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Game 37 lineups: Nats vs. Marlins

May 14, 2016, 1:50pm

And we're back for the nightcap of this day-night doubleheader. Game 1 ended in a downpour, with Jonathan Papelbon striking out Giancarlo Stanton to preserve a 6-4 victory for the Nationals. Game 2 will begin under blue skies, believe it or not, though the temperature has dropped considerably and it's going to be quite chilly throughout this one. The Nationals will be going for the doubleheader sweep with a depleted lineup. Bryce Harper is out after dropping the appeal of his one-game...

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Nationals exercise option on president of baseball operations & GM Mike Rizzo

May 14, 2016, 2:45pm

Nationals

Washington Nationals managing principal owner Theodore N. Lerner announced Saturday that the team has picked up president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo's contract option, keeping him with the club through the 2018 season. The Nationals exercised the option before the June 15th deadline, according to plan. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. "We are pleased with the job Mike has done over the past nine years," said Lerner. "He and the baseball operations team...

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Nationals cash in on early free passes (Nats win 6-4)

May 14, 2016, 9:32am

Nationals

Left fielder Christian Yelich got the Marlins off first with a mammoth home run to center field. The blast gave the Marlins a 1-0 lead after the first half-inning. It was the second straight start where Stephen Strasburg had allowed a first-inning home run. Nick Castellanos of the Tigers drilled a two-run shot on May 9. It also marked only the fourth homer Strasburg had allowed in his initial eight starts of the season. But the Nationals quickly got that run back for Strasburg - and then...

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Baker on twinbill lineups, Harper, Revere, Belisle and bullpen

May 14, 2016, 8:06am

Nationals

Baker on twinbill lineups, Harper, Revere, Belisle and bullpen

Manager Dusty Baker said right-hander Matt Belisle, who has been on the 15-day disabled list since April 27 with a right calf strain, will go through a bullpen session today and is closer to getting to rehab games. "He has to go get some innings in and get some back-to-backs," Baker said. "He's doing fine. He's been working hard, which doesn't surprise anybody. He's in great shape. We actually had to slow him down a little bit because he's such a go-getter. "He will go out (on a rehab...

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Home run barrage from Harper and surprisingly potent bench

May 13, 2016, 8:13pm

Nationals

Home run barrage from Harper and surprisingly potent bench

For the better part of a week now, Bryce Harper has barely seen anything to hit. Over his last eight games, he has 36 plate appearances - but only 14 official at-bats - as opposing pitchers went out of their way to avoid getting beaten by the current best hitter on the planet. Throughout it all, Harper has showed impressive patience, refusing most of the time to expand his zone and start hacking at pitches he probably couldn't do much damage with in the first place. Yet at the same time, he...

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Game 36 lineups: Marlins at Nationals

May 14, 2016, 4:39am

Nationals

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg gets the call in Game 1 of today's day-night doubleheader against the Marlins, fresh off signing a new seven-year, $175 million contract extension with the Nationals. Right-hander Tanner Roark gets the nod for the Nats in the nightcap. Strasburg is 5-0 with a 2.76 ERA in seven starts over 49 innings, the best start to a season in his career. He has struck out 58 batters and walked 12.The Nationals have recalled outfielder Matt den Dekker from Triple-A Syracuse...

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Papelbon and bullpen hold down Marlins in Nats' comeback win

May 13, 2016, 7:28pm

Nationals

Papelbon and bullpen hold down Marlins in Nats' comeback win

The Nationals came back to beat the Marlins 5-3 as manager Dusty Baker maneuvered his bullpen around to find a way to get the win. Starter Gio Gonzalez got into the fifth, but left trailing 2-0. Plus, he had allowed three straight singles to open the sixth. After that, the bullpen took over, with Baker employing five relievers in the final four innings. They allowed just one more run as they watched the Nationals offense come alive. Baker was asked if he spread the wealth in the bullpen because...

