nationals

Nats ride Scherzer, Murphy to 4-2 win and sweep of Mets

June 29, 2016, 6:02pm

The Nationals already had this key series won after back-to-back victories the last two nights. But they weren't satisfied with that, so tonight they went for the jugular and succeeded, riding another dominant performance from Max Scherzer and a pair of Daniel Murphy homers to a 4-2 win and a series sweep of the Mets. Scherzer allowed just two hits over 7 1/3 sparkling innings, retiring 18 batters in a row at one point and striking out 10 to lead the way. Murphy accounted for three of the...

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Nats sign Latos to minor league deal, Papelbon throws sim game

June 29, 2016, 2:10pm

Nationals

Nats sign Latos to minor league deal, Papelbon throws sim game

Seeking some insurance in case a need for experienced pitching arises down the road, the Nationals have come to terms with journeyman Mat Latos on a minor league contract. Latos' deal won't be official until he passes a physical, according to a club source, but once that happens, he'll report to the Nationals' minor league complex in Viera, Fla., and attempt to work his way back after a tumultuous stretch that has seen him employed by five different franchises in the last 365 days. The...

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Scherzer sharp early vs. depleted Mets (Nationals win 4-2)

June 29, 2016, 4:17pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer has dominated a depleted Mets lineup before. He won't be duplicating his end-of-season no-hitter tonight, but the Nationals ace is dealing and looking as sharp as he has in his previous historic starts. Scherzer has tossed three scoreless innings so far, striking out six as he attempts to lead the Nats to a series sweep over New York. Daniel Murphy's solo homer - his third against his former team already this season - gave the Nationals an early 1-0 lead, and Jayson Werth added a...

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Game 79 lineups: Nats at Mets

June 29, 2016, 11:19am

Nationals

Three days ago, the Nationals were mired in a seven-game losing streak, unable to drive in a run in a key spot, with a daunting series against the Mets looming. Since then, they have won three games in a row (one over the Brewers, two over the Mets) and tonight they have a chance to sweep their chief division rivals and expand their lead over them to six games. Quite a turn of events, huh? In order to pull it off, Max Scherzer will need to put together a strong start tonight. Or at the very...

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Ramos still hitting, Harper homers and bullpen delivers

June 28, 2016, 9:51pm

Nationals

Ramos still hitting, Harper homers and bullpen delivers

Lucas Giolito got most of the attention last night and deservedly so, despite the odd nature of his rain-shortened, major league debut. But there were some other noteworthy developments during the Nationals' 5-0 victory over the Mets, so let's give some of those their due ... * Wilson Ramos continues to hit as well as any hitter in baseball. With a 2-for-4 night that included a two-run double, the Nats catcher extended his current hitting streak to 11 games, during which he's batting .383...

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Rain can't spoil Giolito's long-awaited major league debut

June 28, 2016, 9:30pm

Nationals

Rain can't spoil Giolito's long-awaited major league debut

Like every kid who grows up with a baseball in one hand, a bat in the other and the imagination to believe anything is possible, Lucas Giolito had played out his major league debut in his own mind plenty of times. But did he ever envision that debut being interrupted twice by rain, the second delay dragging on long enough to prevent him from re-taking the mound despite his effectiveness? "Not once," the 21-year-old said with a laugh. "I never saw rain in the forecast at all. I thought it...

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Charlie Fliegel: Where would Ben Revere be most productive?

June 29, 2016, 5:12am

Nationals

Charlie Fliegel: Where would Ben Revere be most productive?

Ben Revere had a really good day on Monday, going 4-for-5. Maybe it's a sign that he's returning to form. Then again, he didn't get a hit last night. But even if he is getting back to his old self, he still can be a divisive player. That's because he's the kind of hitter that is ideal for a sabermetric vs. traditionalist head-butting. As a speedster who (usually) hits for a high batting average, he is an old school dream at leadoff. On the other hand, he has an unimpressive OBP and sees...

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Lucas Giolito's debut cut short by rain in Nats' 5-0 win

June 28, 2016, 8:15pm

Nationals

Lucas Giolito's debut cut short by rain in Nats' 5-0 win

Given all the hype and hoopla that surrounded tonight's Mets-Nationals game featuring the major league debut of top prospect Lucas Giolito, the first word that comes to mind to sum up the night for the right-hander is bummer. Not because of his performance, far from it. No, it was a bummer because of the 55-minute delay before the game started and then the 1-hour, 25-minute rain delay that cut Giolito's debut short in the fourth inning. Sadly, the rookie didn't get a decision in a 5-0...

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Giolito dealing with Mets, rain (Nationals win 5-0)

June 28, 2016, 4:55pm

Nationals

The biggest threat to Lucas Giolito so far in his major league debut hasn't been the Mets lineup. It's the weather. A heavy cell of storms delayed the first pitch of Giolito's career for 55 minutes tonight. Now the Nationals rookie is trying to record as many outs as he can before the next cell hits. With ominous clouds hovering above Nationals Park, Giolito is pitching like a seasoned pro, not a 21-year-old just promoted from Double-A. He has tossed three scoreless innings to begin his...

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Strasburg's MRI shows "nothing serious" (we're underway)

June 28, 2016, 1:47pm

Nationals

Strasburg's MRI shows "nothing serious" (we're underway)

The Nationals remain optimistic that the injury that landed Stephen Strasburg on the disabled list isn't serious and that the right-hander will be able to return to their rotation soon after getting a positive report from medical tests administered over the last two days. Results of Strasburg's MRI confirmed the Nationals' initial diagnosis of a strained upper back, encouraging news for the club. "Nothing serious," manager Dusty Baker said. "As we had hoped it wasn't." Strasburg was...

