nationals

David Huzzard: If Matt Williams is fired, who should replace him?

September 10, 2015, 4:51am

Matt Williams is going to be fired and it isn't because he won't use his closer in the ninth inning of a tied road game or that he uses cue cards from the sports guy clichÃ© machine in his postgame press conferences. No, it's because he has no feel for the game. There is a bit of luck involved in every decision a manager makes and when making moves in recent weeks, Matt Williams has had no luck, but he can't recognize when his pitcher is tiring or still going strong or when the opposing...

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Matt Williams responds to critical fan reaction

September 09, 2015, 2:01pm

Nationals

Matt Williams responds to critical fan reaction

Nationals manager Matt Williams walked into the press conference room at Nationals Park earlier today, the same room he was booed out of after finishing his postgame remarks following last night's unfathomable 8-7 loss to the Mets. Last night, fans inside the Presidents Club pressed up against the window watching Williams attempt to explain how his team managed to blow a six-run lead in a must-win game. As Williams left the stage, angry patrons voiced their displeasure with the...

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Desmond on sweep by Mets: "Pretty devastating"

September 09, 2015, 7:07pm

Nationals

Desmond on sweep by Mets: "Pretty devastating"

To gauge how much the 5-3 loss and sweep at the hands of the New York Mets affected the Nationals clubhouse, just go to the longest-tenured Nationals player, shortstop Ian Desmond. "Pretty devastating," Desmond said. "Put ourselves in a good position coming into this series. Obviously not where we'd like to be, but we gave ourselves a chance. Obviously, a lot more optimistic coming into this series than exiting it. "Is it over? No. Until the numbers tell you it's over it's not over. We...

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Zimmerman, Escobar and Taylor won't start in key series finale

September 09, 2015, 11:52am

Nationals

Zimmerman, Escobar and Taylor won't start in key series finale

The Nationals will attempt to avoid a costly sweep and keep their season afloat without first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, third baseman Yunel Escobar and center fielder Michael A. Taylor in tonight's starting lineup. Zimmerman tweaked his left oblique during a swing on Monday and also continues to be bothered by soreness in his left foot. Clint Robinson, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored last night, will again start for Zimmerman at first base. Taylor has been bothered by a sore right...

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Nats game blog: Nationals look to Strasburg to prevent sweep vs. Mets

September 09, 2015, 1:02pm

Nationals

The Nationals look for Stephen Strasburg to do two very important things in his start tonight against the Mets. They need the right-hander to keep the score down and go at least six innings to help a wounded bullpen. The 'pen allowed six runs on six walks and three hits in the seventh inning Tuesday. The Mets were able to erase a 7-1 lead. You know the rest of the story. The Mets counter with right-hander Jacob deGrom (12-7, 2.40 ERA). He has won four of his last five decisions and beat the...

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Trainwreck: Starring the Nats bullpen

September 08, 2015, 11:09pm

Nationals

In a season filled with many regrets and excuses, the Nationals can direct your attention to several reasons why they are nearing the end of the road. One problem that's so glaring it's blinding is the collapse of the bullpen. Try to digest this: The Nationals were in position to erase the Mets' 6 1/2-game lead in only nine games. The Nats led entering the sixth inning in all four losses over the last nine days. Twice they took multiple-run leads to the seventh and once to the eighth. After...

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Nats bullpen collapses as playoff hopes fade away in devastating 8-7 loss

September 08, 2015, 8:26pm

Nationals

Nats bullpen collapses as playoff hopes fade away in devastating 8-7 loss

On a night that began with Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo calling this a must-win game, the bullpen that Rizzo constructed collapsed, as the playoff hopes crumbled in a mind-boggling 8-7 loss to the Mets. New York has now taken a commanding six-game lead over Washington with just 24 games remaining. "We got ourselves backed up against a wall here, but I don't think anyone in this clubhouse doesn't think that we can overcome this," closer Jonathan Papelbon said. "If we come out here...

