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Baker offers up defense of Papelbon as Nats closer

June 13, 2016, 2:12pm

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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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,...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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,...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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Roark continues mastery of the Phillies in 8-0 shutout

June 11, 2016, 12:28pm

Nationals

Roark continues mastery of the Phillies in 8-0 shutout

Right-hander Tanner Roark demonstrated his ability to keep the Phillies guessing with seven strong innings in Saturday's 8-0 victory. In his last three starts against Philadelphia, Roark has allowed only two runs over 21 innings. His ERA in those three games stands at 0.86. He did a nice job of following catcher Wilson Ramos' lead, earning outs with his two-seam fastball, slider and curveball. "Execution on (my pitches) and keeping the hitters guessing because I don't want to fall into a...

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Nats breathing easier after week of lopsided victories

June 11, 2016, 12:44pm

Nationals

Nats breathing easier after week of lopsided victories

The 162-game season can be a meat grinder much of the time, with tense contests, tough decisions and constant roster-tinkering required for a team to navigate its way through six months and emerge on top. So when a team can enjoy a week like the Nationals just did, five times holding a lead of five runs or more en route to victory, it offers a much-welcomed respite for all those involved. "I'll tell you, it's good for the manager," Dusty Baker chuckled following the Nationals' 8-0 win over...

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Nationals conclude 2016 First-Year Player Draft

June 11, 2016, 5:53pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals concluded Major League Baseball's 2016 First-Year Player Draft by selecting 30 players on Saturday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations & General Manager Mike Rizzo and Assistant General Manager & Vice President of Scouting Operations Kris Kline made the joint announcement. Over three days of the Draft, the Nationals selected a total of 41 players: 12 right-handed pitchers, eight left-handed pitchers, six outfielders, 10 infielders and five catchers. Of...

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Roark steady and strong as Nats shut out Phillies 8-0

June 11, 2016, 11:02am

Nationals

Roark steady and strong as Nats shut out Phillies 8-0

Right-hander Tanner Roark got out of a major jam early against the Phillies on Saturday. And he was quickly rewarded. Coming off his shortest stint of the season at Cincinnati, there certainly had to be some anxiety when the Phillies got men on second and third with two quick base hits with no outs to begin the second. But just like the five runs the Reds scored last Sunday, Roark was unfazed in this challenge at Nats Park. Roark then struck out the side and dodged the first rally by the...

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Small ball produces early lead in D.C. (Nats win 8-0)

June 11, 2016, 9:23am

Nationals

Small ball produces early lead in D.C. (Nats win 8-0)

The Nationals have relied on the home run often during their recent offensive surge. So far today, they're scoring runs the old-fashioned way: with a string of quality at-bats and timely base hits. Thanks to four singles, a hit-batter and a perfectly executed squeeze bunt, the Nationals racked up four runs in the bottom of the second this afternoon, storming out to an early lead against the Phillies. There were no long bombs in this rally, only a bunch of solid hits off right-hander Aaron Nola...