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MASN's Phil Wood to be celebrated at pregame event and in bobblehead form

May 13, 2016, 5:03pm

Nationals

MASN's Phil Wood to be celebrated at pregame event and in bobblehead form

If you want to add a unique piece to your bobblehead collection, and help a worthy cause in the process, have I got a deal for you. The Half Street Irregulars, one of the most active fan groups among the Nationals faithful, is conducting an eBay auction for a limited edition bobblehead likeness of MASN broadcaster Phil Wood, hosts "Nats Talk" with Mike Wallace on Saturday mornings, covers the team on the "Nats Xtra" pregame and postgame shows, and is part of the regular panel on the...

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Harper, Drew, Heisey homer as Nats come back to beat Marlins 5-3

May 13, 2016, 6:28pm

Nationals

Harper, Drew, Heisey homer as Nats come back to beat Marlins 5-3

Kyle Barraclough pitched 20 games last season for the Marlins before allowing a home run. On Sept. 19, 2015, that streak ended thanks to a blast by Bryce Harper. The next 17 games, Barraclough appeared in, he did not allow another homer. Until Friday night, again at Nationals Park. With a man on, Harper connected for the second homer given up by the Marlins right-hander, lifting the Nationals to a 4-2 lead. It was Harper's 11th homer of the season. The Nationals went on to win 5-3 in the...

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Notes on tomorrow's doubleheader, Murphy and Espinosa

May 13, 2016, 2:26pm

Nationals

Notes on tomorrow's doubleheader, Murphy and Espinosa

Doubleheaders often create a headache for managers and general managers, who typically have to find someone to make a spot start, throwing a rotation out of whack. The Nationals, though, lucked out this weekend. With an off-day Thursday and another Monday, they're able to stick with their regular rotation and make it through tomorrow's day-night doubleheader against the Marlins without disrupting much of anything. Stephen Strasburg will start the 1:05 p.m. opener, with Tanner Roark then...

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Baker keeping relievers rested, up to date on when they will pitch

May 13, 2016, 1:47pm

Nationals

Baker keeping relievers rested, up to date on when they will pitch

During most pregame media sessions, at least one reporter asks Nationals manager Dusty Baker who is available to pitch from the bullpen that night. Baker never answers the question because he doesn't want the opponent to know who he might go to and who is getting a night off. If you go back over the previous three or four games, you can easily put together a good guess of which pitcher or pitchers might not be available because Baker has gone to them a lot. The 2016 bullpen is also a very...

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Teams continue to play Walk-a-Bryce (Nats win 5-3)

May 13, 2016, 4:29pm

Nationals

Teams continue to play Walk-a-Bryce (Nats win 5-3)

Joe Maddon started the trend last weekend in Chicago. Now the craze is catching on elsewhere. Everybody in baseball wants to play Walk-a-Bryce. The Marlins became the latest team to pitch around Bryce Harper, walking the Nationals star in each of his first two plate appearances, not even making much of an attempt to give him anything to hit. Right-hander Tom Koehler walked Harper on four straight balls in the bottom of the first inning. Two innings later, he walked him on five pitches - though...

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Game 35 lineups: Nats vs. Marlins

May 13, 2016, 11:08am

Nationals

It's been a dreary couple of weeks in D.C., but here's some good news: The skies are supposed to clear later this afternoon and there may even be a bit of sunshine when the Nationals take the field at 7:05 p.m. for the opener of their weekend series with the Marlins. This is a four-games-in-three-days series, with a day-night doubleheader tomorrow to make up the game that was rained out way back in the season's first week. The Nationals haven't yet announced who's pitching when tomorrow,...

