nationals

Nats hope Strasburg pitches Thursday; Drew gets start at third

April 13, 2016, 1:58pm

The Nationals are hoping Stephen Strasburg will feel well enough to start Thursday afternoon's series finale against the Braves, trying to avoid burning up their bullpen as an alternative in case he's not ready to return. Strasburg was scratched from tonight's scheduled start due to an illness that has plagued him the last couple of days. Manager Dusty Baker said the outlook has looked better with each passing day, and Strasburg was out on the field during batting practice this afternoon for...

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Game 7 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

April 13, 2016, 11:09am

Nationals

The Nationals have spent much of the last two weeks shuffling and then reshuffling their rotation, accounting for rainouts, scheduled off-days and other factors. Now they've had to reshuffle it again due to illness. Stephen Strasburg, who was scheduled to start tonight against the Braves, has been scratched because he's not feeling well. So it'll be Tanner Roark instead taking the mound at 7:05 p.m. The good news: Roark is still pitching on five days' rest, so he'll be plenty fresh. The...

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Strasburg scratched with illness, Roark starting vs. Braves

April 13, 2016, 10:55am

Nationals

Strasburg scratched with illness, Roark starting vs. Braves

Stephen Strasburg has been scratched from tonight's scheduled start against the Braves due to what the Nationals say is an illness. Tanner Roark will pitch in his place, starting a day earlier than originally planned. Strasburg was set to make his second start of the season, facing the same Atlanta lineup he beat one week ago with six innings of one-run ball. The right-hander appeared to be under the weather earlier this week, though, prompting the postponement of his outing. Roark was due to...

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Delayed debut no issue for dominant Gonzalez

April 12, 2016, 8:12pm

Nationals

Delayed debut no issue for dominant Gonzalez

The Nationals can't say - with a straight face, at least - they knew with 100 percent certainty what they'd get out of Gio Gonzalez last night. Not in his season debut. Not a full 16 days removed from his last appearance on the mound. But when the left-hander navigated his way through a 13-pitch top of the first, they had reason to be optimistic. And when he made it through the third without allowing a run and with a manageable pitch count of 46, they had to be even more encouraged. And by...

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Stephen Drew thrilled to make positive impact, will start Wednesday

April 12, 2016, 8:06pm

Nationals

Stephen Drew thrilled to make positive impact, will start Wednesday

Utility infielder Stephen Drew notched the first hit in an eighth-inning rally that helped to lift the Nationals past the Braves 2-1. For a player trying to make an impact with his new team and not getting many shots at doing just that, this was a very nice first step. "That was great. That was his first hit as a National," Baker said. "I told him before the game, he's playing tomorrow. (Anthony) Rendon's getting a day off. I hope he can come through tomorrow as well as he did today....

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Charlie Fliegel: Nats don't have a set-up man, let's hope it stays that way

April 12, 2016, 6:37pm

Nationals

Charlie Fliegel: Nats don't have a set-up man, let's hope it stays that way

It's a week into the 2016 season, and Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon has looked good. But that most important of baseball engineering marvels, the bridge to the closer, is far from concrete. The issue is that they have several decent set-up man candidates, but no shoe-in. This shouldn't be something to worry about, though. Instead, Dusty Baker and Mike Maddux could turn it into a real positive. With no set-up man, they have the freedom to shape the end of each game as they see fit. Shawn...

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Treinen still strong after pitching three consecutive days

April 12, 2016, 7:15pm

Nationals

Treinen still strong after pitching three consecutive days

The Nationals dropped the Braves 2-1 behind outstanding pitching from starter Gio Gonzalez and the bullpen. Shawn Kelley, Oliver Perez, Blake Treinen and Felipe Rivero managed to hold the Braves to one run over the final three innings. Manager Dusty Baker again singled out Treinen for finding a way to keep the Braves at bay. "This is why you like that sinkerballer on your staff because they can throw that double-play ground ball," Baker said. "You can get out of trouble. Any time you can...

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Harper delivers in the clutch, propelling Nats to 5-1 record

April 12, 2016, 7:43pm

Nationals

Harper delivers in the clutch, propelling Nats to 5-1 record

It was cold, with a steady wind having been blowing in from left field all night. What remained of an already-sparse crowd of 18,378 was praying for something good to happen, for somebody to finally break through and post something other than a zero on the scoreboard for the first time all evening. And then, with one well-timed swing from Bryce Harper, everyone inside Nationals Park was jumping up and down, the long wait on this chilly April night well worth it. Harper's two-out, two-run...

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Late extra-base hit by Bryce Harper downs Braves again 2-1

April 12, 2016, 5:51pm

Nationals

Late extra-base hit by Bryce Harper downs Braves again 2-1

Bryce Harper went hitless on Monday night. That is not going to happen very many times. Battling in a scoreless duel with the Braves, the Nationals slugger laced a double down the left field line in the eighth inning to score two runs as the Nationals downed Atlanta 2-1. Chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" erupted from a few of the 18,378 faithful on a chilly Tuesday night. Blake Treinen (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings for his second win. The Braves tallied a run in the ninth. Felipe Rivero recorded the...

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Gonzalez sharp early despite long layoff (Nats win 2-1)

April 12, 2016, 4:04pm

Nationals

Gonzalez sharp early despite long layoff (Nats win 2-1)

Making his first appearance of the regular season and his first appearance of any kind in 16 days, Gio Gonzalez took the mound tonight at Nationals Park not entirely knowing for sure what to expect. Three innings later, the left-hander has to be pleased with the results so far: nothing but zeros. Gonzalez's season debut got off to a strong start, with only one hit surrendered to the Braves through three scoreless innings. There was a two-out walk issued to Freddie Freeman in the top of the...

