nationals

Williams turns page on Nationals, glad to be back in Arizona

August 02, 2016, 4:52pm

PHOENIX - If there was such a thing as a perfect landing spot for Matt Williams after the disappointing and abrupt conclusion of his tenure as Nationals manager, this was it. Back in Arizona, where he has lived since his playing days, coaching third base for a Diamondbacks organization that has always valued his presence. "It's great," Williams said this afternoon, seated in the third base dugout at Chase Field. "I'm home. I've been here 30 years, and certainly I enjoy the community....

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Game 107 lineups: Nats at Diamondbacks (Harper scratched)

August 02, 2016, 2:09pm

Nationals

Game 107 lineups: Nats at Diamondbacks (Harper scratched)

PHOENIX - The Nationals lineup exploded for 14 runs on 19 hits (none of them homers) last night in their rout over the Diamondbacks. They certainly didn't wind up needing that much offense to win the series opener, but Dusty Baker wasn't concerned about that. "I know a lot of people say, 'Why don't you save some runs for tomorrow?' " the manager said. "But I hope that they memorize how to do that." We'll see if there's any carryover effect tonight against left-hander Robbie Ray, who...

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Why the Nationals believe their lineup is good enough as is

August 01, 2016, 10:43pm

Nationals

PHOENIX - The Nationals, believe it or not, have one of the league's better offenses. They're fourth in the National League with 497 runs scored. They're tied for third with a .427 slugging percentage, and their .752 OPS ranks fourth. They rank second only to the Cardinals with 139 home runs. So why all the dismay when this team didn't acquire another bat before Monday's trade deadline? It probably has something to do with the manner in which the Nationals score their runs. They rely on...

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Steve Mears: How can the Nats roster change after the non-waiver trade deadline?

August 02, 2016, 7:13am

Nationals

Steve Mears: How can the Nats roster change after the non-waiver trade deadline?

In-season trading hit a new high this year as teams made 48 trades from June 1 to the deadline yesterday. It broke last year's record of 43 trades. Trades are best judged in hindsight to analyze the real winners and losers in trades, and quality over quantity. For anyone wondering how MLB.com rated teams after the non-waiver trade deadline, their power rankings in the National League had the top five teams in this order: Cubs, Nationals, Giants, Dodgers and Cardinals. Yes, they ranked the...

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Notes after the non-waiver trade deadline

August 02, 2016, 6:52am

Nationals Orioles

Notes after the non-waiver trade deadline

The Cleveland Indians acquired a game-changing lefty, Andrew Miller, for their bullpen and an outfielder with a dependable bat, Brandon Guyer. The Texas Rangers picked up Jeremy Jeffress, Carlos Beltran and Jonathan Lucroy. So as the non-waiver trade deadline rumors end and the dust settles, the Rangers and Indians are the most improved teams in baseball. A couple of months after the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA championship, the Indians are set to make a...

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Roark invaluable to Nats success, and they know it

August 02, 2016, 5:33am

Nationals

Roark invaluable to Nats success, and they know it

Right-hander Tanner Roark has been on a roll his last seven games as the Nationals maintain first place in the National League East. In his last six starts and one relief appearance, Roark has gone 4-1 with a 2.49 ERA in 43 1/3 innings. He has 31 strikeouts and only 10 walks in that span. Tonight, he seeks his 11th win of the season when he takes on the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix. He is currently 10-6 overall with a 2.96 ERA. In his best season two years ago, he went 15-10 with a 2.85 ERA....

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Nationals blow out Diamondbacks 14-1 in rare laugher

August 01, 2016, 10:19pm

Nationals

PHOENIX - After a grueling weekend in San Francisco that featured more tense moments - not to mention missed opportunities - than they would have liked, the Nationals were in need of a good, old-fashioned laugher. Boy, did they get one tonight at Chase Field. The Nationals blasted the Diamondbacks out of their air-conditioned ballpark, winning 14-1 behind an all-out offensive attack that included hits from all nine starters, not to mention yet another boringly dominant performance from Stephen...

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Dusty Baker on today's lack of trades (Nationals win 14-1)

August 01, 2016, 6:19pm

Nationals

PHOENIX - Though they had some interest in trying to add another piece or two before today's trade deadline, the Nationals didn't think any potential addition was worth the price of acquisition. "There's always some tweaking that you'd like to be done, but you have to weigh the costs," manager Dusty Baker said. While fellow contenders like the Cubs, Indians, Giants and Rangers aggressively gave up prospects to add players for the stretch run, the Nationals' lone trade this week (Felipe...

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X-rays on Zimmerman's hand negative, Ross nearing return

August 01, 2016, 4:56pm

Nationals

X-rays on Zimmerman's hand negative, Ross nearing return

PHOENIX - Ryan Zimmerman appears to have avoided serious injury, but the Nationals first baseman is out of tonight's lineup with a sore left wrist one day after it was struck by a pitch. Multiple X-rays taken on Zimmerman's wrist came back negative, according to manager Dusty Baker, who was breathing a sigh of relief after getting the news, knowing others who have been hit in a similar fashion (most notably Jayson Werth last season) have wound up missing months. "We dodged a bullet that...

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Game 106 lineups: Nats at Diamondbacks

August 01, 2016, 2:07pm

Nationals

PHOENIX - Hello from the Valley of the Sun, where it's actually a balmy 97 degrees this afternoon. There's even a chance of rain this evening, which isn't all that uncommon this time of year, which is monsoon season in these parts. (No, seriously. You can look it up. Plus, I grew up here, so I know all about it.) The roof at Chase Field will be closed for tonight's series opener between the Nationals and Diamondbacks, in which Stephen Strasburg takes the mound and looks to become the...

