nationals

No history for Scherzer, but domination is more than enough

June 13, 2016, 7:38pm

It is mostly ludicrous to conjure up images of no-hitters or record-breaking strikeout performances after exactly one half-inning of baseball, but when Max Scherzer takes the mound, the conventional line of thinking doesn't apply. "If he's done it once, he can do it again," manager Dusty Baker said. "You allow yourself to think it. You don't talk about it, but you think it." "I'd like to say he surprises me," catcher Wilson Ramos, via interpreter Octavio Martinez, said. "But he...

Comments

Tags:

chicago cubs mark zuckerman max scherzer nationals nationals pastime shawn kelley danny espinosa dusty baker featured_sidebar jonathan papelbon wilson ramos frontstory_nationals3

Nationals activate Belisle, place Papelbon on DL

June 14, 2016, 10:31am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals returned from rehab and reinstated right-handed pitcher Matt Belisle on Tuesday, and placed right-handed pitcher Jonathan Papelbon on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to June 13) with a right intercostal strain. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Belisle, 36, rejoins the Nationals after missing 45 games with a right calf strain. A right-handed reliever, Belisle racked up 11.0 innings on rehab...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

Steve Mears: It can take years to analyze the success of a draft

June 14, 2016, 8:53am

Nationals

Steve Mears: It can take years to analyze the success of a draft

Another First-Year Player Draft is in the books, and it sometimes takes years to analyze the impact of a draft class. The Nationals used to always pick high in the draft when the team was bad. With the success in the standings the last few years, the Nats are now getting draft picks at the lower end of each round. It makes the trades, international signings and other creative acquisitions even more strategic to the on-going future progression of this franchise. Ryan Zimmerman clearly had the...

Comments

Tags:

abel de los santos carter kieboom chris bostick gio gonzalez guest blogger guestblogger nationals nationals buzz steve mears trea turner

Nats ride Scherzer's dominance, clutch hits to 4-1 win over Cubs

June 13, 2016, 5:52pm

Nationals

Nats ride Scherzer's dominance, clutch hits to 4-1 win over Cubs

This time, the Nationals put together a bunch of quality at-bats against the Cubs. And Max Scherzer was able to carve up Chicago's lineup, aside from the one ball that left the yard against him on an otherwise spectacular night on South Capitol Street. Behind Scherzer's pitching brilliance, Wilson Ramos' homer and clutch hits from Danny Espinosa and Ben Revere, the Nationals won the opener of their highly anticipated rematch series with the Cubs 4-1 before a fired-up crowd of...

Comments

Tags:

chicago cubs mark zuckerman max scherzer nationals nationals pastime shawn kelley wilson ramos frontstory_nationals3

Scherzer racking up strikeouts vs. Cubs (Nats win 4-1)

June 13, 2016, 4:09pm

Nationals

Scherzer racking up strikeouts vs. Cubs (Nats win 4-1)

Think Max Scherzer might be a little fired up to face the Cubs for the first time since getting blasted out of Wrigley Field last month? Scherzer took the ball for tonight's series opener at Nationals Park and immediately started overwhelming Chicago's vaunted lineup with dominating stuff. Through three perfect innings, the right-hander already has eight strikeouts, conjuring up memories both of his 20-strikeout game against the Tigers earlier this season and his pair of no-hitters against...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chicago cubs jayson werth mark zuckerman max scherzer nationals nationals pastime frontstory_nationals3

Baker offers up defense of Papelbon as Nats closer

June 13, 2016, 2:12pm

Nationals

Baker offers up defense of Papelbon as Nats closer

If asked what the biggest area of concern facing the Nationals is at this stage of the season, the most common answer likely would involve the bullpen, more specifically the closer's role. It's not that Jonathan Papelbon's performance to date has been egregiously poor. He is 16-for-18 in save opportunities. He has a 3.28 ERA. But there have been more than a couple of shaky outings along the way, some of which still ended in a successful save conversion (loading the bases in Philadelphia with...