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Opposite dugout: Marlins getting past Gordon's suspension by riding hot streak

May 11, 2016, 10:17pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Marlins getting past Gordon's suspension by riding hot streak

Manager: Don Mattingly (1st season) Record: 18-15 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 3B Martin Prado (.386/.413/.465), LF Christian Yelich (.325/.439/.509 with 4 HR, 16 RBIs), RF Giancarlo Stanton (10 HR, 24 RBIs), RHP Jose Fernandez (4-2, 3.54 ERA, 58 K's), RHP A.J. Ramos (1.38 ERA, 10 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 3-3 Pitching probables: May 13: RHP Tom Koehler vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m., MASN2 May 14: LHP Justin Nicolino vs. RHP Stephen Stasburg, 1:05 p.m., MASN May 14: RHP Kendry...

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Nationals to recognize 2016 Honorary Bat Girl contest winner

May 13, 2016, 12:12pm

Nationals

Major League Baseball announced the winners of the 2016 Honorary Bat Girl contest last week, which recognizes baseball fans who have been affected by breast cancer and who demonstrate a commitment to supporting the fight against the disease. The Honorary Bat Girl for the Washington Nationals is Corinne Irwin of Washington, D.C. She will be recognized on NatsHD and will be announcing play ball before the team plays the Miami Marlins on Saturday, May 14 at 7:05 p.m. Corinne was diagnosed with...

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What's realistic to expect in the end from .409-hitting Murphy?

May 12, 2016, 7:54pm

Nationals

What's realistic to expect in the end from .409-hitting Murphy?

It got lost in the shuffle easily Wednesday night amid Max Scherzer's 20 strikeouts, Jordan Zimmermann's return to Washington and Bryce Harper's one-game suspension, but Daniel Murphy's torrid start to the season hit yet another high-water mark. With a 3-for-4 night in the Nationals' 3-2 win over the Tigers, Murphy raised his batting average to .409. Yes, that's .409. A number that is no small accomplishment. Of course there's way too much baseball left to start thinking about Murphy...

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National Parks come to Nationals Park

May 12, 2016, 11:45am

Nationals

The National Parks are coming to Nationals Park! (Say that five times fast.) The National Park Service is coming to Nats Park for a special night Friday as the Nationals host a series opener against the Marlins. The night will be filled with National Park-themed events all night to celebrate the National Park Service Centennial, and we're inviting you to join the fun! All night long, you can be social with the National Park Service and MASN by sharing your memories of your favorite national...

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Thursday morning Q&A from D.C.

May 11, 2016, 8:46pm

Nationals

So, uh ... anything interesting happen so far this week? I mean, think about everything that has happened in just the last four days alone. On Sunday, Bryce Harper tied the all-time record with six walks in a game, while Ryan Zimmerman stranded 14 runners on base. On Monday, the Nationals signed Stephen Strasburg to a $175 million contract extension, then Harper was ejected in the bottom of the ninth, then Clint Robinson hit a walk-off homer moments later. On Tuesday, the Strasburg contract...

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David Huzzard: Pitching is nice, but Nats need more offensive firepower

May 12, 2016, 5:11am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Pitching is nice, but Nats need more offensive firepower

Last night, Max Scherzer threw a 20-strikeout game. Earlier in the week, Stephen Strasburg agreed to a $175 extension. They are two fifths of the reason why the Washington Nationals are in the race for the NL East title. Every day I question how a team with so many hitters below league average can be winning as many games as they do. I question it even more when they have multiple comebacks in one game. If you judge a team on their gumption the Nats played their two best games of the season in...

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Zimmermann good in return to D.C., but not as good as Scherzer

May 11, 2016, 7:18pm

Nationals

Zimmermann good in return to D.C., but not as good as Scherzer

On a night when his former teammate Max Scherzer struck out a career-high and MLB-record-tying 20 batters, right-hander Jordan Zimmermann never backed down from the battle. In a 3-2 loss to the Nationals, Zimmermann went seven innings and allowed seven hits, three runs and three walks with three strikeouts. It was his second setback after five wins to start the season. The Nationals touched Zimmermann for three hits and a run in their first at-bat. "I was able to wiggle out of the first,"...