nationals

Werth makes big plays on offense and defense, hamstring just fine

April 22, 2016, 7:40pm

With Jayson Werth's past hamstring issues a concern, the Nationals and manager Dusty Baker want to be careful with how they work the veteran left fielder this early in the season. During Wednesday's game in Miami, Werth left in the fifth inning with left hamstring tightness. He sat out Thursday's afternoon game and returned to the lineup for Friday's interleague matchup against the Twins. All systems were go for Werth as he contributed a solo homer, two runs and three catches in left field...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr dusty baker jayson werth nationals daniel murphy featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Lobaton's bat helps lift Gonzalez, Nats to 8-4 win

April 22, 2016, 7:15pm

Nationals

Lobaton's bat helps lift Gonzalez, Nats to 8-4 win

Catcher Jose Lobaton does not get many chances to start. Usually, it is only on the fifth day as left-hander Gio Gonzalez's personal backstop. So when Lobaton gets his shot to play, he likes to make the most of it. Friday night, he was a key component in an 8-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins. In addition to calling a good game for Gonzalez, Lobaton smacked two hits, including a spectacular triple that highlighted a three-run fourth, giving the Nationals a commanding 7-0 lead. Lobaton smiled...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr dusty baker gio gonzalez jose lobaton nationals anthony rendon featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Friday night fire: Nats jump out early against Twins, win 8-4

April 22, 2016, 3:39pm

Nationals

Friday night fire: Nats jump out early against Twins, win 8-4

Last Friday night in Philadelphia, the Nationals set the tone for the weekend series with five runs on six hits in the first inning. They went on to roll past the Phillies 9-1. Back home in D.C. tonight, the Nationals took it to Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson in the bottom of the first. Daniel Murphy smacked an RBI single and Danny Espinosa was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Jose Lobaton then slapped a two-run single to make it 4-0 Nationals. Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez started...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr daniel murphy danny espinosa gio gonzalez jose lobaton nationals twins frontstory_nationals3

Baker and Rizzo on Taylor, Espinosa, Gonzalez and more

April 22, 2016, 1:57pm

Nationals

Baker and Rizzo on Taylor, Espinosa, Gonzalez and more

Michael A. Taylor and Danny Espinosa have been very good on defense for the Nationals as the team has raced out to an 11-4 start. Taylor is leading off and playing center field for the injured Ben Revere, while Espinosa has shown exceptional glove work at shortstop, as expected. But through the first two weeks of the season, Taylor is hitting .175 and Espinosa is at .163. Manager Dusty Baker is not concerned about these two players overall play, even with the scuffling at the plate. He shows...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr danny espinosa dusty baker michael a. taylor nationals anthony rendon featured_sidebar gio gonzalez frontstory_nationals3

Werth returns and Revere making steady progress

April 22, 2016, 1:50pm

Nationals

Werth returns and Revere making steady progress

Center fielder Ben Revere is making progress as he looks to come back from a right oblique strain that has kept him on the disabled list since April 5. Nationals manager Dusty Baker said Revere is continuing basic baseball related activities and will slowly start implementing swings from the left side for the first time during his recovery. "He was hitting right-handed off the tee," Baker said. "He sprinted yesterday, which was a positive sign. I think he threw some. Today he might be...

Comments

Tags:

ben revere byron kerr dusty baker jayson werth nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Game 16 Lineups: Twins at Nationals

April 22, 2016, 9:33am

Nationals

The Twins have arrived at Nationals Park for a three-game weekend series. Then, beginning Monday, the Nationals will have their first day off after 16 straight days of games. The Phillies begin a three-game series here on Tuesday. Every game and series is crucial. But you have to believe that this week is huge considering the daunting road trip that begins April 29. The trek begins in St. Louis, where the Nationals have always had a battle on their hands. Then the Nats go across Missouri and...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr nationals twins jayson werth frontstory_nationals3

Opposite dugout: Struggling Twins return to D.C. for real

April 21, 2016, 8:23am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Struggling Twins return to D.C. for real

Manager: Paul Molitor (2nd season) Record: 5-11 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 1B Joe Mauer (.339/.472/.482 with 5 RBIs), 3B Tevor Plouffe (.302/.333/.535 with 6 RBIs), DH/1B Byung Ho Park (4 HR, 5 RBIs), RHP Ervin Santana (0-1, 3.15 ERA, 18 K) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (1-2 in 2013) Pitching probables: April 22: RHP Kyle Gibson vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m., MASN April 23: RHP Phil Hughes vs. RHP Tanner Roark, 1:05 p.m., MASN April 24: RHP Ervin Santana vs. RHP Stephen...