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Rachel Levitin: Reminiscing the Nats' early days at RFK Stadium

September 09, 2015, 5:38am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Reminiscing the Nats' early days at RFK Stadium

This isn't going to be popular opinion, but I find myself reminiscing of Nationals baseball in the early days at RFK Stadium as of late. RFK was by no means the "right" place to put a brand new baseball team within a city that, up to 2005, hadn't had baseball for so long that they got used to that fact and seemed relatively underwhelmed when it returned to the District of Columbia. What RFK had going for it was that it was grungy, run-down and gritty enough to adopt the Nats and give them a...

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Nats suffer crushing 8-7 loss as bullpen blows six-run lead

September 08, 2015, 3:53pm

Nationals

Nats suffer crushing 8-7 loss as bullpen blows six-run lead

Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann received some stellar defense in the first. Ian Desmond made a dazzling stop and throw to get Yoenis Cespedes on a broken-bat grounder up the middle for the second out. And then speedy Michael A. Taylor ran down a deep drive to left-center off the bat of Daniel Murphy to end the frame. Anthony Rendon ripped a one-out single off Mets starter Matt Harvey in the first. After Bryce Harper popped out in foul territory, Yunel Escobar ignited a two-out rally with a...

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Mike Rizzo defends Bryce Harper: "He's a guy who loves this city"

September 08, 2015, 3:04pm

Nationals

Mike Rizzo defends Bryce Harper: "He's a guy who loves this city"

I'm sure you've heard by now that Nationals slugger Bryce Harper wasn't too happy with many fans departing Nationals Park prematurely in yesterday's 8-5 loss to the Mets. "I mean, they left in the seventh," Harper said. "That's pretty brutal." The criticism reverberated throughout the country from fans and media. Before tonight's game, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo defended his young star. "Bryce is a passionate player who wears his heart on his sleeve," Rizzo explained....

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No more starts for Joe Ross, Nats transition rookie to bullpen

September 08, 2015, 2:42pm

Nationals

No more starts for Joe Ross, Nats transition rookie to bullpen

The theme of Tuesday night at Nationals Park seems revolve around innings limits. Drama has surrounded tonight's Mets starter Matt Harvey - who is pitching in his first full season since undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2013 - after his super-agent Scott Boras indicated that a shutdown was necessary and nearing for the fireballer. Meanwhile, speculation has swirled around the Nationals for the past month as to whether right-hander Joe Ross is approaching the end of his rookie run due...

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Matt Williams still "confident" in bullpen after blowing 7-1 lead to Mets

September 08, 2015, 7:45pm

Nationals

Matt Williams still "confident" in bullpen after blowing 7-1 lead to Mets

The Nationals dropped a stunner to the Mets 8-7 Tuesday after they led 7-1 heading to the top of the seventh. For the second straight game against the Mets, the Nationals allowed huge seventh innings: three runs Monday in an 8-5 loss and six runs Tuesday night that erased a big lead, tying the game at 7-7. Nationals manager Matt Williams attempted to pull out all the stops in the seventh, using three relievers. But Blake Treinen, Felipe Rivero and Drew Storen combined to allow six walks, three...

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Nats game blog: Nationals need Zimmermann to help down Mets without Zimmerman available

September 08, 2015, 2:24pm

Nationals

With the loss Monday, the Mets now lead the season series with the Nationals 8-6. The Nationals are 3-4 against the Mets in D.C. and N.Y. Even with the loss, the Nationals are still 13-7 in their last 20 games and can still move within three games of the division lead with two wins in this series. However, Ryan Zimmerman will not start because of left oblique soreness. Lucas Duda has returned to the Mets lineup. He scorched the Nationals with big hits in the Mets' series sweep of the Nationals...

