nationals

David Huzzard: Which Nationals will bring home postseason awards?

September 22, 2016, 4:20am

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...

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Steve Mears: Could Nats take better advantage of Trea Turner's speed?

September 20, 2016, 9:01am

Nationals

Steve Mears: Could Nats take better advantage of Trea Turner's speed?

Are the Nationals taking enough advantage of Trea Turner's speed? On the surface, the answers is yes, as Turner has 27 stolen bases and is now 10th in the major leagues in stolen bases, but consider that Turner has been on first or second base more than 40 times this season where he did not steal. In the game of inches, the Nationals could rearrange the lineup to improve Turner's chances to steal even more bases and be more aggressive. Combine smart with aggressive and you improve your odds...

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Split-second plays go against the Nats in 4-3 loss at Miami

September 19, 2016, 7:13pm

Nationals

Split-second plays go against the Nats in 4-3 loss at Miami

MIAMI - The Nationals and Marlins went back and forth Monday night, but in the end, Miami delivered the final punch in a 4-3 comeback win. The game turned on a couple of key plays, a hot shot right at center fielder Trea Turner and a baserunning mistake by Michael A. Taylor. Trailing 3-2 in the sixth, the Marlins answered with a double from pinch-hitter Derek Dietrich on a ball that was hit well but appeared Turner might have a chance to catch. Turner was unable to make the play on the hot shot...

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Solis encouraged by throwing sessions, but knows clock is ticking

September 19, 2016, 3:21pm

Nationals

Solis encouraged by throwing sessions, but knows clock is ticking

MIAMI - Left-hander Sammy Solis said he is progressing in his throwing program as he looks to recover from left shoulder inflammation that has had him on the shelf since mid-August. "We are kind of taking it day-by-day based on how it is feeling," Solis said. "The inflammation is pretty much knocked out. But strengthening-wise and maintaining the area and make sure it is stable enough to get back off the mound is No. 1 right now." Solis said he is not throwing game-type pitches like he...

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Stanton gets to Cole early with solo homer (Marlins win 4-3)

September 19, 2016, 4:03pm

Nationals

Stanton gets to Cole early with solo homer (Marlins win 4-3)

MIAMI - Right-hander A.J. Cole did well to keep the Marlins off the board in the first inning in his first-ever appearance in his home state at the major league level. Cole grew up in Oviedo, Fla., which is 233 miles north of Miami. A strong contingent of friends and family cheered Cole's effort. But Cole could not avoid Giancarlo Stanton. In the second with one out, Stanton launched a 448-foot homer to left field that left that bat at 115 mph. The solo homer, his 26th of the season, provided...

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Baker gives Harper "mental day off" vs. Marlins

September 19, 2016, 2:06pm

Nationals

Baker gives Harper "mental day off" vs. Marlins

MIAMI - Nationals manager Dusty Baker decided to give right fielder Bryce Harper a day of rest in the opening game of a three-game set at Marlins Park. Baker expects his cleanup hitter back in the lineup Tuesday against the Marlins' Jose Fernandez. Harper has struggled at the plate recently and Miami sends out left-hander Wei-Yin Chen tonight. Since September 10, Harper is just 1-for-18 (.056). "Everything is fine," Baker said. "I could see his concentration waning some so I thought I give...