or brings something to the table the other team can't match. In football, it's a tall wide receiver or a pass rusher that is too fast for a quarterback. In baseball, it can be a guy who has the bat, the speed and the glove that can change a game. Early in 2016, the Nationals were not finding that in their leadoff spot until they converted their would be...

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Nats have experience, but new blood could spell difference this postseason

October 04, 2016, 11:55am

Nationals

Nats have experience, but new blood could spell difference this postseason

The Nationals have a good blend of experience and youth, and are hoping that will be the blend that will carry them to the next round of the postseason. It is a goal that the Nats have been unable to reach in their last two playoff appearances. "I think the experience helps from '12 and '14," said president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo. "We got two more playoff experiences under our belt. It doesn't feel any different to me. I'm fired up for playoff action. "You...

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Murphy on track for Game 1, Scherzer officially named starter

October 04, 2016, 11:39am

Nationals

Murphy on track for Game 1, Scherzer officially named starter

For most of the Nationals roster, which still stands at 40 for now until final decisions are made before Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Friday, today's workout was an exercise in the routine and mundane. Pitchers fielded bunts. Infielders took grounders. Everybody took batting practice. For Daniel Murphy, more was at stake. The Nationals second baseman and MVP candidate hasn't done anything other than pinch-hit since straining a buttocks muscle 2 1/2 weeks ago, but today he...

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Turner earns another NL Rookie of the Month honor

October 03, 2016, 12:04pm

Nationals

Turner earns another NL Rookie of the Month honor

Trea Turner's odds of winning National League Rookie of the Year are nearly nonexistent, not because of his performance, but because he spent less than half of the season in the big leagues while Corey Seager played the entire year for the Dodgers and posted dynamic numbers across the board. Turner, though, can take solace knowing he clearly was the league's best rookie through the season's final two months. Having previously won NL Rookie of the Month honors for August, Turner today was...

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Revisiting those opening day media predictions

October 03, 2016, 10:47am

Nationals

Revisiting those opening day media predictions

As sportswriters, the most important thing we ask of the athletes and coaches we cover is accountability. It's easy to do interviews after you hit a game-winning homer. It's not nearly as easy to do them after you give up a game-winning homer. But it's part of the job, and so we ask them to stand up and take the heat when they lose. But it would be entirely unfair of us to ask those we cover to be accountable for their mistakes if we are not willing to be accountable for our own mistakes. Of...

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Trea Turner again named NL Rookie of the Month

October 03, 2016, 11:34am

Nationals

Trea Turner again named NL Rookie of the Month

Posting a .339 batting average with five doubles, two triples, eight home runs, eight walks, 18 RBI and 15 stolen bases in the final month of his rookie regular season, Nationals infielder/outfielder Trea Turner earned his second consecutive National League Rookie of the Month award. The honor, which comes on the heels of Turner taking home the award for August as well, was announced by Major League Baseball on Monday afternoon. Turner finished the regular season hitting .342 with 14 doubles,...

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A look back at the importance of 95 wins in 2016

October 03, 2016, 5:46pm

Nationals

A look back at the importance of 95 wins in 2016

The Nationals won the National League East for the third time in the past five seasons and now prepare for a matchup with the Dodgers on Friday. Their 95 wins tied the Rangers for second-best in the major leagues behind the Cubs' 103 victories. In 2012, the Nationals won 98 games. In 2014, they tallied 96 victories. It is the fifth time in 21 years manager Dusty Baker's illustrious career that one of his teams reached at least 95 wins. Baker said all season that his monthly goal was 15 wins a...

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Starting times for NLDS Games 1 and 2 announced

October 03, 2016, 11:40am

Nationals

Starting times for NLDS Games 1 and 2 announced

The Nationals and Dodgers will be battling not only aces on the mound, but possibly late-afternoon shadows and the emergence of the Sun Monster when they open the National League Division Series with a pair of contests later this week. Game 1 of the best-of-five series will start at 5:38 p.m. Friday, Major League Baseball announced today. First pitch for Game 2 is slated for 4:08 p.m. Saturday. Starting times for the remainder of the series (Games 3 and 4 in Los Angeles and a potential Game 5...

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Nationals now face long wait til NLDS opens Friday

October 02, 2016, 9:50pm

Nationals

Baseball is a sport played every day. Or almost every day. Yet here are the Nationals and Dodgers, champions of their respective divisions, ready to do battle in their best-of-five National League Division Series ... and they're forced to take the next four days off before finally returning to the field. It's an unfortunate, but necessary, part of the modern postseason schedule. With the two wild card games set to be played Tuesday and Wednesday, the Division Series can't commence until...

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Espinosa hoping to take good feeling into series with Dodgers

October 03, 2016, 3:41am

Nationals

Espinosa hoping to take good feeling into series with Dodgers

When the postseason begins, the Nationals need their stars to step up and contribute to advance. A late arrival like catcher Pedro Severino or right-hander Reynaldo Lopez could also play an important part. But what about another veteran like Danny Espinosa? Could he get going for a couple of weeks and provide a boost to the offense? The last two games may give an indication. After an 0-for-20 slump he is 3-for-4. A small step, but a positive one. Espinosa walked twice, scored three runs and...

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Murphy on return to Nats: "I'm progressing nicely"; batting title of less importance

October 02, 2016, 4:16pm

Nationals

Murphy on return to Nats: "I'm progressing nicely"; batting title of less importance

To get some sense of the impact second baseman Daniel Murphy has on the Nationals and how much he has been missed, just listen to the crowd. When Murphy was announced as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the fifth, the 28,730 assembled at Nats Park roared their approval. Manager Dusty Baker wanted to give his hitting star a chance to win the batting title. But the strained buttocks muscle had slowed Murphy's progress this week and some thought he might just be rested for another five days as the...

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Some news and notes for this year's postseason

October 03, 2016, 5:41am

Nationals Orioles

Some news and notes for this year's postseason

Baseball's postseason has arrived. The over-riding theme is that every team is short of pitching, except the Chicago Cubs, winners of the National League Central and World Series favorites. They have the deepest rotation going in. Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks are NL Cy Young contenders. Jake Arrieta, though inconsistent since late June, is a force, and John Lackey, with a strong slider, is a big-game pitcher in October. Lackey and Lester are former Red Sox teammates that helped Boston beat...

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Marty Niland: Nats' postseason hero could be anyone

October 03, 2016, 4:42am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Nats' postseason hero could be anyone

The Nationals are banged up as they enter the 2016 playoffs, with many of their top stars out or ailing for the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But if they are going to give Washington a postseason series win for the first time since 1924, the Nats will still need a postseason hero to make it happen. Wilson Ramos is out for the whole postseason. Stephen Strasburg won't be pitching in at least the NLDS. Daniel Murphy is hobbled. Bryce Harper is still...