Comments

Tags:

dusty baker jonathan papelbon mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime philadelphia phillies featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Game 64 lineups: Nats vs. Cubs

June 13, 2016, 11:09am

Nationals

So you may have heard there's a pretty big series taking place here in town this week. The Cubs and Nationals are as big as it gets in baseball at this moment, owners of the two best records in the sport and loaded with star power. So it's no surprise the sport is going to be focused on South Capitol Street over the next three nights. Let's be honest, though: The Nationals need these games more than the Cubs do. Not that any series in mid-June is that important, certainly one that's not...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chicago cubs lineups mark zuckerman max scherzer nationals nationals pastime frontstory_nationals3

Espinosa adds clutch hit to recent power surge

June 13, 2016, 4:25am

Nationals

Espinosa adds clutch hit to recent power surge

There are usually many parts to a ninth inning comeback, and Sunday's 5-4 Nationals win over the Phillies had a lot of those types of amazing at-bats. One such at-bat was the battle between shortstop Danny Espinosa and Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez. Espinosa fought off a ton of changeups and, on a 1-2 count, kept the inning alive with a single to left field. "Just trying not to do too much," Espinosa said of the at-bat. "He's got a really good changeup, off his fastball, staying ready for...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr danny espinosa dusty baker jayson werth nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Live Nationals video Q&A

June 12, 2016, 9:14pm

Nationals

We've been having plenty of fun doing the weekly Q&A's right here, but now it's time to expand it into something new and exciting: A live video Q&A. Yes, at 2 p.m., I'll be hosting a live video Q&A on our Facebook page (facebook.com/masnNationals) straight from Nationals Park in advance of the series opener against the Cubs. You can submit your questions in advance here in the comments section, on Twitter or directly on the Facebook page. You can also submit your questions live...

Comments

Tags:

mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime q&a featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Marty Niland: Strasburg's winning streak parallels that of Walter Johnson

June 13, 2016, 4:28am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Strasburg's winning streak parallels that of Walter Johnson

Stephen Strasburg has been in great company while streaking through this season, blowing past franchise marks for consecutive victories set by Pedro Martinez, Dennis Martinez and Livan Hernandez, and matching Jake Arietta for the major league lead in wins. If that's not enough, the Nationals star now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with arguably the greatest pitcher of all time, Walter Johnson. No one wearing a Washington uniform has won 13 consecutive decisions since the legendary,...

Comments

Tags:

guest blogger guestblogger marty niland nationals nationals buzz stephen strasburg walter johnson

Werth's clutch hit caps dramatic ninth-inning rally by Nats

June 12, 2016, 4:34pm

Nationals

Werth's clutch hit caps dramatic ninth-inning rally by Nats

As Maikel Franco rounded the bases, Jonathan Papelbon watched from the mound and a crowd of 34,294 at Nationals Park booed, Dusty Baker had just one thought from the dugout. "OK, Pap," the manager said in his mind to his closer. "We gave up one. Let's not give up any more. Because we can come back. It's a lot easier to get one than it is to get two to tie." A big league manager has to have positive thoughts, has to see every situation as glass half-full, lest his players pick up on his...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper dusty baker jayson werth jonathan papelbon mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime philadelphia phillies featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Opposite dugout: Cubs continue winning ways at record pace

June 13, 2016, 3:42am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Cubs continue winning ways at record pace

Manager: Joe Maddon (2nd season) Record: 43-18 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: 2B Ben Zobrist (.324 average, 66 hits); 3B Kris Bryant (15 HR, 45 RBIs); 1B Anthony Rizzo (14 HR, .264 average); RHP Jake Arrieta (10-1, 1.86 ERA); RHP John Lackey (7-2, 2.63 ERA); RHP Jason Hammel (7-2, 2.36 ERA). Season series vs. Nationals: 4-0 Pitching probables: June 13: RHP Kyle Hendricks vs. RHP Max Schezer, 7:05 p.m., MASNJune 14: RHP John Lackey vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m., MASNJune 15: RHP Jason...

Comments

Tags:

brian eller chicago cubs cubs frontstory_nationals3 nationals nationals buzz opposite dugout

Papelbon admits mistake to Franco, but still feels good about his pitching

June 12, 2016, 4:32pm

Nationals

Papelbon admits mistake to Franco, but still feels good about his pitching

Right-hander Jonathan Papelbon allowed a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning by Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco. Suddenly the Nationals' early 3-0 advantage was gone. It was 4-3 Phillies. Jayson Werth saved the day with a two-run single and the Nationals walked off with a dramatic 5-4 victory for a series sweep. But with Papelbon switching from a possible loss to his first win of the season, should there be cause for concern with the closer? Papelbon admitted after the game that the...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr dusty baker jonathan papelbon nationals frontstory_nationals1

