nationals

Lopez hopes erratic outings will be "learning experience"

July 30, 2016, 10:38pm

SAN FRANCISCO - Reynaldo Lopez was undone in his first career start by leaving too many fastballs over the heart of the plate. He was undone in his second career start by not putting enough pitches over any portion of the plate. The young Nationals prospect battled command issues throughout Saturday's outing against the Giants, resulting in five walks and an elevated pitch count that prevented him from remaining in the game beyond the fourth inning. The manner in which he put San Francisco's...

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Rizzo, Baker and Papelbon react to the Melancon trade

July 30, 2016, 5:22pm

Nationals

Rizzo, Baker and Papelbon react to the Melancon trade

SAN FRANCISCO - In his eight seasons as general manager of the Nationals, Mike Rizzo has rarely traded for a player who isn't under club control beyond the current season. The situation this summer, however, is quite different, and so Rizzo didn't hesitate to go against his usual mantra in acquiring Mark Melancon to be his closer for the next two months. "I just think that his resume and his performance level dictated that he was a guy to really go after and attack," Rizzo said this evening...

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Depleted bullpen caves in seventh during Nats' 5-3 loss

July 30, 2016, 3:35pm

Nationals

Depleted bullpen caves in seventh during Nats' 5-3 loss

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals will be getting much-needed bullpen reinforcement Sunday when new closer Mark Melancon joins the club following his trade from the Pirates. But before that happened, they still needed to get through the latter innings of this afternoon's game against the Giants. And that proved a significant challenge. Three relievers combined to give up a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh, helping hand San Francisco a 5-3 victory at AT&T Park. Forced to turn to his...

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Nats acquire closer Melancon for Rivero, Hearn (updated)

July 30, 2016, 11:33am

Nationals

Nats acquire closer Melancon for Rivero, Hearn (updated)

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals have found their much-needed closer, and though he's only going to be a two-month rental, the club didn't have to give up any of its top prospects to get him. The Nationals have acquired Mark Melancon from the Pirates in exchange for left-hander Felipe Rivero and Single-A left-hander Taylor Hearn, the team announced this afternoon. The deal came together just before the scheduled 4:05 p.m. EDT first pitch of today's game against the Giants, allowing the...

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The domino effect of the Melancon trade (Nats lose 5-3)

July 30, 2016, 1:51pm

Nationals

The domino effect of the Melancon trade (Nats lose 5-3)

SAN FRANCISCO - Mark Melancon is expected to join the Nationals in time for Sunday's series finale against the Giants and told reporters in Milwaukee (where the Pirates are currently playing) he believes he'll immediately be available to close for his new club. The Nationals will need to make another roster move to clear a spot for Melancon, but the trade comes at a particularly fortuitous time for the team that allows them to make a simple transaction. With three off-days coming up in the...

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Game 104 lineups: Nats at Giants

July 30, 2016, 10:35am

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - After another wild victory last night, the Nationals are back at it this afternoon, trying to make it three in row over the Giants at AT&T Park. They'll be fielding a lineup that's a bit shorthanded, with Daniel Murphy sitting out after tweaking his left leg last night and Wilson Ramos getting a well-deserved day off after catching nine in a row. Murphy is dealing with tightness in the same leg he injured during the All-Star Game, though Dusty Baker said it's not...

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Nationals acquire All-Star closer right-hander Mark Melancon

July 30, 2016, 12:04pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals acquired All-Star right-handed pitcher Mark Melancon from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, in exchange for left-handed pitcher Felipe Rivero and minor league left-handed pitcher Taylor Hearn. Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Melancon, 31, comes to the Nationals on the heels of nearly four seasons as the Pirates closer, in which he's amassed the fourth-most saves in Pirates history (130). A three-time...

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Murphy exits game after leg "tightens up"

July 30, 2016, 6:45am

Nationals

Murphy exits game after leg "tightens up"

SAN FRANCISCO - Lost amid the chaos and the celebration of last night's triple-play-featured Nationals victory was a potentially disheartening sight: Daniel Murphy coming out of the game with an apparent injury. Murphy departed in the bottom of the sixth, one inning after he appeared to pull up a bit rounding second base on a long triple to deep right-center. According to manager Dusty Baker, Murphy said "his legs were tightening up." "It's cold," Baker said. "Invariably whenever you...

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Nationals recall right-hander Reynaldo Lopez

July 30, 2016, 12:08pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Reynaldo Lopez from Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday. Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Lopez returns to the Nationals for the second start of his major league career, which he will make Saturday afternoon in San Francisco. The 22-year-old made his major league debut on July 19 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In that outing, Lopez struck out nine batters, the second-most by a...

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Talks heating up to acquire Melancon from Pirates

July 30, 2016, 10:26am

Nationals

Talks heating up to acquire Melancon from Pirates

The Nationals continue to pursue bullpen help as the Aug. 1 trade deadline looms. The Pirates and Nationals' talks regarding right-hander Mark Melancon are heating up, a league source confirmed. The Pirates are interested in a top starting pitching prospect in return, or maybe two. Pittsburgh inquired about No. 1 pitching prospect Lucas Giolito, but he is unavailable. The talks center around a package that would contain right-hander Erick Fedde or right-hander Reynaldo Lopez, or both,...