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Lopez's road to D.C. paved by stunning advance through minors

August 01, 2016, 12:19am

Nationals

Lopez's road to D.C. paved by stunning advance through minors

With Reynaldo Lopez struggling a bit with five walks and lasting only four innings in his second major league start Saturday at San Francisco, it is easy maybe to forget what a giant step forward the Dominican hurler has made in his development this season. Lopez allowed three runs on four hits with four strikeouts in the no-decision for the Nationals at AT&T Park. The Giants went on to win 5-3. Lopez tossed 92 pitches, 51 for strikes. The right-hander went 5-5 with a 2.90 ERA in 17 minor...

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Could Nats pull off any more deals before today's deadline?

August 01, 2016, 6:25am

Nationals

Could Nats pull off any more deals before today's deadline?

PHOENIX - And so the calendar has shifted to August and the baseball season reaches its final third. But not before today's non-waiver trade deadline, which comes at 4 p.m. EDT (1 p.m. out here in the desert). Those of you who have followed this over the years know the trade deadline has always been July 31. But since that fell on a Sunday this year, Major Leauge Baseball made the wise decision to push it back a day, ensuring the deadline wouldn't come and go while just about every team in...

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Nationals hold firm as trade deadline passes

August 01, 2016, 12:22pm

Nationals

PHOENIX - The trade deadline has come and gone, and the Nationals roster remains the same as it was 24 hours ago. The Nationals weren't close to pulling off any deals in advance of the 4 p.m. EDT deadline, according to club sources, but that wasn't a surprising development considering they already addressed their biggest stretch-run need over the weekend with the acquisition of Mark Melancon. With their new closer in place, the Nationals explored the possibility of adding more bullpen help or...

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Opposite dugout: Diamondbacks trying to salvage lost season

August 01, 2016, 4:31am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Diamondbacks trying to salvage lost season

Manager: Chip Hale (2nd season) Record: 43-62 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: 2B Jean Segura (.311 with 129 hits), 3B Jake Lamb (.282 with 21 HR), 1B Paul Goldschmidt (.297 with 68 RBIs), RHP Zack Greinke (10-3, 3.62 ERA), RHP Jake Barrett (2.79 ERA, 3 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (3-4 in 2015) Pitching probables: August 1: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. RHP Archie Bradley, 9:40 p.m., MASNAugust 2: RHP Tanner Roark vs. LHP Robbie Ray, 9:40 p.m., MASN2August 3: RHP Max...

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Sloppy play dooms Nationals in Sunday loss to Giants

July 31, 2016, 4:45pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - There were two uncharacteristic mistakes in the field that led to two runs. There was an uncharacteristic sequence of bad baserunning that might have cost them a run. There was an uncharacteristic display of emotion by Ryan Zimmerman after fans at AT&T Park were getting on him in the bottom of the ninth. And there was an all-too-characteristic lack of hits in key spots, all of which contributed to a 3-1 loss for the Nationals and a four-game series split with the Giants that...

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Nationals drop finale to Giants 3-1 to split weekend series

July 31, 2016, 3:17pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - A pair of throwing errors and some sloppy baserunning cost the Nationals this afternoon, and a lack of offense kept them from mounting a rally that would have been necessary to avoid a 3-1 loss to the Giants. Two of San Francisco's runs came via errors by Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon, mistakes that prevented Gio Gonzalez from pitching his way out of jams. Rendon's subsequent baserunning blunder also put a halt to what might have been a game-tying rally by a Nationals lineup...

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Marty Niland: How does the Melancon trade affect the rest of the Nats bullpen?

August 01, 2016, 5:09am

Nationals

Marty Niland: How does the Melancon trade affect the rest of the Nats bullpen?

So the Nationals have finally landed a new closer, with Mark Melancon coming from Pittsburgh. General manager Mike Rizzo sent left-hander Felipe Rivero and prospect Taylor Hearn to the Pirates in hopes that he can solve the late-inning issues that have plagued the team in the past week. But what will become of the man he's supplanting, Jonathan Papelbon, and the rest of the bullpen? Papelbon is on record as saying he is OK with the move, despite the fact that his new role is undefined. When...

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Harper's disastrous July nearly over (Nationals lose 3-1)

July 31, 2016, 1:23pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - Nobody on the Nationals will be happier when the calendar flips to August on Monday than Bryce Harper, who is wrapping up a disastrous July that ranks among the worst months of his career. After striking out in the top of the third inning this afternoon, Harper is hitting just .169 this month, a prolonged slump that has dropped his season batting average to a paltry .233. Harper has connected for four home runs, including his third-deck shot at Nationals Park two weeks ago, but...

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After "whirlwind" day, Melancon ready to close for Nationals

July 31, 2016, 11:18am

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - Mark Melancon was in Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon, preparing for the Pirates' game against the Brewers, when he was told he had been traded to the Nationals and needed to get to San Francisco as soon as possible. Melancon gathered his stuff, communicated with his wife (who is taking care of the couple's three young children, all 4 or younger, back in Pittsburgh), raced to the airport and then waited for his flight to Phoenix, which was delayed. He eventually made it to...

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Game 105 lineups: Nats at Giants

July 31, 2016, 9:05am

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals have an opportunity to take three of four from the Giants, which would be no small accomplishment given the difficulty of doing that on the west coast against another first-place club, not to mention given the current state of their bullpen. The good news: Mark Melancon is here and will be in uniform for today's series finale, available to pitch the ninth inning should the Nationals need him. The big questions facing Dusty Baker now are who gets the seventh and...