nationals

Scherzer's no-hit bid broken up in eighth (Nats win 5-1)

September 28, 2015, 12:13pm

Right-hander Max Scherzer off to a good start against the Reds. Through four innings he has not allowed a hit. Scherzer has struck out five, with at least one strikeout in every inning but the third. He has walked two batters. Tyler Moore made a diving catch on a liner off the bat of Reds left fielder Skip Schumaker in the third. Reds left-hander Brandon Finnegan did well to keep the Nationals off the board until the fourth. Moore singled with one out. Matt den Dekker then lined a double over...

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Will Jonathan Papelbon be part of the Nats' future in 2016?

September 28, 2015, 1:48pm

Nationals

Will Jonathan Papelbon be part of the Nats' future in 2016?

Jonathan Papelbon will not be around his Nationals teammates for the final seven games of the season. The question remains whether Papelbon will ever call them teammates again. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo acquired the controversial closer three days before the trade deadline. How much the move affected the clubhouse is not entirely known, but the Nationals went 27-31 after the trade and turned a two-game division lead into a 9 1/2-game deficit. Besides the fact that Papelbon blew two...

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Williams on letting Papelbon pitch the ninth: "I didn't get all the facts at that time"

September 28, 2015, 11:32am

Nationals

Williams on letting Papelbon pitch the ninth: "I didn't get all the facts at that time"

Nationals manager Matt Williams took responsibility for allowing right-hander Jonathan Papelbon to continue to pitch after a physical dugout altercation in the eighth inning of Sunday's 12-5 loss to the Phillies. Williams said Papelbon would not have pitched in the ninth inning if he had known the extent of the altercation, where Papelbon appeared to put his hand around the neck of teammate Bryce Harper, when it happened on the left side of the dugout near the steps to the field. During games,...

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Taking a look at top storylines around the major leagues

September 28, 2015, 1:50pm

Nationals Orioles

Taking a look at top storylines around the major leagues

As the Orioles and Nationals put the finishing touches on disappointing seasons, here is what else is going on around baseball: * The Orioles were shut out three times in Boston over the weekend, essentially ending their slim chance for a wild card. Even though the Orioles have dominated the Red Sox since the end of 2011, the takeaway is that Boston's building block players - Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Rusney Castillo, Xander Bogaerts, Henry Owens and Blake Swihart - are going to be a...

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Papelbon suspended by Nationals after dropping appeal of MLB ban (updated)

September 28, 2015, 9:41am

Nationals

Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon has dropped his appeal of a three-game suspension for throwing at the head area of Orioles third baseman Manny Machado and was to begin serving the ban today. However, the Nationals announced a few minutes ago that they have suspended Papelbon for four games without pay for his altercation Sunday with teammate Bryce Harper. Added to the three-game ban from Major League Baseball, the Nationals' suspension means Papelbon is done for the season. "The behavior...

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Scherzer set to face Reds in makeup game (with lineups)

September 28, 2015, 8:05am

Nationals

Scherzer set to face Reds in makeup game (with lineups)

When right-hander Max Scherzer takes the mound for today's makeup game against the Reds at Nationals Park - as the Nats try to put yesterday's dugout altercation and its aftermath behind them - he'll have an unfamiliar cast behind him. With the Nats eliminated from postseason contention, a lot of bench guys are getting some playing time. Today's Nationals lineup is missing guys like right fielder Bryce Harper, left fielder Jayson Werth, shortstop Ian Desmond and third baseman Yunel...

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Nats game blog: Scherzer looks to go above .500 with win vs. Reds

September 28, 2015, 10:38am

Nationals

Nats game blog: Scherzer looks to go above .500 with win vs. Reds

The Nationals take on the Reds in a game that is on the schedule, but the focus is squarely on the altercation that took place late in Sunday's game against the Phillies. It appeared right-handed pitcher Jonathan Papelbon lunged and put his hand around Bryce Harper's neck in the dugout following a verbal disagreement. Papelbon was suspended for four games without pay by the team and, coupled with dropping his appeal of Major League Baseball's three-game suspension for throwing at Orioles...

