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As A.J. Cole returns to Nats, adjustment in mechanics has made big difference

September 03, 2015, 1:41pm

Right-hander A.J. Cole is back with the Nationals and is hoping an adjustment he has made in his mechanics will pay big dividends. Cole made three appearances for the Nationals early in the year in late April and May. He tossed 9 1/3 innings and allowed 14 hits and six earned runs, finishing with a 5.79 ERA. "I did figure out what I was struggling with which was mostly (my) stride and then basically everything just kind of clicked after that with the motion to (the plate), timing," Cole...

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Tyler Moore back from DL, A.J. Cole recalled for bullpen support

September 03, 2015, 12:04pm

Nationals

Tyler Moore back from DL, A.J. Cole recalled for bullpen support

The Nationals reinstated Tyler Moore (sprained left ankle) after his stint on the 15-day disabled list and recalled right-hander A.J. Cole from Triple-A Syracuse. Moore batted .200 with four homers and 22 RBIs in 79 games (28 starts) for the Nationals this season. In six minor league rehab games, Moore went 5-for-22 (.227) with a home run, two doubles, two walks and three RBIs. Cole's major league debut came in the Nationals' historic 13-12 comeback win over the Braves on April 28....

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Bryce Harper day-to-day with glute tightness (Taylor injury update)

September 02, 2015, 9:35pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper day-to-day with glute tightness (Taylor injury update)

ST. LOUIS - Bryce Harper left tonight's game in the fourth inning with left glute tightness. Harper popped out to second to start the frame, jogging slowly down the first base line. "At this point in the season, there's always aches and pains, but this one felt a little different, a little worse," Harper said after the Nationals' 4-3 win. "On that last swing, it just didn't feel good. I didn't want to run it out. It just did not feel good at all. Hopefully, it feels better...

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Opposite dugout: Braves still have a part to play in NL East race

September 02, 2015, 5:48pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Braves still have a part to play in NL East race

Manager: Fredi Gonzalez (5th season) Record: 54-79 Last 10 games: 1-9 Who to watch: 1B Freddie Freeman (.280/.359/.478 with 15 HR and 50 RBIs), RF Nick Markakis (.298 with 48 RBIs), CF Cameron Maybin (.267 with 10 HR and 52 RBIs), RHP Shelby Miller (147 strikeouts, 2.59 ERA), RHP Jason Grilli (24 saves, 2.94 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 3-9 Pitching probables: Sept. 3: RHP Matt Wisler vs. RHP Jordan Zimmermann, 7:05 p.m., MASN Sept. 4: RHP Julio Teheran vs. RHP Tanner Roark, 7:05 p.m.,...

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Max Scherzer: "Now it's time for us to answer the bell"

September 03, 2015, 9:11am

Nationals

Max Scherzer: "Now it's time for us to answer the bell"

ST. LOUIS - Max Scherzer battled through six tough innings on Wednesday night to put the Nationals in position to avoid a sweep against the Cardinals. To tell how rough the past month has been, the 4-3 win was just the first for the Nationals with Scherzer on the mound since Aug. 4. The Cardinals offense was aggressive, whacking 11 hits against Scherzer, a season-high and the most since June 7, 2014 against the right-hander. But the ace responded, limiting St. Louis to two runs while striking...

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Healthy and locked in, Ryan Zimmerman is on a tear

September 02, 2015, 11:30pm

Nationals

Healthy and locked in, Ryan Zimmerman is on a tear

ST. LOUIS - The script seemed to be headed in the same direction as the previous two nights - Nationals blow a late lead only to lose in heartbreaking fashion. But after the Cardinals evened the score in the seventh, Ryan Zimmerman once again stepped up, delivering a double in the eighth to score Anthony Rendon for the eventual game-winning run as the Nationals took the finale 4-3. "Tonight was vintage Zim," manager Matt Williams said. The RBI was Zimmerman's third of the night after...

