nationals

Ross could return from DL to pitch Sunday for Nationals

September 16, 2016, 2:31pm

ATLANTA - The Nationals haven't announced yet who will start Sunday's series finale against the Braves, but it looks like the club plans to get Joe Ross into the game in some capacity. Ross, who has been on the disabled list since July 3 with right shoulder inflammation, has made three minor league rehab starts and threw 60 pitches in a simulated game last weekend. He threw a light bullpen session this afternoon at Turner Field, which would put him on track to pitch in Sunday's game. Whether...

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Baker rejoins club, Espinosa on his way (Nationals win 7-2)

September 16, 2016, 4:10pm

Nationals

ATLANTA - Dusty Baker is back in the Nationals dugout tonight, back with his team after spending two days at home in California following the death of a family member. Baker arrived at Turner Field shortly after 4 p.m., luggage in tow after an all-day flight from the West Coast. He said he was able to watch Wednesday's game (a 1-0 victory over the Mets) on television, and found himself getting perhaps even more emotionally invested than he usually does when he's watching up-close. "It's a...

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Gott excited to be up with Nationals

September 16, 2016, 5:16am

Nationals

Right-hander Trevor Gott has appeared in four games for the Nationals during his September callup, posting a 3.00 ERA. In those four games, Gott has pitched three innings and allowed two hits and one run, with two walks and two strikeouts. The 24-year-old said he battled an arm issue early in his tenure with the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs this season that slowed his progress a bit. "I had some inflammation in the elbow, so I had to rest that, get that down," he said. "Caught it early, which is...

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Game 147 lineups: Nats at Braves

September 16, 2016, 11:53am

Nationals

ATLANTA - Hello yet again from Turner Field, where it seems like the Nationals occupy the visitors' dugout every couple of weeks. This, of course, is the team's final trip to this ballpark, with the Braves moving to their new digs in the northwest suburbs next spring. There won't be many tears shed among the Nats players, coaches (or media members) about this development. Tonight the teams open a three-game weekend series. The Nationals can't clinch the National League East title here - the...

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Thoughts on the Nats' final trip to Atlanta's Turner Field

September 16, 2016, 12:35pm

Nationals

Thoughts on the Nats' final trip to Atlanta's Turner Field

When the Nationals play a three-game series this weekend in Atlanta, it will be the last time they see Turner Field. Next season, the Braves will have a new home - SunTrust Park - in Cobb County, 12 miles northwest of the current yard. You're asking, "Didn't Turner Field just open?'' You're right, it did. But the Braves say that the ballpark is already in need of $300 million in renovations, so they prefer a new one. Turner Field hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics and was reconstructed into...

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Friday morning Q&A from Atlanta

September 15, 2016, 1:04pm

Nationals

ATLANTA - We've reached the home stretch at last. The Nationals tonight open their final road trip of the season. And by the time they return home for the final week of the season, they're very likely to be National League East champions. The actual clinching can't happen this weekend in Atlanta. The best the Nats could do is reduce their magic number to one by Sunday evening, and even that would require the Mets getting swept by the Twins. So the big day is most likely to come next week,...

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Opposite dugout: Braves are hoping to avoid 100-loss season

September 14, 2016, 6:35pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Braves are hoping to avoid 100-loss season

Manager: Brian Snitker (1st season) Record: 56-90 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: 1B Freddie Freeman (.296/.393/.556 with 30 HR, 78 RBIs, CF Ender Inciarte (.288, 15 SB), RF Nick Markakis (84 RBIs), LF Matt Kemp (31 HR, 99 RBIs), RHP Mike Foltynewicz (8-5, 4.41 ERA), RHP Jim Johnson (15 saves, 3.02 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-13 Pitching probables: Sept. 16: RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP John Gant, 7:35 p.m., MASN Sept. 17: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. TBA, 1:05 p.m., FOX Sept. 18: RHP Joe Ross...

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More on Roark, Ramos and others

September 14, 2016, 8:50pm

Nationals

More stats, thoughts and quotes after yesterday's 1-0 victory over the Mets, which sent the Nationals off on their final road trip of the regular season owning a commanding 10-game lead in the National League East, with the magic number down to seven ... * Tanner Roark knows he's going to have to step up as the Nats' No. 2 starter for the postseason with Stephen Strasburg out. Truth is, Roark doesn't need to step up. He just needs to keep being who he has been throughout his career. Roark...

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Speier emotional for Baker after Nats beat Mets

September 15, 2016, 4:12am

Nationals

Speier emotional for Baker after Nats beat Mets

Prior to Wednesday's series finale against the Mets, bench coach Chris Speier met with the media in the spot normally reserved for manager Dusty Baker. Speier was there because Baker was home due to a death in the family. Speier spoke about Baker as a manager, a close friend, a confidant, a trusted advisor and sometimes even a father figure to the Nationals. Speier said they would dedicate the next couple of games to Baker. On Wednesday, the Nationals found a way with shutout pitching and a...

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David Huzzard: Zimmerman aging, but deserves a championship finish

September 15, 2016, 5:02am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Zimmerman aging, but deserves a championship finish

When I think of the Nationals - not the current squad, but the franchise as a whole - the two players I view as the heart and soul of the team are Livan Hernandez and Ryan Zimmerman. The part that is sad to me is Zimmerman had the best years of his career before the Nationals were good. Shoulder injuries and age have caught up to Zimmerman much too quickly and the twilight of his career is upon him. He is a shell of his former self and the Nationals should make finding a new first baseman a...