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Nats backing up spring promise of aggressive baserunning

April 12, 2016, 2:07pm

Nationals

Nats backing up spring promise of aggressive baserunning

It's one thing to say you're going to be aggressive on the bases. Every team says that every spring. It's another thing to actually back that up once the season begins, which the Nationals most definitely have done so far. Entering tonight's game against the Braves, the Nationals have successfully stolen six bases, most in the National League and second-most in the majors (behind only the Astros' nine). They've also successfully taken a bunch of extra bases in other fashions, whether...

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Baker says mental game will help Gonzalez after long layoff

April 12, 2016, 12:56pm

Nationals

Baker says mental game will help Gonzalez after long layoff

Left-hander Gio Gonzalez finally makes his first start of the season tonight for the Nationals against the Braves. It is his first start since March 27. Getting ready for a start usually takes just five days. So when you have to wait this long, manager Dusty Baker said the mental side of pitching plays a crucial role in allowing the pitcher to focus on what he needs to do. "He's had some pretty good bullpen sessions," Baker said. "I urged him to pitch with his mind. And Gio pays attention...

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Third baseman Drew Ward hitting ground running to start second year with P-Nats

April 12, 2016, 7:35am

Nationals

Third baseman Drew Ward hitting ground running to start second year with P-Nats

Third baseman Drew Ward gained valuable experience by playing in the Arizona Fall League at the end of last season. This experience has helped propel him to a strong start for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals. "It was a great experience," said Ward. "I was on the taxi guy, so I played once or twice a week, but I learned so much just getting around older guys and trying to learn how to become a professional baseball player." Ward, 21, said working with other teams was helpful, but it also...

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Game 6 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

April 12, 2016, 11:07am

Nationals

The Nationals have a chance tonight to do something they've never done in their previous 11 years in the District, nor something any Washington ballclub has done in 65 years: start a season 5-1. With a win tonight over the Braves, the Nats would match the 1913 and 1953 Senators for the best six-game start to D.C. baseball history. No small achievement. In order to do it, they'll need to get a solid outing from Gio Gonzalez, who 16 days after he last pitched in Florida is finally making his...

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Why Scherzer's start was better than his final line suggests

April 11, 2016, 8:10pm

Nationals

Why Scherzer's start was better than his final line suggests

This didn't go down as one of Max Scherzer's better starts as a National, and it won't likely be included in any video montages of his 2016 season. But there's something to be said for churning out six innings on a night when you didn't have your best stuff. Especially when doing just that ultimately put your team in position to emerge victorious. "I thought Max did a great job tonight," second baseman Daniel Murphy said following last night's 6-4 win over the Braves. "I'm sure he...

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Balanced lineup delivers for Nats in latest win over Braves

April 11, 2016, 7:49pm

Nationals

Balanced lineup delivers for Nats in latest win over Braves

There are going to be nights when the Nationals need to rely on Bryce Harper to carry the load, but they want those to be few and far between. They'd much rather be able to count on the depth of their lineup to produce on a consistent basis, leaving the reigning National League MVP to do his thing without having to do everything. In that regard, tonight's 6-4 victory over the Braves was a prime example of what this lineup can do, from top to bottom. Harper didn't have a bad night; he got on...

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Dan Duquette says Nationals haven't contacted him

April 12, 2016, 9:00am

Nationals Orioles

Dan Duquette says Nationals haven't contacted him

BOSTON - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette denied a report this morning that the crosstown-rival Nationals are pursuing him for the job of team president. "I don't know anything about this," he wrote in a text message, "nor has anyone contacted me." The St. Paul Pioneer Press, citing a source, reported the Nationals' interest in Duquette, who's in Boston for the Orioles' three-game series against the Red Sox. An industry source told me earlier today that the Nationals...

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Steve Mears: Figuring out where Taylor and Werth fit in Nats lineup

April 11, 2016, 6:13pm

Nationals

Steve Mears: Figuring out where Taylor and Werth fit in Nats lineup

Before Monday's game, the trio of Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman and Daniel Murphy had combined for a .540 on-base-percentage, which means the three of them on base 54% of the time. The Nationals have had runners in scoring position (RISP) aplenty in the first four games, but are only batting .229 in their 35 RISP situations. That should certainly improve in RISP efficiency, but in the meantime, the batters in the back of the order are getting many RBI opportunities. The strategy for Dusty Baker...

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Bats pick up slack on night when Scherzer didn't have best stuff

April 11, 2016, 6:15pm

Nationals

Bats pick up slack on night when Scherzer didn't have best stuff

On a night when Max Scherzer didn't have his best stuff, the Nationals knew right off the bat they'd need to score their share of runs to help out their surprisingly struggling ace. They managed to do just that, thanks to the continued early-season success of two key members of the heart of their lineup and a breakthrough performance from one of the members of the bottom of that lineup. Ryan Zimmerman and Daniel Murphy reached base a collective five times against the Braves pitching staff,...

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Bryce Harper's MVP plate discipline is carrying over into 2016

April 11, 2016, 2:49pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper's MVP plate discipline is carrying over into 2016

Among the many remarkable things he did last season en route to unanimous election as National League MVP, Bryce Harper's ability not to get frustrated by opposing teams pitching around him stood out as a particularly impressive trait. Harper, who in his first three big league seasons could be prone to chasing pitches out of the zone, made a key adjustment in 2015 and began laying off those offerings, content to take his walks. He wound up accepting 124 free passes on his way to a league-best...