nationals

Baker updates Zimmerman, Lobaton, Ross, Drew and others (updated)

August 15, 2016, 3:44pm

DENVER - Manager Dusty Baker gave some insight on the plan for Ryan Zimmerman and Jose Lobaton's respective recoveries. The pair began their rehab assignments tonight with Triple-A Syracuse in Toledo. Zimmerman is on the 15-day disabled list with a left wrist contusion, while Lobaton is on the 15-day DL with left elbow tendinitis. "We are going to leave them at least two or three days and get some consecutive ABs," Baker said. "DH one day, play the field one day. Alternate between catching...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr dusty baker jose lobaton nationals rockies ryan zimmerman stephen drew featured_sidebar joe ross frontstory_nationals3

Scherzer still having trouble in Denver (Nats come back and win 5-4)

August 15, 2016, 5:19pm

Nationals

Scherzer still having trouble in Denver (Nats come back and win 5-4)

DENVER - Right-hander Max Scherzer struggled to throw strikes in the first inning, and that helped the Rockies race out to a 3-0 lead. Following a one-out DJ LeMahieu single, Scherzer walked Carlos Gonzalez and Nolan Arenado. That left the door open for hot-hitting David Dahl, who promptly lined a two-run double off the wall in center. Daniel Descalso then followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Arenado and Colorado led 3-0. Scherzer has a track record of struggles at this park....

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr max scherzer nationals rockies frontfeatured_nationals

Into thin air: Belisle and Robinson on what Coors Field does to a baseball

August 15, 2016, 6:48am

Nationals

Into thin air: Belisle and Robinson on what Coors Field does to a baseball

Right-hander Matt Belisle spent a good portion of his career pitching in the thin air of Denver. From 2009 through 2014, Belisle won 32 games with the Rockies and pitched in total of 220 1/3 innings over 207 games with 167 strikeouts at Coors Field. Belisle's best season in Colorado was in 2010, when he put together a 2.93 ERA in 76 games and a 1.087 WHIP. So more than any other Nationals hurler, Belisle knows what to expect and how baseball is different a mile above sea level as his club...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr clint robinson matt belisle nationals coors field featured_sidebar rockies frontstory_nationals3

Game 117 lineups: Nats at Rockies

August 15, 2016, 6:53am

Nationals

DENVER - Greetings from the Mile High City and Coors Field! Remember, the purple line of seats in the upper deck designates the 5,280 foot mark here at the stadium. The welcome sight of right fielder Bryce Harper back in the Nationals lineup Sunday had to be a good thing for his teammates and an uncomfortable one for the Rockies and their pitching staff. Right-hander Max Scherzer will make his 25th start of the season, and he's been enjoying a hot streak the past month and a half. Since June...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr lineups max scherzer nationals frontstory_nationals1

Opposite dugout: Poor pitching has held back Rockies' powerful bats

August 14, 2016, 1:31pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Poor pitching has held back Rockies' powerful bats

Manager: Walt Weiss (4th season) Record: 56-62 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: 3B Nolan Arenado (.282/.354/.556 with 30 HR, 93 RBIs), 2B DJ LeMahieu (.331/.405/.477 with 43 RBIs), RF Carlos Gonzalez (.323/.371/.568 with 23 HR, 79 RBIs), RHP Chad Bettis (10-6, 5.27 ERA), LHP Boone Logan (2.86 ERA with 20 holds) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (3-3 in 2015) Pitching probables: Aug. 15: RHP Max Scherzer vs. LHP Jorge De La Rosa, 8:40 p.m., MASN Aug. 16: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Chad...

Comments

Tags:

bobby blanco nationals nationals buzz opposite dugout rockies frontstory_nationals3

Multiple Nationals are staking claims for major NL awards

August 15, 2016, 12:51pm

Nationals

As the Nationals take aim at winning the National League East, they've got a chance at a repeat winner for NL MVP. And it is possible they could be the 19th team in baseball history to have teammates win the Cy Young and MVP awards in the same season. Could it be Daniel Murphy following Bryce Harper as the NL MVP, with either pitcher Stephen Strasburg or Max Scherzer winning the Cy Young? How about Wilson Ramos combining with either Strasburg or Scherzer? Any of those combinations are...