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David Huzzard: The cruelty of baseball

September 03, 2015, 5:11am

Nationals

The Nationals' 2015 season has been a lesson in the cruelty of baseball. Sure they built a roster full of injury-prone players and they had to expect they'd miss time. The ultimate outcome of how many players and how much time affected the Nationals in far more ways than just when those players were out. Clint Robinson, Danny Espinosa and Michael A. Taylor were all admirable fill-ins and helped the Nationals get to nine games over .500 and a lead in the division, but then Anthony Rendon, Ryan...

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Ryan Zimmerman lifts Nats to 4-3 win (Bryce Harper injured)

September 02, 2015, 5:30pm

Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman lifts Nats to 4-3 win (Bryce Harper injured)

ST. LOUIS - Max Scherzer's recent problem with the longball continued into tonight's start when Brandon Moss launched a 96 mph heater deep to right-center to begin the second inning. The 454-foot blast was the longest homer ever hit by a left-handed batter at Busch Stadium. The Nationals responded in the third when Jayson Werth drilled Tyler Lyons' fastball to straightaway center for a two-out solo homer. It was Werth's sixth tater of the season. Scherzer has yielded six hits already but...

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Stephen Strasburg unable to make Friday's start

September 02, 2015, 3:54pm

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg unable to make Friday's start

ST. LOUIS - Stephen Strasburg will not make his scheduled start on Friday against the Braves at Nationals Park. Manager Matt Williams announced before tonight's game that right-hander Tanner Roark will be recalled from Double-A Harrisburg to fill Strasburg's spot. Strasburg left Sunday's 7-4 win over the Marlins after just four innings with upper back tightness. Williams indicated that Strasburg reported today feeling good after throwing on flat ground yesterday. He threw again on the field...

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Nationals game blog: Max Scherzer looks for first win in over a month

September 02, 2015, 4:24pm

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - Max Scherzer takes the mound tonight in his hometown looking for his first win since July 30. The right-hander is 0-3 with a 6.43 ERA while surrendering seven homers in his last five starts. "It's a big game for us," manager Matt Williams said. "I think he's ready. He's ready to compete anytime he takes the mound. He's working hard in his bullpens and staying on top of the baseball a little bit more. The ability to throw that fastball down and away to the righties is...

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Michael A. Taylor scratched tonight, Danny Espinosa now starts in left

September 02, 2015, 12:47pm

Nationals

Michael A. Taylor scratched tonight, Danny Espinosa now starts in left

ST. LOUIS - Max Scherzer returns home to pitch at Busch Stadium for only the second time in his career. The St. Louis native looks to rebound from a brutal August, where the right-hander went 0-3 with a 6.43 ERA in five starts after dominating for most of the season's first four months. Scherzer allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts over seven innings in a 4-1 loss to the Cardinals at Nationals Park on April 23. He is 0-2 with a 3.71 ERA in three career starts against St....

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Joe Ross suffers shortest outing of his career in 8-5 loss

September 02, 2015, 1:04am

Nationals

Joe Ross suffers shortest outing of his career in 8-5 loss

ST. LOUIS - For the past few weeks, the question has lingered of how many innings rookie Joe Ross has left this season. On Tuesday night, that issue didn't even get pressed as Ross departed after 2 2/3 innings, battling major command concerns. "He had problems holding it and feeling it and throwing it over the plate," manager Matt Williams said. "No issues physically. Just couldn't command it." The game time temperature was 89 degrees at a humid Busch Stadium as Ross retired the side in...

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Nationals dealt devastating blow in walk-off loss

September 01, 2015, 10:02pm

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - The replay of the walk-off homer he surrendered had stopped playing several minutes before, but Casey Janssen still sat staring blankly at the monitor screen. When the veteran reliever finally made his way to his locker, he stood for the second consecutive night trying to explain how the Nationals let another late lead slip away. "These are two big losses and I had my hand in both of them," Janssen said. Janssen took over the in the ninth with the scored tied 5-5 and promptly...

