nationals

Baker on Roark vs. Fish: "Too early to start running from people"

May 20, 2016, 2:12pm

MIAMI - Manager Dusty Baker explained why he decided to give Ben Revere the day off and start Fort Lauderdale native Michael A. Taylor in the leadoff spot. "No Ben Revere because I like to play guy's at home, Michael A. Taylor's from here," Baker said. "And also we got a left-hander and also Ben's been playing every day since he got back." Baker said the Nationals' charter also arrived very early in the morning from New York after Wednesday night's 9-1 win. Baker said that the Revere...

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Game 42 lineups: Nats at Marlins

May 20, 2016, 6:43am

Nationals

MIAMI - Welcome to the Sunshine State, or as I like to call it, especially this weekend, the Mostly Sunshine But Guaranteed Popup Rain Shower in Afternoon Each Day State. I know, that just wouldn't fit on the license plate. Rain is expected each day the Nationals are in town, but that is a moot point with each game indoors at Marlins Park. Fresh off an impressive series win against the defending National League champion New York Mets, the Nationals stay on the road and within the division in...

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More on last night's blowout victory in New York

May 19, 2016, 9:01pm

Nationals

More on last night's blowout victory in New York

NEW YORK - While the focus of last night's game was squarely on the Stephen Strasburg-Matt Harvey pitching matchup, there was plenty else notable about the Nationals' 9-1 victory over the Mets. Before they get to Miami and open this weekend's series with the Marlins (and before my colleague Byron Kerr takes the reins of the blog for the second leg of the road trip), here are some more things worth mentioning from last night... * Daniel Murphy completed his Citi Field homecoming in style....

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Opposite dugout: Mattingly has Marlins hanging tough in competitive NL East

May 19, 2016, 1:04pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Mattingly has Marlins hanging tough in competitive NL East

Manager: Don Mattingly (1st season) Record: 21-19 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 3B Martin Prado (.371), LF Christian Yelich (.322/.424/.531 with 5 HR, 20 RBIs), CF Marcell Ozuna (.302 with 21 RBIs), RF Giancarlo Stanton (11 HR, 25 RBIs), RHP Jose Fernandez (5-2, 3.21 ERA), LHP Adam Conley (3-2, 3.40 ERA), RHP A.J. Ramos (1.59 ERA, 12 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 5-5 Pitching probables: May 20: RHP Tanner Roark vs. LHP Justin Nicolino, 7:10 p.m., MASN May 21: RHP Joe Ross vs. RHP Jose...

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Nats praise dominant Strasburg, defend struggling Harvey

May 19, 2016, 8:15pm

Nationals

Nats praise dominant Strasburg, defend struggling Harvey

NEW YORK - The comparisons are inevitable and likely will follow both Stephen Strasburg and Matt Harvey through the ends of their respective careers. Both are hard-throwing right-handers who burst onto the scene as rookies, only to suffer torn elbow ligaments that required Tommy John surgery and a long road to recovery. That, of course, is where Strasburg and Harvey's paths moved in alternate directions. Where the Nationals took the overly cautious route with their young ace, shutting him down...

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Strasburg cruises while Nats pummel Harvey in 9-1 victory

May 19, 2016, 6:10pm

Nationals

Strasburg cruises while Nats pummel Harvey in 9-1 victory

NEW YORK - Slump? What slump? Who said the Nationals couldn't score runs in bunches? All they needed was to face Bartolo Colon and Matt Harvey on consecutive nights. With a swift and emphatic flurry of hard-hit balls off the once-feared, suddenly-ineffective Harvey, the Nationals cruised to a 9-1 victory over the Mets tonight, following up last's lopsided win with another one to capture the first of six regular season series with their chief division rivals. A Nats lineup that looked tepid...