Comments

Tags:

cy young award daniel murphy dusty baker frontstory_nationals4 manager of the year max scherzer mel antonen mvp nationals stephen strasburg wilson ramos

Harper talks his way into lineup, helps Nationals win

August 14, 2016, 2:07pm

Nationals

Dusty Baker wanted to give Bryce Harper one more day off. His struggling right fielder hadn't played in eight days due to a neck injury that had become the source of significant speculation with each passing 24 hours, but why push it and send him out there on an afternoon in which the heat index registered 107 degrees in advance of a long flight west to Colorado for the start of a long road trip? Upon seeing yet another Nationals lineup without his name included, though, Harper went into...

Comments

Tags:

atlanta braves bryce harper dusty baker mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar trea turner frontstory_nationals3

Nationals blow out Braves 9-1 to complete winning homestand

August 14, 2016, 12:17pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper returned to the lineup this afternoon and helped the Nationals take a quick lead on the Braves. Anthony Rendon, who is becoming a consistent force of production once again, later put an exclamation point on a 9-1 thumping of Atlanta on a sweltering hot afternoon in the District. Harper, playing for the first time in eight days since a neck injury sidelined him, roped an RBI double in his first at-bat and also walked and scored. The struggling right fielder hadn't been in the...

Comments

Tags:

anthony rendon atlanta braves bryce harper mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime tanner roark frontstory_nationals1

Harper doubles to contribute to early lead (Nationals win 9-1)

August 14, 2016, 10:46am

Nationals

They don't have Daniel Murphy or Jayson Werth in the starting lineup today, but the Nationals are off to a perfectly fine start against the Braves, thanks in no small part to a guy playing for the first time in eight days: Bryce Harper. Harper doubled and drove in one of the Nationals' three runs during a first-inning outburst, staking his team to an early 3-1 lead over the Braves on a sweltering afternoon in the District. Sidelined for five games and seven days with a neck injury, Harper was...

Comments

Tags:

atlanta braves bryce harper mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime tanner roark trea turner frontstory_nationals3

After late change, Harper will play for first time in eight days

August 14, 2016, 8:24am

Nationals

After late change, Harper will play for first time in eight days

Bryce Harper wasn't in the lineup the Nationals initially announced for today's series finale against the Braves, the sixth straight game and eight straight day he would be sidelined with a neck injury. And then about 45 minutes later, Harper suddenly was playing again. The Nationals announced a new lineup, and this time it included Harper. In his first appearance since Aug. 6, the reigning National League MVP will bat third and start in right field. No official explanation has been given yet...

Comments

Tags:

atlanta braves bryce harper daniel murphy jayson werth mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Game 116 lineups: Nats vs. Braves (Harper starting)

August 14, 2016, 6:41am

Nationals

Game 116 lineups: Nats vs. Braves (Harper starting)

It is going to be yet another scorcher today at Nationals Park. And this time they'll be playing under direct sunlight, with temperatures heading into the upper 90s and the heat index approaching 110. (Think these guys might be just a bit eager to head west to the drier, thinner air of Colorado?) Before they can turn their attention to the Rockies and the upcoming road trip, the Nationals have some business to take care of today. They're trying to win the rubber game of their weekend series...

Comments

Tags:

atlanta braves bryce harper lineups mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime tanner roark daniel murphy jayson werth frontstory_nationals3

Murphy on Nats' young guns lifting club to win: "They bring energy"

August 13, 2016, 7:34pm

Nationals

Murphy on Nats' young guns lifting club to win: "They bring energy"

The Nationals edged the Braves 7-6 on Saturday night with their young guns making it happen. Players like Trea Turner, Pedro Severino and Reynaldo Lopez all played a major part in the series-evening win. Turner finished a double away from the cycle, Severino contributed a pair of base hits and called the game for Lopez, who went a major league career-high seven strong innings, allowing only one run on five hits for the win. It was a night that also meant a lot in outposts like Hagerstown and...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr daniel murphy mark scialabba nationals pedro severino reynaldo lopez trea turner dusty baker featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Baker on Lopez's first big league win: "It was a great performance"

August 13, 2016, 7:15pm

Nationals

Baker on Lopez's first big league win: "It was a great performance"

Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez gathered all the knowledge from his first two starts and put it together for a solid seven innings and his first major league victory as the Nationals dropped the Braves 7-6 before a sold-out 38,490 at Nats Park Saturday night. Lopez surrendered a first-inning solo shot to Freddie Freeman and then allowed only four more hits to improve to 1-1. He walked two and struck out two on 100 pitches, 63 for strikes. Manager Dusty Baker spoke in his pregame briefing about how...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr daniel murphy dusty baker nationals reynaldo lopez trea turner featured_sidebar pedro severino frontstory_nationals3

Murphy's early homer sets tone (Lopez's first victory, Nats win 7-6)