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With Mets in rear-view mirror, Nationals closing in on NL East title

September 14, 2016, 4:21pm

Nationals

They won't admit it, because they know better than to do such a thing and tempt the baseball gods. But let's deal in reality here, and the reality is this: The Nationals wrapped up the National League East title this week. No, they haven't mathematically clinched anything yet. But after today's 1-0 win over the Mets, their second in three days against their division rivals, they have opened up a 10-game lead with 16 to play. Their magic number is seven. The Nationals left town tonight with...

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Roark, Ramos power Nats to 1-0 win, 10-game lead over Mets

September 14, 2016, 2:36pm

Nationals

Roark, Ramos power Nats to 1-0 win, 10-game lead over Mets

Tanner Roark churned out his customary seven innings of scoreless ball. All the Nationals had to do was score one run somehow, some way to ensure the effort from their bulldog right-hander wasn't wasted. Enter Wilson Ramos, who took care of business with one mighty swing in the bottom of the seventh to move his team another step closer to the National League East crown. Ramos' solo homer deep into the Red Porch seats in left-center field broke what had been a deadlock all afternoon between...

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Speier managing for Baker with "heavy heart" (Nats win 1-0)

September 14, 2016, 11:31am

Nationals

Speier managing for Baker with "heavy heart" (Nats win 1-0)

Chris Speier has been through this before, filling in temporarily as manager of Dusty Baker's team when the latter had to leave for personal reasons. The longtime big league coach stepped in for 11 games in Sept. 2012 when Baker (managing the Reds at the time) landed in the hospital with what eventually was discovered to be a mini-stroke. So when he learned a few days ago that he would need to take the reins again while Baker left town due to a death in the family, Speier did his best both to...

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Players hoping to give Baker first title as a manager

September 14, 2016, 12:50pm

Nationals

Players hoping to give Baker first title as a manager

Relief pitcher Matt Belisle gets a big smile on his face when he talks about the first time he saw manager Dusty Baker at Nationals spring training. It had been a while since Belisle and Baker had seen each other. "He said, 'Matt come on over here and let me give you a big hug,''' Belisle said. "He wants to know how everything's going. He checks in on the family and a few other things. Then, it is time to get down to business of playing baseball. That's Dusty.'' Baker, 66, after two...

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Nationals open 2017 at home vs. Marlins, face Orioles in May

September 14, 2016, 8:51am

Nationals Orioles

Nationals open 2017 at home vs. Marlins, face Orioles in May

The Nationals will open the 2017 season at home against the Marlins, will meet the Orioles in early May for their traditional home-and-home Beltways Series and face the entire American League West in interleague play. Major League Baseball revealed next season's schedule this afternoon. It begins Monday, April 3 when the Nationals host Miami, the third time in 11 years those teams have opened a season in D.C. Following their opening series, the Nationals make a brief road trip to Philadelphia,...

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Nationals announce 2017 schedule

September 14, 2016, 12:07pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals announced their 2017 schedule on Wednesday, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, revealing an 81-game home slate that will begin on Opening Day, April 3, at Nationals Park vs. the Miami Marlins. The 84th home opener in D.C. since 1901 will mark the sixth Opening Day hosted by the Nationals since baseball returned to D.C. in 2005. Nationals Park will open its gates for 13 homestands, two of which will span 10 days or more, and include 13 weekend series. The home...

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Cole steady in no-decision; Soto named GCL MVP

September 14, 2016, 3:34am

Nationals

Cole steady in no-decision; Soto named GCL MVP

Right-hander A.J. Cole had given up a lot of hits but held the Mets to only three runs in five innings. The fifth inning was their biggest rally, beginning with a Yoenis Cespedes single and then an RBI triple from Curtis Granderson. The extra-base hit gave the Mets a 2-1 lead. A sacrifice fly to center field from T.J. Rivera made it 3-1 Mets. Cole walked two and struck out six. He allowed at least one base hit each inning, but kept the Mets off the board in the first, second and fourth...

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Game 146 lineups: Mets at Nats

September 14, 2016, 8:00am

Nationals

Following an emotional extra-inning comeback that fell just short in a 4-3 loss to division rivals, today's getaway couldn't be in better hands from a Nationals perspective than right-hander Tanner Roark. In his last matchup September 9 against the Phillies, Roark racked up six innings, scattering six hits and allowing one run, with two walks, one hit by pitch and eight strikeouts. He tossed 107 pitches, 71 for strikes. He is 14-8 with a 2.85 ERA. Ironically, the 2.85 ERA was the same mark he...

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Baker leaves Nats following death in family, will return Friday

September 14, 2016, 8:17am

Nationals

Baker leaves Nats following death in family, will return Friday

Dusty Baker has left the Nationals temporarily due to a death in the family and won't manage today's series finale against the Mets, the club announced. Bench coach Chris Speier will assume managerial duties for the game. Baker is expected to rejoin the team in Atlanta and manage Friday night's series opener against the Braves. This will be the first game Baker has missed since taking over as Nationals manager. The 67-year-old hasn't missed an inning of his team's first 145 games; he's...

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Baker, Nats try to process emotional swings after late drama

September 13, 2016, 8:08pm

Nationals

Baker, Nats try to process emotional swings after late drama

There were no shortage of emotional reactions the Nationals could have tonight in the wake of their wild 4-3, 10-inning loss to the Mets. The final 30 minutes of this game alone ran the full gamut, from despair to hope to flat-out belief to confusion to despair again to hope again to exhaustion in the end. From Dusty Baker's standpoint, the most important reaction to this game was an upbeat one, with reason to think the manner in which his team rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the...