nationals

Game 82 lineups: Reds at Nats

July 02, 2016, 10:10am

Welcome to the second half of the season. The Nationals lost seven in a row last week. They now have won six in a row. I know, that's kind of hard to believe. So, tonight's game affords the club an opportunity to win their seventh in a row, which would tie their season-high streak. They enjoyed a seven-game run from April 10-16. The Nats have outscored opponents 39-14 during this recent stretch. Right-hander Joe Ross (7-4, 3.30 ERA) gets the call tonight for the Nats, his first ever...

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Baker happy to hear of Arroyo's progress in possible return to majors

July 02, 2016, 2:43pm

Nationals

Baker happy to hear of Arroyo's progress in possible return to majors

Veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo made his second rehab start with the rookie-level Gulf Coast Nationals today and it was a solid improvement over his first game back. Arroyo is rehabbing from inflamed tendons in his right shoulder. The 39-year-old signed with the Nationals as a minor league free agent on January 26. He last pitched in the majors in 2014 with Arizona. Arroyo underwent Tommy John surgery July 15, 2014. On June 26, Arroyo pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits...

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After trying first half, Revere soaks in first career walk-off hit

July 01, 2016, 8:19pm

Nationals

After trying first half, Revere soaks in first career walk-off hit

Six full seasons in the major leagues has left Ben Revere with some important perspective on the sport he plays for a living. "Baseball sucks," the veteran outfielder said. "It absolutely sucks. You ask Jayson Werth - he's been in the game 100 years - and he says it sucks. But it really does. It's frustrating. "I've had games where I hit four missiles, or four hard-hit balls right at people, and your average goes down. Then there will be games where I hit four bloopers, break my bat...

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With Dunning deal done, Nats have signed top 19 draft picks

July 01, 2016, 2:13pm

Nationals

With Dunning deal done, Nats have signed top 19 draft picks

The Nationals announced the signing of pitcher Dane Dunning, the second of their two first-round picks, the final significant member of this year's draft class that had yet to come to terms. Dunning received a $2 million signing bonus, according to a club source, which is just below slot value for the 29th selection in this year's draft. A 6-foot-4 right-hander from the University of Florida, Dunning held off signing until now in part because he was still pitching for the Gators in the...

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Revere's 14th-inning double gives Nats sixth straight win

July 01, 2016, 6:05pm

Nationals

Revere's 14th-inning double gives Nats sixth straight win

They played until it was too late for fireworks and too late for many fans to catch the Metro home. But those who stuck it out at Nationals Park at least got to see the home team win in dramatic fashion. Ben Revere launched a double off the wall in right-center with two outs in the bottom of the 14th inning, scoring Danny Espinosa from second base and giving the Nationals a 3-2 victory over the Reds in a game that took 4 hours, 30 minutes to complete. And that was after a 35-minute rain delay...

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Runs tougher to come by day after outburst (Nats win in 14)

July 01, 2016, 3:58pm

Nationals

Runs tougher to come by day after outburst (Nats win in 14)

One night after their 13-run explosion, the Nationals find themselves in a bit more of a pitchers' duel so far tonight against the Reds. Tanner Roark and Anthony DeSclafani each have allowed just one run through the game's first four innings, avoiding the kind of crooked-number frames that defined Thursday night's 13-4 Nats rout. The Nationals struck first, manufacturing a run in the bottom of the first via Ben Revere's leadoff single, Bryce Harper's base hit to right-center and Daniel...

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Nationals still holding off on Strasburg-Giolito decision (6:40 start)

July 01, 2016, 1:06pm

Nationals

The Nationals are a day closer to Sunday's game, but they are no closer to naming their starting pitcher for that afternoon's series finale against the Reds. Stephen Strasburg continues to progress well from the upper back strain that prevented him from making his last two starts, and the right-hander has expressed his desire to take the mound. The club, though, has yet to decide whether to give the ball to Strasburg or to take the more cautious route and give rookie Lucas Giolito his second...

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Game 81 lineups: Nats vs. Reds

July 01, 2016, 10:12am

Nationals

It's hard to believe, but we've reached the halfway point of the season. Yes, tonight is Game 81 for the Nationals. So how have they done to date? Well, if they can beat the Reds again tonight, they'll sit at 49-32. Do the math, that's a 98-win pace. Hard to complain much about that, right? Bryce Harper and Ben Revere are back in the lineup after getting last night off, but Wilson Ramos gets to sit this one out, with Jose Lobaton behind the plate catching Tanner Roark. Keep in mind the...

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Nationals agree to terms with two picks from the 2016 First-Year Player Draft

July 01, 2016, 1:49pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with first-round selection (No. 29 overall), right-handed pitcher Dane Dunning, and 12th-round pick (No. 364 overall) left-handed pitcher Hayden Howard. Nationals president of baseball operations & general manager Mike Rizzo and assistant general manager & vice president of scouting operations Kris Kline made the joint announcement. A 6-foot-4, 200-pound junior, Dunning went 6-3 with two saves and a 2.29 ERA (20 ER/78.2 IP) in 33 games (five...

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Zimmerman, Gonzalez take much-needed positive steps

June 30, 2016, 8:11pm

Nationals

Zimmerman, Gonzalez take much-needed positive steps

Danny Espinosa was the story of last night's blowout win, not to mention the story of June for the Nationals, given his incredible resurgence at the plate that might well have saved his job. There were a couple other teammates, though, who came through during this 13-4 win over the Reds at a time when each desperately needed that kind of positive performance: Ryan Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez. Zimmerman got the Nationals' hitting party started with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first,...