Comments

Tags:

bobby blanco nationals nationals buzz opposite dugout twins frontstory_nationals3

Friday morning Q&A from D.C.

April 21, 2016, 1:47pm

Nationals

The Nationals are back home from a 4-3 road trip that very easily could have been better than that. Remember, they lost Sunday's finale in Philadelphia on Jonathan Papelbon's blown save, then they lost what looked like a favorable matchup yesterday (Max Scherzer vs. Tom Koehler) in Miami. That said, the Nats still return home with an 11-4 record, comfortably in first place in the NL East as the Twins come to town for a weekend interleague series. There are far worse positions to be in on...

Comments

Tags:

mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime q&a featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Baker appears to be willing to let Taylor work on lead-off spot

April 22, 2016, 5:05am

Nationals

Baker appears to be willing to let Taylor work on lead-off spot

Michael A. Taylor has had some big hits this young season but has not been as consistent at the plate as some might have hoped when he was moved to the top of the order. Back in early April, center fielder Ben Revere was injured in the first game at Atlanta. It appeared that maybe it was just going to be a couple of days and that Revere was a "fast healer" from what was diagnosed as a right oblique strain. Revere was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Unfortunately, an injury like this can...

Comments

Tags:

anthony rendon byron kerr dusty baker jayson werth michael a. taylor nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Jayson Werth departs game with tight hamstring

April 20, 2016, 6:52pm

Nationals

Jayson Werth departs game with tight hamstring

MIAMI - Jayson Werth departed tonight's game at Marlins Park in the fifth inning with left hamstring tightness, an injury both the veteran left fielder and his manager downplayed as minor. "I'm fine," Werth said as he walked out of the Nationals clubhouse following a 3-1 victory over Miami. "I'll be fine." Neither Werth nor manager Dusty Baker specified how exactly the injury occurred, but Werth did cover a good amount of ground while tracking down two tough fly balls early in the game....

Comments

Tags:

injuries jayson werth mark zuckerman miami marlins nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar

After Ross' early departure, Petit saves Nationals bullpen

April 20, 2016, 7:25pm

Nationals

MIAMI - It's a thankless job, one that rarely places a guy in position to be the star of a ballgame. Yusmeiro Petit has made a good living out of long relief, though, and nobody takes more pride in doing that job well than the 31-year-old right-hander. So when he does get the rare opportunity to make a difference like he did tonight during the Nationals' 3-1 victory over the Marlins, tossing four innings of one-run ball after starter Joe Ross departed with a blister, Petit deserves all the...

Comments

Tags:

joe ross mark zuckerman miami marlins nationals nationals pastime yusmeiro petit featured_sidebar

More on Papelbon, Harper, Taylor and Werth

April 20, 2016, 7:59pm

Nationals

More on Papelbon, Harper, Taylor and Werth

MIAMI - Some leftover thoughts and observations to bridge the gap between last night's 3-1 victory and this afternoon's series finale at Marlins Park ... * Yusmeiro Petit got most of the attention last night, and deservedly so for his four innings of relief after Joe Ross departed with a blister on his middle finger. But let's not overlook the rest of the Nationals bullpen, which finished what Petit started. Oliver Perez retired the side in the seventh, striking out Giancarlo Stanton with a...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper jonathan papelbon mark zuckerman miami marlins michael a. taylor nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar jayson werth ryan zimmerman

Game 15 lineups: Nats at Marlins

April 21, 2016, 5:57am

Nationals

MIAMI - Hello one last time from Marlins Park, where the roof actually is open as I type this. (Don't worry, it'll be closed up in time for first pitch at 1:10 p.m. Wouldn't want to play a ballgame in, you know, sunlight, would you?) The Nationals and Marlins wrap up their four-game series, with the Nats looking to win three out of four and improve to a major league-best 12-3. They'll have Max Scherzer on the mound, looking to improve to 3-0 in his first start of the season against Miami....