August 13, 2016, 3:29pm

Nationals

Murphy's early homer sets tone (Lopez's first victory, Nats win 7-6)

The Braves jumped out first when Freddie Freeman slammed a solo shot off Reynaldo Lopez. It was Freeman's 23rd homer of the year, a career high. He has now hit 12 homers in his career against the Nationals. In the bottom of the first, Trea Turner tripled off of Rob Whalen. Turner's five triples since the All-Star break are the most in the major leagues. Daniel Murphy followed with a two-run shot, his first homer since Aug. 3, to give the Nats a 2-1 lead. It marked Murphy's 22nd homer of the...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr daniel murphy nationals reynaldo lopez trea turner frontstory_nationals3

Scherzer defends Papelbon: "Competes every single day"

August 13, 2016, 2:38pm

Nationals

Scherzer defends Papelbon: "Competes every single day"

On the day Jonathan Papelbon was released by the Nationals, many will remember the closer putting his hands around the neck of the eventual National League Most Valuable Player Bryce Harper at the end of last season as his lasting image with the club. Many believed that image meant there was unrest in the Nationals clubhouse and that Papelbon was not a model teammate. Right-hander Max Scherzer said that notion of Papelbon being a negative influence on the team at any time was...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr jonathan papelbon max scherzer nationals shawn kelley featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Harper MRI is "clean," plus other injury updates

August 13, 2016, 2:03pm

Nationals

Harper MRI is "clean," plus other injury updates

Nationals manager Dusty Baker said right fielder Bryce Harper is still listed as "day-to-day" with neck spasms. Harper has not played since last Saturday's game against the Giants. Baker did confirm that Harper could have pinch-hit last night if he was needed. "He's been analyzed by our people and it is what it is," Baker said. "I've heard all kinds of reports. I think it's kind of careless reporting when you're reporting something that's not even true. It's not his arm. If it was,...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr dusty baker jose lobaton mike rizzo nationals ryan zimmerman featured_sidebar joe ross frontstory_nationals3

Baker and Rizzo react to the release of Papelbon

August 13, 2016, 1:31pm

Nationals

Baker and Rizzo react to the release of Papelbon

The Nationals released veteran closer Jonathan Papelbon on Saturday to make room for Reynaldo Lopez. Papelbon finished his career with the Nationals with 26 saves in 59 appearances. But he struggled with his command and velocity recently, no longer possessing the swing-and-miss stuff that is required from a top-of-the-line closer. The Nationals went out and picked up Mark Melancon to close games. Papelbon's role diminished from there. Since July 28, Papelbon appeared in only two games. He...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr dusty baker jonathan papelbon mike rizzo nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Game 115 lineups: Braves at Nats

August 13, 2016, 7:16am

Nationals

Just another Saturday night for the first-place Nationals, right? Not really. Former closer Jonathan Papelbon requested his release. He got that release at 3 p.m. The Nationals activated right-hander Reynaldo Lopez. He will make his third major league start, seeking his first win. This would seem to be his best chance to date to earn that first victory: a last-place team filled with guys he could have faced at the minor league level, plus Lopez has two starts under his belt and comes in with...

Comments

Tags:

atlanta braves byron kerr jonathan papelbon lineups nationals reynaldo lopez frontstory_nationals3

Former Nats starter J.D. Martin is back, this time as a knuckleball pitcher

August 13, 2016, 9:31am

Nationals

Former Nats starter J.D. Martin is back, this time as a knuckleball pitcher

Right-hander J.D. Martin had relished the taste of the majors with the Nationals in 2009 and 2010. But since then, he has not been able to make it back to the big leagues. Since his release from the Nats in 2011, Martin has made stops with the Marlins, Rays, Korea and the White Sox. Back in 2011, then Nationals pitching coordinator (currently senior advisor, player development) Spin Williams suggested that Martin try to incorporate the knuckleball pitch. Martin did well with it off the mound...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr j.d. martin nationals spin williams nationals farm report

Jonathan Papelbon seeking his release (updated)

August 13, 2016, 6:48am

Nationals

Jonathan Papelbon seeking his release (updated)

The Nationals must make a corresponding move today when they activate right-hander Reynaldo Lopez. Lopez is the starter for tonight's matchup against the Atlanta Braves. Usually when a pitcher is added to a roster, another hurler is taken off. The bullpen has been pretty consistent up and down this season, except for Jonathan Papelbon, who was demoted from his closer role late last month. When Mark Melancon was acquired in a trade from the Pirates, Papelbon was told his role would change with...