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Perseverance pays for Espinosa during torrid June at plate

June 30, 2016, 7:46pm

Nationals

Perseverance pays for Espinosa during torrid June at plate

Danny Espinosa had been down this path before, sporting a sub-.200 batting average and hearing calls from various directions for someone else to take his job. And his response - sulking, overworking, overthinking - all too often only made things worse. This time around, when he found himself hitting .199 on June 1 and hearing the calls for the Nationals to summon top prospect Trea Turner to replace him at shortstop, Espinosa fought the temptation and made a tough choice which wound up paying...

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Espinosa's pair of homers lead Nats to 13-4 blowout win

June 30, 2016, 6:05pm

Nationals

Espinosa's pair of homers lead Nats to 13-4 blowout win

If anyone was worried the Nationals, after the highs of a three-game sweep over the rival Mets, might suffer from some form of letdown against the Reds, they needed watch only one inning of baseball to have those fears assuaged. The Nationals jumped out to an early lead behind Ryan Zimmerman's three-run homer in the bottom of the first, then rode Danny Espinosa's historic pair of homers in the third and fourth innings en route to a 13-4 thrashing of an overwhelmed Cincinnati club. Winners of...

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Zimmerman, Espinosa lead offensive explosion (Nats win 13-4)

June 30, 2016, 4:37pm

Nationals

Zimmerman, Espinosa lead offensive explosion (Nats win 13-4)

Throughout his season-long struggles, and especially this month, it seems like Ryan Zimmerman perpetually has found himself behind in the count, often 0-2, before making an out. So when Zimmerman finally found himself in an advantageous situation tonight - ahead in the count, 2-0, with two on in the bottom of the first - he made sure to make the most of it. And when Danny Espinosa found himself at the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third, he did the same thing he's been doing...

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Strasburg and Giolito both preparing to start Sunday

June 30, 2016, 1:54pm

Nationals

Strasburg and Giolito both preparing to start Sunday

The Nationals still haven't decided if Stephen Strasburg will return from the disabled list this weekend, but Dusty Baker seems to prefer taking the cautious route with his rehabbing right-hander. Strasburg, who is eligible to come off the DL on Friday, continues to prepare as though he may start Sunday's series finale against the Reds. Rookie Lucas Giolito, though, also is preparing for the same assignment, with the club holding off for now choosing between the two. Both Strasburg and...

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Game 80 lineups: Nats vs. Reds

June 30, 2016, 11:13am

Nationals

After a highly publicized, highly significant series against the division rival Mets that resulted in a sweep, the Nationals now find themselves hosting one of baseball's worst teams this season for the next four nights: the Cincinnati Reds. That, of course, doesn't guarantee anything. The Nats lost two of three at Great American Ball Park last month, and nearly lost the third game before eking out a 10-9 victory. But they'll need to find the same intensity they brought to the Mets series...

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Murphy makes the Mets pay again with pair of homers

June 29, 2016, 8:06pm

Nationals

Murphy makes the Mets pay again with pair of homers

Daniel Murphy won't ever say it, at least not publicly, so Max Scherzer was left to explain how his attention-deflecting teammate feels about his performance against the Mets this season. "It's just obvious that he wants to beat 'em up," Scherzer said. "It's obvious. Everybody wants to. When you face your former team, you obviously want to get the best of them. For him to come out here and really slug against them, it puts a smile on all of our faces because we know what he's going...

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Daniel Murphy with Nats has been biggest plus in race for division crown

June 30, 2016, 4:36am

Nationals

Daniel Murphy with Nats has been biggest plus in race for division crown

Of all the changes to the Nationals this season, such as the bullpen or the resurgence of Wilson Ramos, the biggest positive change is the addition of second baseman Daniel Murphy. And in no other series is that difference more profound than when Murphy does his damage against the team he guided to the World Series in 2015. Murphy launched seven homers and 11 RBIs in winning the National League Championship Series MVP honors for the Mets last year. Against his former team, Murphy has been off...

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David Huzzard: The Marlins are now the Nats' biggest threat

June 30, 2016, 4:49am

Nationals

David Huzzard: The Marlins are now the Nats' biggest threat

All this time, we, Nats fans, have been focused on the Mets, and after a horrific road trip by the Nationals and a sweep of New York, there is a new contender. It would have been nice if the sweep of the Mets reset the terrible occurrence of the road trip, but it instead gave rise to a new threat: the Miami Marlins. There is only a half-game difference between the Marlins and Mets in the standings, but the Fish are in second when they weren't expected to even be contending for the division....

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Even in June, Nats recognize significance of Mets sweep

June 29, 2016, 7:38pm

Nationals

Even in June, Nats recognize significance of Mets sweep

It's the last week of June and the season isn't quite halfway complete yet, so there's only so much significance that can be applied to a three-game series at this point. The Nationals didn't make a profound statement this week. There's too much time left for that script to be flipped, as everyone in Washington painfully found out one year ago. Then again, it's not like anyone inside the home clubhouse tonight was complaining about a 4-2 victory that completed a series sweep of the...

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Opposite dugout: Reds continue to scuffle in tough NL Central

June 29, 2016, 6:37pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Reds continue to scuffle in tough NL Central

Manager: Bryan Price (3rd season) Record: 29-50 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: RF Jay Bruce (.279, 17 HR, 59 RBIs), SS Zack Cozart (.266, 11 HR, 32 RBIs), CF Billy Hamilton (19 stolen bases, 51 hits), RHP Blake Wood (5-1, 3.29 ERA), RHP Anthony DeSclafani (2-0, 1.52 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-1 Pitching probables: June 30: LHP Brandon Finnegan vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m., MASNJuly 1: RHP Anthony DeSclafani vs. RHP Tanner Roark, 6:05 p.m., MASNJuly 2: RHP Dan Straily vs. RHP...