Comments

Tags:

jayson werth lineups mark zuckerman max scherzer miami marlins nationals nationals pastime bryce harper ryan zimmerman

Werth sits, Taylor drops to seventh, Ross could miss start

April 21, 2016, 8:23am

Nationals

Werth sits, Taylor drops to seventh, Ross could miss start

MIAMI - Jayson Werth is out of the lineup for the Nationals' series finale against the Marlins, though that was planned before the veteran left fielder felt tightness in his left hamstring and had to depart last night's game in the fifth inning. Both Werth and manager Dusty Baker continue to downplay the injury as minor and don't expect him to miss any significant time. "I think it was more precautionary than anything," Baker said this morning. "I didn't see it on the (daily injury)...

Comments

Tags:

dusty baker jayson werth joe ross mark zuckerman miami marlins michael a. taylor nationals nationals pastime ryan zimmerman featured_sidebar

Harper homers again, but Scherzer labors (Nats lose 5-1)

April 21, 2016, 10:19am

Nationals

Harper homers again, but Scherzer labors (Nats lose 5-1)

MIAMI - Bryce Harper took Tom Koehler deep yet again. Unfortunately for the Nationals, somebody took Max Scherzer deep yet again, too, leaving them in an early hole and leaving Scherzer in a heap of trouble. Harper blasted a solo home run off Koehler in the top of the first inning of this afternoon's series finale at Marlins Park, sending the first pitch he saw over the recently shortened fence in center field. It was Harper's eighth homer of the season, temporarily leaving him tied with...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper mark zuckerman max scherzer miami marlins nationals nationals pastime

Scherzer out of sync on "flat" day for Nationals

April 21, 2016, 1:36pm

Nationals

MIAMI - Max Scherzer returned to the dugout after the second inning this afternoon, four runs already having crossed the plate against him, said a few words to Mike Maddux and then headed down the tunnel toward the clubhouse with his pitching coach for a few minutes, trying to figure out what exactly was going wrong in this game against the Marlins. When Scherzer returned for the third inning, he did look like a different pitcher. He retired six straight batters on a total of 21 pitches and, if...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper mark zuckerman max scherzer miami marlins nationals nationals pastime dusty baker featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Nats fall to Marlins 5-1 to split series

April 21, 2016, 11:57am

Nationals

Nats fall to Marlins 5-1 to split series

MIAMI - When Bryce Harper launched his latest in a torrid string of home runs in the top of the first inning this afternoon, the Nationals had every reason to be optimistic about the early tone of their series finale against the Marlins. But when Max Scherzer took the mound for the bottom of the first and promptly served up a towering, three-run shot to Marcell Ozuna, the entire complexion of this game changed in a hurry. And it never tilted back in the Nationals' favor. Behind that...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper mark zuckerman max scherzer miami marlins nationals nationals pastime frontstory_nationals1

Nationals homestand highlights April 22-28

April 21, 2016, 9:37am

Nationals

Washington Nationals Homestand Highlights vs. Minnesota Twins (April 22-24) & Philadelphia Phillies (April 26-28) The upcoming homestand includes complimentary tickets for military service members, a giveaway item featuring Racing President Teddy and a visit from a NASA astronaut. There will also be several fun family activities, including Kids Opening Day, Scout Day and a celebration of Screech's birthday. As always, the Budweiser Terrace will feature daily happy hour specials, including...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

David Huzzard: No surprise Harper is becoming the best player in baseball

April 21, 2016, 4:48am

Nationals

David Huzzard: No surprise Harper is becoming the best player in baseball

We're going to talk about Bryce Harper. I know by this point you've read hundreds upon hundreds of articles about Harper, but I'm going to write yet another one and like most of them this will contain no new information or provide you with any insight. It is very likely that you already know that Harper is great, and there is a reason he is the most talked about Nationals player and becoming the most talked about baseball player. There is a chance that by the end of the year Bryce Harper...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper david huzzard guest blogger guestblogger nationals nationals buzz

Nationals grind out workmanlike 3-1 win over Marlins

April 20, 2016, 5:51pm

Nationals

MIAMI - They lost their starting pitcher after two innings, then their starting left fielder after four innings. No matter, the Nationals still went about their business and beat the Marlins 3-1 tonight, thanks to some early clutch hits and some impressive relief work. Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper each delivered two-out RBI doubles to stake Joe Ross to an early lead, but the right-hander had to depart after that due to a blister on his right middle finger. Three innings later, Jayson Werth...