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Historic triple play helps Nationals escape with another 4-1 win

July 29, 2016, 11:03pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - Sammy Solis, standing on the mound, wasn't quite sure what was going on. Max Scherzer and a few others, watching from the clubhouse, were confused as well. Denard Span obviously had no idea, because he kept running to the plate, unaware he needed to run back to third base. Dusty Baker, in the dugout, was just happy he actually was able to see the entire play develop with his own eyes after missing a similar opportunity 40 years ago. The only ones who truly needed to be in...

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Werth's streak reaching base continues (Nationals win 4-1)

July 29, 2016, 7:40pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - It's not the kind of streak that draws headlines, but that doesn't make what Jayson Werth has been doing for more than a month now insignificant. Werth has successfully reached base in 32 consecutive games now, easily the longest such streak of his career and tied for the third-longest streak in the majors this season. Werth broke his previous career-best of 29 games Wednesday afternoon in Cleveland, then extended it Thursday night and again tonight in San Francisco. His...

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Lopez to start Saturday; could Papelbon be headed to DL?

July 29, 2016, 5:29pm

Nationals

Lopez to start Saturday; could Papelbon be headed to DL?

SAN FRANCISCO - Reynaldo Lopez will, as anticipated, start Saturday afternoon's game against the Giants, forcing the Nationals to make a corresponding roster move that could tie directly in with their current closer dilemma. With Lopez set to be recalled from Triple-A Syracuse for his second career start, the Nationals will need to drop one of the eight relievers on their active 25-man roster. And it's possible that reliever could be Jonathan Papelbon, who has struggled mightily in his last...

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Lobaton placed on DL with elbow tendinitis, Severino recalled

July 29, 2016, 2:15pm

Nationals

Lobaton placed on DL with elbow tendinitis, Severino recalled

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals have placed backup catcher Jose Lobaton on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow tendinitis and recalled Pedro Severino from Triple-A Syracuse to take his spot on the big league roster. Lobaton hadn't appeared in any of the Nationals' last eight games, so the transaction is retroactive to July 20 and makes him eligible to return as soon as August 4. The 31-year-old's playing time has been minimal in recent weeks, with All-Star Wilson Ramos getting the vast...

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Game 103 lineups: Nats at Giants

July 29, 2016, 2:39pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - It's a new day in the Bay Area, which means the Nationals will start anew after last night's near-disaster in the bottom of the ninth. We don't know yet who will be closing for them if the situation arises, but we do know they've got a very different lineup tonight against Giants right-hander Jeff Samardzija. Ben Revere is back atop the lineup and in center field. Danny Espinosa gets his first day off in a long time, but his replacement at shortstop isn't who you might have...

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Nationals recall C Pedro Severino

July 29, 2016, 3:26pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals recalled catcher Pedro Severino from Triple-A Syracuse on Friday and placed catcher Jose Lobaton on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to July 20) with left elbow tendonitis. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Severino, 23, joins Washington for his second Major League assignment of the season. Severino, who entered the season rated as the "Best Defensive Catcher" and the No. 11 prospect in Washington's...

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What do the Nationals do with Jonathan Papelbon now?

July 29, 2016, 12:39am

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - Decisions, certainly the big ones with long-lasting ramifications, aren't made minutes after a ballgame ends, when emotions are still running hot and the opportunity for reflection has yet to arrive. So Dusty Baker wasn't about to make any definitive statements about Jonathan Papelbon's future role in the Nationals bullpen in the wake of Thursday night's near-calamitous bottom of the ninth at AT&T Park. "I don't know," Baker said. "You're asking me some questions,...

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Nationals avoid ninth-inning disaster, escape with 4-2 victory

July 28, 2016, 10:59pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - Tanner Roark gave them the seven strong innings they needed from their starter. The lineup delivered a quick burst of two-out hits off Johnny Cueto that put the Nationals in position to lead nearly the entire night. But no victory is compete until the ninth inning is complete. And anyone who has followed the Nationals recently knows just how difficult it has been to complete that ninth inning with a lead intact. The Nationals did manage to do it tonight and pull off a 4-2...

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Tanner Roark shows grit in lifting Nats past Giants

July 29, 2016, 6:58am

Nationals

Tanner Roark shows grit in lifting Nats past Giants

With all the drama surrounding Jonathan Papelbon being pulled from the ninth inning last night, it is important to remember what starter Tanner Roark did to get the Nationals in position to win the game. Roark went seven innings and allowed one run and four hits with three walks and three strikeouts for his 10th victory of the season. He now has gone seven innings or more and allowed one earned run or less in eight starts this season, tied for second-most in the majors. He has won at least 10...

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Baker on Turner, Revere and Harper (Nationals win 4-2)

July 28, 2016, 6:13pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - Trea Turner is starting in center field again tonight for the Nationals, the rookie's third straight game at the position he had never played professionally until a six-game tryout at Triple-A Syracuse a month ago. That shouldn't come as a huge surprise, given Turner's offensive performance the last two days in Cleveland - 4-for-8 with two doubles, three RBIs, a walk and a stolen base - and his adequate play in the outfield. But manager Dusty Baker isn't committing to the...