nationals

Opposite dugout: In wake of tragedy, Marlins try to finish season on high note

September 29, 2016, 12:58pm

Manager: Don Mattingly (1st season) Record: 78-80 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: LF Christian Yelich (.292 with 20 HR, 95 RBIs), CF Marcell Ozuna (.264 with 23 HR, 75 RBIs), RF Giancarlo Stanton (27 HR, 74 RBIs), RHP Tom Koehler (4-13, 4.15 ERA), RHP A.J. Ramos (2.86 ERA with 39 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 8-8 Pitching probables: Sept. 30: RHP Andrew Cashner vs. RHP A.J. Cole, 7:05 p.m., MASN2 Oct. 1: LHP Wei-Yin Chen vs. RHP Tanner Roark, 4:05 p.m., MASN2 Oct. 2: RHP Tom Koehler vs....

Comments

Tags:

bobby blanco marlins nationals nationals buzz opposite dugout frontstory_nationals2

Severino homers to start offense (Nats win 5-3)

September 29, 2016, 10:14am

Nationals

Severino homers to start offense (Nats win 5-3)

The Diamondbacks forced Joe Ross to have to make 32 pitches in a top of the first that spanned 16 minutes. But Ross worked around a 12-pitch leadoff walk to Jean Segura to keep Arizona off the board. The D-backs scored a run in the top of the third thanks to three singles. Jake Lamb delivered the run-scoring single to lift Arizona to the 1-0 lead. The Nationals came right back in the bottom of the third thanks to a Pedro Severino solo shot down the left field line. The home run, his second of...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr joe ross nationals pedro severino frontstory_nationals3

District 34 podcast: Injury updates heading into the postseason

September 29, 2016, 10:40am

Nationals

District 34 podcast: Injury updates heading into the postseason

Playoff baseball is back in D.C.! The Nationals are back in the postseason after clinching their third National League East division title in five years last weekend, and will face the Dodgers in the National League Division Series. That series starts next Friday, but where it will begin remains to be seen. The Nationals hold a two-game lead over the Dodgers heading into today's series finale against the Diamondbacks at Nats Park. Their magic number to clinch home field advantage for the NLDS...

Comments

Tags:

bobby blanco bryce harper byron kerr daniel murphy district 34 dusty baker nationals nationals buzz podcast postseason stephen strasburg wilson ramos frontstory_nationals2

Ramos on knee injury and rehab: "All I can do is stay positive"

September 29, 2016, 9:01am

Nationals

Ramos on knee injury and rehab: "All I can do is stay positive"

Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos spoke for the first time following the announcement that he is out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Ramos said he has had a little bit of time to organize his thoughts and think about what is next after injuring his knee Monday night against the Diamondbacks. As with most ACL injury cases, team doctors will wait for the swelling to go down in the knee before proceeding with surgery. "I feel a little bit more relaxed," Ramos said through...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr dusty baker nationals pedro severino wilson ramos featured_sidebar

Thursday morning Q&A from rainy D.C.

September 28, 2016, 8:00pm

Nationals

It was only five days ago when the Nationals were spraying champagne and beer all over each other in the clubhouse at PNC Park, celebrating their third division title in five years and looking ahead to what they hoped would be a deep October run. That feels like more than five days ago because a lot has happened since then, and most of it has not been good. Bryce Harper jammed his thumb Sunday in Pittsburgh and hasn't played since. Daniel Murphy still hasn't returned from his strained...

Comments

Tags:

mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime q&a bryce harper daniel murphy stephen strasburg wilson ramos frontstory_nationals2

Game 159 lineups: Diamondbacks at Nats

September 28, 2016, 5:20pm

Nationals

The Nationals hope to bounce back quickly with an early game today as they wrap up a four-game series against the Diamondbacks. Right-hander Joe Ross (7-5, 3.48 ERA) faces off against former Nats prospect lefty Robbie Ray (8-14, 4.77). Ray, a 12th round selection by the Nationals in 2010, is making his first-ever start at Nats Park. This is the Nationals' final game against Arizona this season and have won 13 of the last 18 meetings. Bryce Harper (thumb) and Daniel Murphy (buttocks) have not...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr lineups nationals frontstory_nationals2

Gonzalez's difficult week ends with another loss

September 28, 2016, 7:51pm

Nationals

Gonzalez's difficult week ends with another loss

There is no way to truly know what emotions swirled through Gio Gonzalez's mind this evening when he took the mound at Nationals Park, only three days removed from learning his friend and fellow big league pitcher Jose Fernandez had been killed in a boating accident in Miami. Gonzalez, who will be leaving the club Thursday to attend Fernandez's funeral, has declined so far to speak about the accident. But those who have been around him these last few days, and anyone who saw him shed tears...