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Nationals recall right-hander Rafael Martin and left-hander Matt Grace

September 02, 2015, 12:43pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Rafael Martin and left-handed pitcher Matt Grace from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday in their second round of September call-ups. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Martin, 31, rejoins the Nationals for the second Major League assignment of his career. The rookie right hander pitched in four April games for the Nationals, working five innings and allowing five earned runs. Martin, who...

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Skole, Voth, Marmolejos and others headline minor league update

September 02, 2015, 5:00am

Nationals

Skole, Voth, Marmolejos and others headline minor league update

We've seen more power from Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs first baseman Matt Skole. The 26-year-old Skole hit two homers, with four RBIs, in a Syracuse 7-1 dispatch of Buffalo. The Chiefs hit three homers off of Bison starter Todd Redmond. They blew it open in the seventh. Up 2-0, Skole launched a solo homer. Kevin Keyes then cranked one over the fence in left field to make it 4-0. Caleb Ramsey added a triple. Later, Steve Lerud dropped in a double and Syracuse was up 5-0. Syracuse pounded out 15...

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Casey Janssen gives up walk-off homer, Nats lose 8-5

September 01, 2015, 6:06pm

Nationals

Casey Janssen gives up walk-off homer, Nats lose 8-5

ST. LOUIS - Cardinals rookie left-hander Marco Gonzales' first start of the season didn't last too long. Joe Ross and Jayson Werth delivered consecutive singles to start the third. After bunting Gonzales' first pitch foul, Anthony Rendon roped a double to right-center, scoring Ross and Werth to put the Nationals on the scoreboard. Rendon advanced to third on the play and then scored on Bryce Harper's sacrifice fly to center. A red-hot Ryan Zimmerman followed with a deep blast to center. The...

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Stephen Strasburg throws, status remains unclear for next start

September 01, 2015, 4:11pm

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg throws, status remains unclear for next start

ST. LOUIS - Stephen Strasburg threw, albeit casually, for the first time since leaving Sunday's game with upper back tightness. "He played catch," manager Matt Williams said. "We'll see how he comes out of that. He didn't feel anything abnormal today, and so we'll do a little more of that tomorrow and look to get him to a bullpen (session)." Tanner Roark made his second minor league start last night since the Nats optioned him on Aug. 25. However, the right-hander's outing at Double-A...

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Nats reinstate Dan Uggla, call up Pedro Severino and recall Sammy Solis

September 01, 2015, 1:40pm

Nationals

Nats reinstate Dan Uggla, call up Pedro Severino and recall Sammy Solis

ST. LOUIS - The Nationals have reinstated second baseman Dan Uggla, selected the contract of catcher Pedro Severino from Double-A Harrisburg and recalled left-hander Sammy Solis from Triple-A Syracuse. To make room for Severino on the 40-man roster, right-hander David Carpenter was put on the 60-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. Uggla returns to the Nats after missing 22 games with back spasms. He played in seven rehab assignment games with Harrisburg, hitting .217 (5-for-23)...

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Nats game blog: Nationals look to ride Ryan Zimmerman's hot bat

September 01, 2015, 4:29pm

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - Ryan Zimmerman nearly willed the Nationals to victory last night. The 11-year veteran blasted a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning before the Nats bullpen collapsed in the 8-5 loss. Zimmerman has driven in runs in seven of his last eight games, batting .333 (10-for-30) with four homers, two doubles and 15 RBIs over the stretch. Since returning from the disabled list on July 28, Zimmerman is leading the Nats with eight homers, 10 doubles, 29 RBIs and a .587 slugging...

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Nats looking to get the most out of rookie Joe Ross (with lineups)

September 01, 2015, 12:35pm

Nationals

Nats looking to get the most out of rookie Joe Ross (with lineups)

ST. LOUIS - As right-hander Joe Ross prepares to make his 12th start of his rookie season in tonight's game against the Cardinals, the question remains how much longer the Nationals intend to use the 22-year-old. "It's an interesting scenario because, one, he hasn't been hurt," manager Matt Williams explained. "It's not like he's had an injury and we're cautious in that regard." Combined with his 76 innings thrown in the minors this season, Ross has totaled 142 2/3 innings in 2015....