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Ryan Zimmerman out, is day-to-day with left oblique soreness

September 08, 2015, 1:00pm

Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman out, is day-to-day with left oblique soreness

Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is not in the lineup for tonight's Game 2 of the three-game set against the Mets with left oblique soreness, according to manager Matt Williams. "He took a swing yesterday and hurt himself on the left side," Williams reported. "He's got some oblique soreness, trying to calm that down as much as we can today. Right now he's day-to-day. He's not in there tonight. We'll try to see if we can get him available late for pinch-hit opportunity tonight, but...

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Nationals release 2016 schedule, Marlins visit D.C. for home opener

September 08, 2015, 9:30am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals announced their 2016 schedule this afternoon. The season will begin with a two-game series in Atlanta on April 4-6, with an off-day April 5. Opening day in D.C. will follow with the Marlins visiting Nationals Park for a three-game set beginning April 7. The Nats will once again celebrate the Fourth of July in the nation's capital when the Brewers start a three-game series. The Nationals' other home holiday game will come against the Phillies on Labor Day (Sept....

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Ryan Zimmerman out for critical game with Mets (with lineups)

September 08, 2015, 12:00pm

Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman out for critical game with Mets (with lineups)

The Nationals will be without Ryan Zimmerman for tonight's crucial game against the Mets. Zimmerman was a late scratch for Sunday's game after experiencing continuing soreness in his left foot. He went 2-for-5 with a run scored in yesterday's 8-5 loss. The 11-year veteran missed 40 games with plantar fasciitis in the middle of the season, but since returning on July 28, Zimmerman leads the National League with 39 RBIs. He also tops the Nats with 11 homers, 13 doubles and a .652 slugging...

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Nats need focus to be on winning baseball games with 25 games left

September 08, 2015, 8:00am

Nationals

Nats need focus to be on winning baseball games with 25 games left

Fans know the bottom line is that the Nationals need to win baseball games. Everything outside of that is distraction. They have 25 games left. "I mean, it's games we got to win," outfielder Bryce Harper said. "I think it's games that we have to come in here and try to just win ballgames. That's the biggest thing but stay within ourselves, do what we can do as a team, as an organization, and just know it's just the game of baseball. "We've been doing it our whole life. We got a great...

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It won't get any easier for Bryce Harper, Nats against Matt Harvey

September 08, 2015, 4:56am

Nationals

It won't get any easier for Bryce Harper, Nats against Matt Harvey

After the Nats dropped a pivotal series opener to the Mets yesterday afternoon, it seemed like more of the attention was focused on Bryce Harper's brief comments on the Labor Day crowd checking out a bit prematurely at Nationals Park. "I mean, they left in the seventh," Harper said. "That's pretty brutal." For what it's worth, Harper has also praised the fans all season, later saying on Monday that playoff atmospheres have been pretty insane on South Capitol Street. But we also know that...

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Max Scherzer on outing against Mets: "I'm just making mistakes in the zone"

September 07, 2015, 1:34pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer on outing against Mets: "I'm just making mistakes in the zone"

Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer has allowed more home runs since the beginning of July than he did in the first three months of the season. Unfortunately, that trend continued against the Mets in a critical matchup on Monday as New York outlasted the Nationals 8-5. In six innings against the Mets, Scherzer allowed seven extra-base hits, three of those were solo homers. "I'm just making mistakes in the zone," Scherzer said. "I'm leaving the ball thigh high instead of getting the ball...

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Matt of Matt's Bats: With Nats running out of time, Williams should have pulled Scherzer early

September 08, 2015, 6:02am

Nationals

Matt of Matt's Bats: With Nats running out of time, Williams should have pulled Scherzer early

This has been an unexpected year for the Washington Nationals. They started the year well below expectations until the Braves game on April 28 when Dan Uggla hit a three-run go-ahead home run in extras. Max Scherzer chocolate sauced him, and the Nats flew. In late May, the Nationals were the favorites to win the division, with a 90 percent chance to make the postseason. After mediocre summer and horrible August, their chances have plummeted down to a measly 14 percent. However, that number...