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Nationals suspend Jonathan Papelbon

September 28, 2015, 9:50am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals announced pitcher Jonathan Papelbon has been suspended for four games without pay after his altercation with outfielder Bryce Harper in the dugout during Sunday's game vs. the Philadelphia Phillies. In addition, Papelbon has accepted the three-game suspension issued by Major League Baseball for the incident which occurred during the Wednesday, September 23rd game vs the Baltimore Orioles. The league suspension will begin Monday against the Cincinnati Reds. The...

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More on Williams' decision to pitch Papelbon in ninth after fight with Harper

September 28, 2015, 5:20am

Nationals

More on Williams' decision to pitch Papelbon in ninth after fight with Harper

After Sunday's embarrassing eighth-inning dugout fight between Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon, I questioned Nationals manager Matt Williams during his postgame press conference about his egregious decision to send Papelbon back to the mound to pitch the ninth inning. Here is the exchange: CJ: "What was behind your decision to send Papelbon back out for the ninth?" MW: "At the time, it's a tie game." CJ: "But given what had happened?" MW: "He's our closer." CJ: "It appeared that...

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Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon react after fight in Nats dugout

September 27, 2015, 3:13pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon react after fight in Nats dugout

After attacking Bryce Harper in the Nationals dugout during the eighth inning of Sunday's 12-5 loss to the Phillies, veteran closer Jonathan Papelbon attempted to explain his actions. "First of all, I'll say I'm in the wrong there," Papelbon said. "I'm going to leave that up to our manager. You know, there's a lot of competition and a lot of ... it's a long season and it's a grind. I think we're going to handle it in-house and stuff like that. I've talked to Bryce and told him how...

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Ian Desmond on curtain call in ninth inning Sunday: "That was pretty special"

September 27, 2015, 2:14pm

Nationals

Ian Desmond on curtain call in ninth inning Sunday: "That was pretty special"

Shortstop Ian Desmond went 3-for-3 and slammed his 19th homer of the season in what may very well have been his final home start for the Nationals in their 12-5 loss to the Phillies. Desmond scored twice and has now hit safely in five of his last six games. He received a nice ovation from the 28,661 fans at Nats Park after he was replaced by shortstop Trea Turner in the ninth inning. "That was pretty special," Desmond said. "Bittersweet. Spent a lot of time here and have a lot of special...

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Marty Niland: Enough blame to go around as promising season runs off the rails

September 28, 2015, 5:14am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Enough blame to go around as promising season runs off the rails

How did it come to this? Six months after after Bryce Harper essentially predicted a World Series championship in the preseason, the Nationals were eliminated from postseason contention with more than a week to play. Despite Harper's MVP-caliber season and Max Scherzer's Cy Young-caliber first half, the defending National League East champions haven't even clinched a winning record with seven games to play. After supposedly trading to shore up their bullpen weakness, the Nationals stood by...

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Opposite dugout: Struggling Reds interrupt homestand for makeup game in D.C.

September 25, 2015, 12:51pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Struggling Reds interrupt homestand for makeup game in D.C.

Manager: Bryan Price (3rd season) Record: 63-92 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: 1B Joey Votto (.318/.464/.556 with 29 HR, 78 RBIs), 3B Todd Frazier (35 HR, 88 RBIs), RF Jay Bruce (26 HR, 84 RBIs), LHP Brandon Finnegan (1-1, 4.97 ERA), RHP Aroldis Chapman (1.71 ERA, 32 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 5-0 Pitching probables: Sept. 28: LHP Brandon Finnegan vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 3:05 p.m., MASN Inside the Reds: Instead of enjoying a scheduled off-day to start the final week of the regular...

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Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon fight in Nats dugout

September 27, 2015, 12:41pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon fight in Nats dugout

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo made a questionable trade at the deadline, acquiring controversial closer Jonathan Papelbon from the Phillies. In the eighth inning of today's 12-5 loss to the Phillies, Papelbon attacked National League Most Valuable Player candidate Bryce Harper in the Nationals dugout. The two fought for seconds as Nationals players and coaches battled to separate them. Harper had just led off the eighth with a fly out to left field. As he retreated back to the dugout,...