Comments

Tags:

arizona diamondbacks dusty baker gio gonzalez mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime trea turner featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

David Huzzard: Nats need role players to step up

September 29, 2016, 5:09am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Nats need role players to step up

Wilson Ramos is lost for the postseason, Stephen Strasburg will miss the series against the Dodgers, and Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy are dealing with nagging injuries. To say the Nationals are entering the postseason not in their best shape is an understatement. In order to make a deep playoff run, the Nationals are going to need some guys to step up. This isn't uncommon for the postseason and the Nationals have been on the receiving end of it. Joe Panik and Pete Kozma are far from...

Comments

Tags:

anthony rendon chris heisey danny espinosa david huzzard gio gonzalez guest blogger guestblogger jayson werth joe ross jose lobaton nationals nationals buzz stephen drew trea turner

Would Nats make up games on Monday? (Nats lose 3-0)

September 28, 2016, 2:51pm

Nationals

Would Nats make up games on Monday? (Nats lose 3-0)

The Nationals may well need to complete this week's series against the Diamondbacks in order to determine home field advantage for the National League Division Series against the Dodgers. And it may well require a return trip to D.C. from the Diamondbacks on Monday to get those games in. With rain already falling in the area and expected to continue well into Friday, the Nationals have delayed the start of tonight's game. Whether there's enough of a window to get any or all of it played...

Comments

Tags:

arizona diamondbacks los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds rain delay frontstory_nationals3

Nationals drop rain-shortened 3-0 game to Diamondbacks

September 28, 2016, 5:54pm

Nationals

Given the discouraging forecast - not only for tonight but for Thursday, as well - the Nationals had to feel fortunate to get five full innings in against the Diamondbacks this evening. If only the score at the end of those five innings didn't favor Arizona. The Nationals were left to suffer a 3-0 loss after the game was called in the top of the sixth with heavy rain falling at the ballpark. The rain-shortened loss leaves the Nationals with a 92-66 record, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Dodgers, who...

Comments

Tags:

arizona diamondbacks mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Rendon's 19th homer sets up Scherzer's 19th win

September 27, 2016, 7:21pm

Nationals

Rendon's 19th homer sets up Scherzer's 19th win

Max Scherzer was cruising. After a shaky start to his night that included a leadoff homer in the first and a pair of doubles off the center field wall in the third, the Nationals ace had retired 11 of the last 13 Diamondbacks batters he'd faced, eight of them via strikeout. But with the Nats trailing by two runs in the bottom of the sixth and the pitcher's spot due up, Dusty Baker did what he had to do: He pulled Scherzer back and sent Wilmer Difo to the plate as a pinch-hitter, despite some...

Comments

Tags:

anthony rendon arizona diamondbacks dusty baker mark zuckerman max scherzer nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar

Solis impresses in return to big league mound

September 27, 2016, 7:46pm

Nationals

Solis impresses in return to big league mound

Sammy Solis hadn't faced a big league hitter in 43 days, so the left-hander was perhaps a bit jittery when he took the mound in the seventh inning at Nationals Park last night and promptly threw a first-pitch fastball to the Diamondbacks' Socrates Brito that sailed more than a foot over the top of the strike zone. "I would say a few butterflies in there," Solis admitted afterward. "But once I got past the first pitch, it was all good. Right back to the comfort zone of being on the...

Comments

Tags:

arizona diamondbacks mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime sammy solis featured_sidebar

Game 158 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks

September 28, 2016, 10:53am

Nationals

So, here are the answers to the two questions on everyone's mind right now: 1) It's going to rain this evening. Hard. And it's not supposed to stop until Friday morning. 2) According to a Major League Baseball official, any postponed games that could impact home field advantage for the National League Division Series must be played before the postseason begins. What that means: The Nationals, who currently lead the Dodgers by two games with five to play (but would lose a tiebreaker based on...