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Lineup knocks out Harvey in third inning (Nats win 9-1)

May 19, 2016, 4:27pm

Nationals

Lineup knocks out Harvey in third inning (Nats win 9-1)

NEW YORK - Who would have guessed the cure for what ailed the Nationals lineup was ... Matt Harvey? These are strange times indeed, because the Nationals just got really healthy facing a remarkably ineffective Harvey, pounding the one-time Mets ace for nine runs in only 2 2/3 innings to open up a commanding 9-1 lead in tonight's series finale. Daniel Murphy's two-run homer in the first jumpstarted the Nats offense, but then a rapid flurry of scorched balls off Harvey in the top of the third...

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Bryce Harper's unusual slump: Few hits, tons of walks

May 19, 2016, 2:26pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper's unusual slump: Few hits, tons of walks

NEW YORK - Bryce Harper doesn't do most things like most other ballplayers. So it should come as no surprise that even Harper's slumps aren't like most slumps. Harper legitimately is slumping at the plate. Since April 27 (a span of 20 games), he's batting just .167, which ranks 190th out of 195 qualifying major league hitters. Now, the catch: In that same timeframe, Harper's on-base percentage is .477, which ranks third in the big leagues. It makes for a bit of an odd situation for the...

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Nationals ace Max Scherzer plays catch with young Mets fan in stands

May 19, 2016, 12:41pm

Nationals

We found Max Scherzer's newest fan! Before the Nationals game against the Mets at Citi Field on Wednesday, a young Mets fan was watching batting practice in the outfield seats when he saw Scherzer in the outfield. Little did he know that the Nats ace was up for a game of catch! Watch the awesome video below. No word on whether the Mets jersey has been traded out for a Scherzer shirsey. Be sure to like MASN Nationals on Facebook for more videos, giveaways, news and more!

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After lineup switch, Werth turns into table-setter again

May 19, 2016, 3:58am

Nationals

After lineup switch, Werth turns into table-setter again

NEW YORK - The last time he reached base five times in a game, Jayson Werth was serving as the Nationals' leadoff man. It was Sept. 2012, and manager Davey Johnson's unconventional move to put Werth atop his lineup was paying significant dividends. Werth actually reached base five times on two separate occasions in the span of two weeks that fall, becoming an unlikely but excellent table-setter for a Nationals lineup that was in peak form on its way to 98 wins and its first-ever division...

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Game 41 lineups: Nats vs. Mets

May 19, 2016, 11:42am

Nationals

NEW YORK - It's rare you get two legitimate marquee pitching matchups in the same series, but the Nationals and Mets are the rare teams with the rotation depth to be able to pull that off. And so two days after Max Scherzer and Noah Syndergaard dueled, Stephen Strasburg and Matt Harvey will attempt to the same in tonight's series finale at Citi Field. Strasburg, of course, has been outstanding for the Nats so far, becoming the first pitcher in club history to open a season 6-0 and going 12-2...

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Patience, contact help Nationals lineup break through vs. Mets

May 18, 2016, 8:17pm

Nationals

NEW YORK - Gio Gonzalez has been a constant for the Nationals through the first quarter of the season, a welcome development from a pitcher who in the past befuddled with his inconsistency. Consistency at the plate has not been a hallmark for the Nats so far in 2016, and that has been a source of frustration. But when the lineup clicks on the same night Gonzalez takes the mound, the result is particularly encouraging. Like a 7-1 thumping of the Mets in a game of at least moderate...

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Nats scratch out runs, Gonzalez effective again in 7-1 win

May 18, 2016, 6:31pm

Nationals

Nats scratch out runs, Gonzalez effective again in 7-1 win

NEW YORK - There was no offensive outburst from a lineup that has sorely needed of one of those. But there were a whole lot of quality plate appearances, plenty of patience when necessary and a couple of clutch hits at opportune moments. Combine that with another strong pitching performance by Gio Gonzalez, and the Nationals did just enough things right tonight to beat the Mets, 7-1, and hold their tenuous position atop the NL East as the season reaches the quarter mark. Daniel Murphy and...