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Game 78 lineups: Nats vs. Mets

June 28, 2016, 11:10am

Nationals

There's nothing quite like a major league debut. Every single one of them, no matter how hyped, is a big deal, literally a once-in-a-lifetime moment for a young man who gets to realize his dream. There are, of course, debuts that are bigger than others, and tonight we will be witnessing one of those when Lucas Giolito takes the mound shortly after 7 p.m. The 21-year-old right-hander may not be pitching tonight with as much hoopla surrounding him as Stephen Strasburg had six years ago, but he...

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Dusty Baker on Wilson Ramos: "He is my field general"

June 28, 2016, 3:01pm

Nationals

Dusty Baker on Wilson Ramos: "He is my field general"

Much is being said about Lucas Giolito's highly anticipated major league debut tonight at Nationals Park. Giolito is the Nationals' top prospect, he has a big presence on the mound, he's got a powerful fastball and a killer curveball. Every move he makes tonight will be carefully watched and analyzed by media and fans alike. But there's also a second part to Giolito's debut, one that might be getting overlooked a bit as all eyes focus on the 21-year-old: his batterymate, Wilson Ramos....

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Nats confident Giolito can handle pressure of tonight's debut

June 27, 2016, 8:41pm

Nationals

Nats confident Giolito can handle pressure of tonight's debut

The Nationals have seen their share of players take the field for much-hyped, big league debuts during their first 12 seasons of existence. Stephen Strasburg's inaugural appearance in 2010, of course, tops the list, but Bryce Harper's arrival in 2012 stands right alongside it. And more than just die-hard fans recognized the significance of the first games in the careers of top prospects like Jordan Zimmermann, Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner, Ian Desmond, Drew Storen and (once-upon-a-time) Ryan...

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Nationals select contract of right-hander Lucas Giolito

June 28, 2016, 11:29am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Lucas Giolito from Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday and optioned right-hander Rafael Martin to Triple-A Syracuse. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Taylor Jordan was granted his release. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Arguably the top pitching prospect in the game, Giolito joins the Nationals for the first Major League assignment of his career. The promising...

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How the Nats turned a four-run deficit into a seven-run victory

June 27, 2016, 8:10pm

Nationals

How the Nats turned a four-run deficit into a seven-run victory

They were down four runs already to their chief division rivals, their starting pitcher getting rocked and an imposing flamethrower on the mound for the opposition who had pitched his way out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the bottom of the first. Given the way things had been going for the Nationals over the last week or so, you could forgive them if they were a bit demoralized at this particular moment, trailing Noah Syndergaard and the Mets in uninspired fashion. To listen to them describe...

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Mets and Red Sox have work to do as they try to chase division crowns

June 28, 2016, 6:35am

Nationals Orioles

Mets and Red Sox have work to do as they try to chase division crowns

The Nationals and Orioles usually have story lines that run on parallel tracks and this year is no different. Each is a first-place team. Each has a sizable lead with a crumbling contender behind them. The defending National League East champion New York Mets have a dysfunctional offense and now, after an 11-4 loss to the Nationals on Monday night, their rotation could be falling apart. The Boston Red Sox, a first-place team in the American League East on June 1, have a list of problems that...

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Steve Mears: Was Monday night's win the defining game of 2016 for the Nats?

June 28, 2016, 5:08am

Nationals

Steve Mears: Was Monday night's win the defining game of 2016 for the Nats?

We never know which game to circle on the calendar as a key game or 'the' key game during themarathon 162-game schedule, but clearly last night's game was 'a' key game for both the WashingtonNationals and the New York Mets. Time will tell whether or not last night was 'the' key game. The key game in the 2012 season was the doubleheader game where the Nats came back to beat theirdivision rival after losing a heartbreaking game the night before and the first game of the doubleheader.The...

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Nats bats come roaring back during 11-4 thumping of Mets

June 27, 2016, 6:24pm

Nationals

Nats bats come roaring back during 11-4 thumping of Mets

Down four runs early to Noah Syndergaard, with the Mets lineup all over Joe Ross, the Nationals found themselves in a precarious position in the middle of the third inning tonight, in danger of letting their chief division rivals draw even closer in the standings. And then came the bottom of the third, at which point a Nationals lineup that spent the last week searching for any hit it could possibly get with a man in scoring position finally decided enough was enough. Beginning with a five-run...

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Papelbon tosses perfect inning on rehab (Nats win 11-4)

June 27, 2016, 4:50pm

Nationals

Papelbon tosses perfect inning on rehab (Nats win 11-4)

Jonathan Papelbon cruised through a 1-2-3 inning in the first minor league rehab appearance of his career, moving a step closer to rejoining the Nationals bullpen. Pitching for high Single-A Potomac, Papelbon retired the side in the top of the first inning against Winston-Salem. Given a chance to start and get his work in quickly before making the short drive back up Interstate-95 to Washington, Papelbon recorded a flyout to center field, a swinging strikeout and then a groundout to second...

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Nats believe Giolito gives them "best option to win" Tuesday

June 27, 2016, 2:09pm

Nationals

Nats believe Giolito gives them "best option to win" Tuesday

The Nationals had seen enough of Lucas Giolito in recent weeks to believe he was ready for a promotion. To Triple-A Syracuse, not the big leagues. But when Stephen Strasburg's lingering back injury opened up a spot in their rotation, the Nationals decided to go ahead and promote their top pitching prospect all the way up from Double-A Harrisburg and send him to the mound Tuesday night against the Mets. "We figured he gave us the best option to win the game tomorrow," general manager Mike...