Werth's two-run single helps Nats walk off Phillies 5-4

June 12, 2016, 3:07pm

Nationals

Werth's two-run single helps Nats walk off Phillies 5-4

Former Phillies helped mold the outcome of Sunday's Nationals game against Philadelphia. One giveth, and one taketh away. The Phillies certainly know how to get to ex-teammate Jonathan Papelbon. On April 17 in Philadelphia, Papelbon allowed a game ending walk-off double by Freddy Galvis in a 10-inning 3-2 comeback victory for his former team. On Sunday in D.C., with the game tied at 3-3 in the top of the ninth, Maikel Franco slammed a solo homer, his 11th of the season, to put the Phillies...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr danny espinosa jayson werth joe ross jonathan papelbon nationals phillies frontstory_nationals3

Will Cubs refuse to pitch to Bryce Harper again this week?

June 12, 2016, 11:22am

Nationals

Will Cubs refuse to pitch to Bryce Harper again this week?

The Cubs are coming to town Monday, and so the question on everybody's mind this week is a simple one: Will they pitch to Bryce Harper? They most certainly did not last month when the Nationals visited Wrigley Field. Though he stepped up to the plate 19 times in that four-game series, Harper wound up with only four official at-bats. He was walked 13 times, four of them intentional. He tied the major league record with six walks in the series finale, part of a stretch of 12 consecutive plate...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chicago cubs dusty baker joe maddon mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Espinosa's home run barrage continues (Werth walk-off wins it)

June 12, 2016, 1:11pm

Nationals

Espinosa's home run barrage continues (Werth walk-off wins it)

Danny Espinosa is on some kind of home run barrage right now. The oft-maligned, light-hitting shortstop has been making a case for himself over the last two weeks with an impressive power display, and he is up to it again this afternoon. Espinosa's leadoff homer in the bottom of the second gave the Nationals a 3-0 lead over the Phillies and kept his run alive. He has now homered eight times in his last 14 games. This latest blast, on Adam Morgan's first pitch of the bottom of the second,...

Comments

Tags:

danny espinosa joe ross mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime philadelphia phillies frontfeatured_nationals

Game 63 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

June 12, 2016, 9:08am

Nationals

After an early afternoon Saturday win over the Phillies, the Nationals now go for the series sweep in a late afternoon Sunday ballgame, with first pitch not scheduled until 4:05 p.m. (Reminder: All of this was done to create as much space as possible around last night's annual team charity gala.) The Nationals, who are looking to improve to a season-best 15 games over .500, send Joe Ross to the mound. Like Tanner Roark yesterday, Ross is making his third start this year against Phillies, and...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper joe ross lineups mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime philadelphia phillies frontstory_nationals1

With 100 games to go, Nationals starting to build a cushion

June 11, 2016, 1:08pm

Nationals

There are different ways to break up the baseball season into chunks - 10 separate 16-games stretches, nine separate 18-game stretches, quarters, thirds, halves, etc. - and the Nationals are at one of those junctures right now. They've played 62 games, which means there are exactly 100 to go. Mathematically, it doesn't really mean much. The season is now 38.2716 percent complete. That's not a nice, round number. But there's something philosophically about there being exactly 100 games left...

Comments

Tags:

dusty baker mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Dream Gala nets more than $400,000 for Nationals Dream Foundation

June 12, 2016, 9:26am

Nationals

Saturday night at the Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C., the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation highlighted its community contributions at the 11th annual Dream Gala. As the primary fundraiser for the Dream Foundation, the 2016 Dream Gala netted more than $400,000 for the Foundation's initiatives focused on academics, the arts, nutrition, and sports for children and teens in the Washington, D.C. region. The Dream Gala featured a cocktail reception and silent auction, a dinner program and a...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

Looming free agency hasn't bothered Wilson Ramos one bit

June 11, 2016, 9:04am

Nationals

Looming free agency hasn't bothered Wilson Ramos one bit

It is a contract year for catcher Wilson Ramos, but that has not seemed to bother the six-year veteran. The 28-year-old has been with the Nationals since a mid-season trade with the Twins in 2010. For the last month, he has scorched the ball for the Nationals, hitting .340 with 33 hits, six of those home runs, and 22 RBIs. On the season, he is slashing .345/.395/.962. Ramos is set to be a free agent in 2017, currently earning $5.35 million. Shortstop Ian Desmond appeared to squeeze his bat a...