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Gonzalez sharp, efficient early vs. Mets (Nats win 7-1)

May 18, 2016, 4:19pm

Nationals

Gonzalez sharp, efficient early vs. Mets (Nats win 7-1)

NEW YORK - Gio Gonzalez has been sharp early. And his Nationals teammates have scrapped their way to one early run off Bartolo Colon, thanks to a great at-bat by one of the veteran right-hander's former teammates. Gonzalez has posted three zeroes so far against the Mets, his only baserunner coming via a walk. The left-hander, who entered with a 1.93 ERA in seven starts, has continued to pitch efficiently (26-of-37 for strikes) while also putting away opposing hitters (three strikeouts of the...

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Nats pleased, but not satisfied at the quarter point of season

May 18, 2016, 2:29pm

Nationals

Nats pleased, but not satisfied at the quarter point of season

NEW YORK - The Nationals play game No. 40 tonight, a traditional milepost that represents the one-quarter point of the season and is viewed by some around the sport as the point in which you have a pretty clear idea whether a team is good or not. The Nationals reach this juncture in first place in the NL East, though only by percentage points over the surprising Phillies and 1/2-game over the Mets. They do so with one of the majors' best-performing pitching staffs, a couple of the majors'...

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Game 40 lineups: Nats at Mets

May 18, 2016, 11:33am

Nationals

NEW YORK - It's a new day at Citi Field, where the sun has come out and the Nationals hope their bats break out tonight against Bartolo Colon and the Mets. It's been a rough couple days for the Nats lineup, which over the last two games has scored a total of two runs while striking out 28 times. Of course, when the opposing pitchers those games are Jose Fernandez and Noah Syndergaard, it's a bit of a challenge scoring runs. So perhaps the task will be a bit easier tonight with Colon taking...

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For slumping Nats, offensive salvation must come from within

May 17, 2016, 7:59pm

Nationals

For slumping Nats, offensive salvation must come from within

NEW YORK - As the at-bats continue to be squandered and runners continue to be left on base, it becomes more and more appropriate to question what the Nationals can do to try to inject some life into a lineup that too often early this season has been anemic. Dusty Baker has tried to tweak his batting order. He swapped Daniel Murphy and Ryan Zimmerman. He swapped Jayson Werth and Anthony Rendon. That hasn't made much difference so far. Ben Revere came back from an oblique strain, replacing the...

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Lack of execution, at plate and on mound, produces tough loss

May 17, 2016, 7:20pm

Nationals

Lack of execution, at plate and on mound, produces tough loss

NEW YORK - There are three conventional ways to score runs in baseball. You can string together several hits in an inning. You can try to manufacture with small ball. Or you can hit the ball out of the park. The Nationals proved adept at none of the three tonight. The Mets proved adept only at the latter. And that was this game in a nutshell: a 2-0 New York victory made possible by two solo homers off an otherwise dominant Max Scherzer, combined with no real offensive attack by Washington...

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Charlie Fliegel: He's not the good, old Gio Gonzalez, but he is good

May 18, 2016, 5:22am

Nationals

Charlie Fliegel: He's not the good, old Gio Gonzalez, but he is good

With an ERA that ranks in the top 10 in the National League and an FIP that is top 20, Gio Gonzalez has looked really good this season. But he's not the good, old Gonzalez of 2013, who placed third in Cy Young voting and led the league in strikeouts/nine innings. He is pitching to contact more this season, striking out and walking fewer batters. He's on pace for a K/9 rate of 7.5 and walks/nine innings rate of 2.6, both career lows, well below career rates of 8.8 and 2.6, respectively. His...

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Kelley on bullpen crew: "We're out there kind of as our own team"

May 17, 2016, 7:29am

Nationals

Kelley on bullpen crew: "We're out there kind of as our own team"

I had a chance to speak with right-hander Shawn Kelley last weekend and asked him how the new coaching staff handled the bullpen. I asked him about the frequency of which he has to get up to warm up during games and if that can be problematic in tiring him out before he is finally put into games. He said that is the norm among relief pitchers and comes with the job. "The getting up and not getting in, that happens anywhere," Kelley said. "That's just part of the game. That's just part of...