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Jonathan Papelbon attacks Bryce Harper in dugout, Nats lose 12-5

September 27, 2015, 10:18am

Nationals

Jonathan Papelbon attacks Bryce Harper in dugout, Nats lose 12-5

Playing in possibly his second-to-last home game at Nationals Park, Ian Desmond pulverized a hanging slider from right-hander Aaron Harang, sending the ball smacking off the second deck facade in right-center field for a solo homer with two outs in the second. It was Desmond's 19th longball of the season. Moments later, Matt den Dekker drilled Harang's first-pitch heater deep over the center field wall for back-to-back homers. Statcast estimated Desmond's blast at 430 feet and den Dekker's...

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Max Scherzer: "I'm extremely disappointed how the season turned out"

September 27, 2015, 8:27am

Nationals

Max Scherzer: "I'm extremely disappointed how the season turned out"

When the Nationals made the splash of the offseason by signing right-hander Max Scherzer to a blockbuster seven-year $210 million deal, most believed the move would catapult them to a World Series championship in 2015. But this year's Nationals team won't even get the chance to navigate its way through the playoffs after being eliminated by the National League East champion Mets last night. "I'm extremely disappointed how the season turned out," Scherzer said in the Nats clubhouse this...

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Gio Gonzalez looks to win final three-game home series for Nats (with lineup)

September 27, 2015, 7:28am

Nationals

Gio Gonzalez looks to win final three-game home series for Nats (with lineup)

Gio Gonzalez will take the mound for his last start at Nationals Park this season in the Nats' penultimate home game for 2015. Gonzalez is boasting an 11-8 record with a 3.94 ERA on the season. He is 6-4 with a 3.33 ERA in 13 starts at home and 3-1 with a 4.83 ERA in seven day game starts. Gonzalez has faired well against the Phillies this season, going 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA over his first three outings against Philadelphia. The lefty has also done well recently with a 2-1 record and 2.74 ERA in...

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Nats game blog: Gio Gonzalez looks for ninth career win vs. Phillies

September 27, 2015, 9:22am

Nationals

Nats game blog: Gio Gonzalez looks for ninth career win vs. Phillies

The Nationals finish up their regular season series with the Phillies Sunday as left-hander Gio Gonzalez faces off against right-hander Aaron Harang. Gonzalez is 11-8 with a 3.94 ERA this season and is 8-5 with a 2.99 ERA lifetime against the Phillies. He is also 47-29 with a 3.24 ERA in 101 starts at home. Harang is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in three starts this season against the Nationals. He has struggled this season to a 6-15 record with a 4.93 ERA. His last start against the Nationals was on...

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Bryce Harper to Mets: "I hope they win it all and good luck to them"

September 27, 2015, 5:18am

Nationals

Bryce Harper to Mets: "I hope they win it all and good luck to them"

Moments after Bryce Harper smacked a walk-off double scoring Anthony Rendon for a 2-1 win in the 12th inning, the young slugger found himself swarmed by his teammates with his jersey being ripped off. An icy Gatorade bath along with some chocolate syrup followed. By the time Harper made his way to the Nationals clubhouse, he stood in front of his locker while veteran Ian Desmond's two young boys played a few feet away. Despite the Mets clinching the National League East and eliminating the...

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Dreams of World Series title crushed with early elimination

September 26, 2015, 5:32pm

Nationals

Dreams of World Series title crushed with early elimination

Bryce Harper won't receive any rings this year nor will he be hoisting any trophies over the monuments. The Mets clinched the National League East with a convincing 10-2 win over the Reds, officially eliminating the Nationals from a postseason that almost everyone predicted they would be a major factor in. Not even a dominating 13-strikeout performance from Stephen Strasburg coupled with a walk-off RBI double from Harper in the 12th inning could help the vulnerable Nats today. The drama-filled...