Comments

Tags:

arizona diamondbacks gio gonzalez lineups mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime

Brian Goodwin making a name for himself with Nats

September 27, 2016, 5:11pm

Nationals

Brian Goodwin making a name for himself with Nats

Right fielder Brian Goodwin played in his 19th game with the Nationals this season Tuesday and has demonstrated a solid approach at the plate and exceptional defense in the outfield. The 25-year-old lefty, Goodwin is hitting .324 having played all three outfield spots after being called up in early September. Meanwhile, Trea Turner has supplanted Ben Revere in the leadoff spot and in center field. Goodwin has joined Turner on defense a few times in the Nats outfield. Revere has played in 100...

Comments

Tags:

brian goodwin byron kerr dusty baker mike rizzo nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Nationals won't work on NLDS rotation, roster til later in week

September 28, 2016, 1:33pm

Nationals

The Dodgers wasted no time revealing their planned rotation for the National League Division Series, announcing Tuesday afternoon that ace Clayton Kershaw will start Game 1 against the Nationals, with fellow left-hander Rich Hill in Game 2, right-hander Kenta Maeda in Game 3 and possibly rookie left-hander Julio Urias in Game 4. The Nationals, who clinched their berth in the NLDS a day before the club they'll be facing next week, won't be making such an announcement yet. "No, just cause they...

Comments

Tags:

dusty baker gio gonzalez joe ross los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Charlie Fliegel: Who steps up in Ramos' absence?

September 28, 2016, 5:03am

Nationals

Charlie Fliegel: Who steps up in Ramos' absence?

The season-ending injury to Wilson Ramos is obviously a big blow to the Nationals. And with everything Ramos has gone through, especially after the season he was having, it's hard not to feel sad for him. But the loss of one player, even one who was the team's second-best hitter this year, won't end the Nats chances. Ramos hasn't exactly been hitting well recently, with only a .764 OPS in the second half, but the team's production hasn't diminished - August was, in fact, their best month...

Comments

Tags:

charlie fliegel guest blogger guestblogger jose lobaton nationals nationals buzz pedro severino ryan zimmerman wilson ramos

Following loss of Ramos, Lobaton and Severino spark Nats comeback

September 27, 2016, 7:00pm

Nationals

Following loss of Ramos, Lobaton and Severino spark Nats comeback

The Nationals began the day with the news that starting catcher Wilson Ramos is out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Manager Dusty Baker talked during pregame about the club's catching depth, and how important Jose Lobaton and Pedro Severino would be on the run the Nats hope to be on for the next month. Then Baker watched as Lobaton and Severino sparked a four-run comeback that turned a two-run deficit into a 4-2 victory over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night. Lobaton led off...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr dusty baker jose lobaton mike rizzo nationals pedro severino featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Rendon gets 500th hit as Nats come back and win 4-2

September 27, 2016, 5:47pm

Nationals

Rendon gets 500th hit as Nats come back and win 4-2

Right-hander Max Scherzer allowed a few hard-hit balls in his first three innings against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. Jean Segura hit a mammoth solo shot on the game's first pitch. Jake Lamb and Welington Castillo delivered doubles deep to center field in the third. The D-backs led early by two. But then, as he does many times, Scherzer started to connect. At one point he struck out seven of eight batters. He ended up with 10 strikeouts in six innings, allowing just two runs on six hits. The...

Comments

Tags:

anthony rendon byron kerr max scherzer nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Cole suspended five games for retaliation pitch (Nats win 4-2)

September 27, 2016, 2:08pm

Nationals

Cole suspended five games for retaliation pitch (Nats win 4-2)

Major League Baseball has suspended A.J. Cole five games for intentionally throwing at Jung Ho Kang's head during the Nationals game Sunday in Pittsburgh. Cole, who also was fined an undisclosed amount, has appealed the suspension, so he remains on the Nationals active roster until a hearing can be held and ruled upon. He's tentatively lined up to start Friday night against the Marlins, his final outing of the regular season. The five-game suspension is a fairly standard punishment for...

Comments

Tags:

a.j. cole mark zuckerman mlb nationals nationals pastime pittsburgh pirates featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Rizzo confirms Strasburg "unlikely" to pitch in NLDS

September 27, 2016, 2:14pm

Nationals

Rizzo confirms Strasburg "unlikely" to pitch in NLDS

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg is making steady progress as he recovers from right elbow soreness, but doesn't look like he will be available for the National League Division Series against the Dodgers, according to president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo. "I think it would be kind of pushing it," Rizzo said of Strasburg's availability for the NLDS versus the Dodgers. "I think that's fair to say. I haven't seen him after he did his throwing program today. But with...