nationals

Opposite dugout: After latest distractions, Mets need to focus on catching rival Nationals

July 30, 2015, 2:41pm

Manager: Terry Collins (5th season) Record: 52-50 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 2B Daniel Murphy (.271/.324/.393 with 36 RBIs), RF Curtis Granderson (.255/.350/.440 with 16 HR, 36 RBIs), SS Wilmer Flores (.249 with 10 HR, 40 RBIs), 1B Lucas Duda (18 HR, 45 RBIs), RHP Jacob deGrom (10-6, 2.05 ERA), RHP Jeurys Familia (27 saves, 2.22 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 4-6 Pitching probables: July 31: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Matt Harvey, 7:10 p.m., MASN Aug. 1: RHP Joe Ross vs. RHP Jacob...

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Papelbon saves Scherzer's gem as Nats take series with 1-0 win

July 30, 2015, 8:54am

Nationals

Papelbon saves Scherzer's gem as Nats take series with 1-0 win

MIAMI - The Nationals are quickly experiencing the benefits of their injured stars returning to the lineup the past week. In the second, it was Ryan Zimmerman leading off with a deep blast to the power alley in left-center field. The solo shot was Zimmerman's sixth of the season and first since coming off the disabled list on Tuesday after missing 40 games. Bryce Harper stayed hot, ripping a double down the right field line in his first at-bat. Nationals starter Max Scherzer has yielded one...

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10 in 10: Youth Baseball Academy completes new Science of Baseball curriculum

July 28, 2015, 9:01am

Nationals

10 in 10: Youth Baseball Academy completes new Science of Baseball curriculum

From the time they arrived from Montreal before the 2005 season, the Nationals have been a mainstay in the Washington, D.C., sports scene. But the Nats are also very active in the community, working diligently over the past decade to touch the lives of many in the region and proving that baseball has a further reach than wins and losses, balls and strikes, batters and pitchers. Each Thursday through mid-August, MASNsports.com's Byron Kerr will explore the Nationals' community outreach...

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Max Scherzer aims for series win in finale (with lineups)

July 30, 2015, 6:06am

Nationals

Max Scherzer aims for series win in finale (with lineups)

MIAMI - The Nationals send ace Max Scherzer to the mound looking for a series win in the finale against the Marlins. Scherzer is coming off one of his rougher starts of the year, giving up five runs on seven hits over five innings in a 7-5 loss to the Pirates last Friday. This will be Scherzer's first career start at Marlins Park. He fanned 10 over seven innings in a 7-5 win over Miami on May 6 in D.C. Jayson Werth gets a day off with the quick turnaround so Clint Robinson will start in left...

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Nationals game blog: Bryce Harper feasting on Marlins pitching this year

July 30, 2015, 7:34am

Nationals

MIAMI - The Marlins send veteran right-hander Dan Haren to the mound this afternoon. The former National beat his old team back on April 26 at Marlins Park, allowing two runs on three hits over five innings. Bryce Harper tagged Haren for one of those runs on a solo homer. Harper has feasted on Marlins pitching this season, batting .385 (10-for-26) with six home runs and 12 RBIs in eight games. Michael A. Taylor has homered in three of his last four games after blasting an opposite field solo...

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Strasburg finishes four innings, gives up three runs in first rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse

July 29, 2015, 8:04pm

Nationals

Strasburg finishes four innings, gives up three runs in first rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg tossed four innings in his rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse in an 8-5 loss to the Buffalo Bisons. Strasburg took the loss and allowed four hits, three earned runs and one walk, striking out five batters. He threw 64 pitches, 44 for strikes. With the bases loaded and two outs in the second inning, Strasburg was called for a balk that scored a run. Jonathan Diaz's two-run single made it 3-0 Buffalo. In addition to the balk, Strasburg also threw a wild pitch. Matt...

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David Huzzard: Examining the final two months

July 30, 2015, 6:40am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Examining the final two months

Now that the Washington Nationals are almost fully healthy and have added Jonathan Paplebon, it is as good a time as any to discuss what to expect for the last couple of months of the season. The Nats may not be done adding players before the non-waiver trade deadline tomorrow or via the waiver trade market in August, but those moves are expected to be much smaller and no trade will make the Nats better than having Anthony Rendon back in the lineup. Whether it was from magic, voodoo or a...

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Bryce Harper on Doug Fister: "That looked like old Dougie"

July 29, 2015, 8:19pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper on Doug Fister: "That looked like old Dougie"

MIAMI - Doug Fister was arguably the Nationals' best starting pitcher last season, leading the rotation with 16 wins and a 2.41 ERA. However, the tall right-hander has not been the same force this year. He entered Wednesday's start against the Marlins winless in over a month and with a 4.50 ERA, the highest in his seven-year career in the majors. The Marlins weren't able to manage much against Fister, who surrendered just two runs on four hits with one walk, two hit batters and four...

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Bryce Harper's impressive power display lifts Nats to 7-2 win

July 29, 2015, 7:25pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper's impressive power display lifts Nats to 7-2 win

MIAMI - With July winding down, Bryce Harper was experiencing a bit of a power outage. The 22-year-old had just three homers in the month and none in the past 10 days. But tonight, the slugger broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth with a colossal three-run homer and then followed with a breathtaking solo shot in the eighth to propel the Nationals to a 7-2 victory over the Marlins. Harper mashed three homers off Marlins starter Tom Koehler back on May 6 at Nationals Park. Tonight, Koehler won the first...

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Bryce Harper launches two homers, Nats win 7-2

July 29, 2015, 4:05pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper launches two homers, Nats win 7-2

MIAMI - The Nationals had a decent scoring chance in the first after Anthony Rendon led off with a walk and then Jayson Werth reached on an error. But Marlins starter Tom Koehler whiffed Bryce Harper and Dee Gordon robbed Ryan Zimmerman with a driving grab to end the inning. Nationals right-hander Doug Fister retired the first five hitters of the game before hitting Derek Dietrich. Fister paid for the mistake when Dietrich scored all the way from first on Ichiro Suzuki's two-out RBI double...

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Jonathan Papelbon to Drew Storen: "I just want to come here and win"

July 29, 2015, 2:36pm

Nationals

Jonathan Papelbon to Drew Storen: "I just want to come here and win"

MIAMI - Before putting on his new Nationals uniform, Jonathan Papelbon's first order of business was to clear the air with Drew Storen. "I've spoken to Drew," said Papelbon, speaking at Marlins Park. "I told Drew 'I don't want to come here unless you talk to (Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo) and everyone's OK with it. I don't want to come here and upset anyone. I just want to come here and win.' I think that Drew realized that." Papelbon assumes the closer role with just over...

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Best of the Decade: Baseball finally returns to D.C.

July 29, 2015, 4:14am

Nationals

Best of the Decade: Baseball finally returns to D.C.

As the Nationals celebrate 10 seasons in Washington, D.C., we reflect on some of the best moments since the franchise moved to the nation's capital. Each Wednesday through mid-August, check out Nationals Pastime for a remembrance of one of the watershed moments in Nationals history. After a long 33-year wait, baseball finally returned to Washington on April 14, 2005. Since the Senators rolled out of D.C. following the 1971 season, the nation's capital watched as Major League Baseball awarded...

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Now healthy, it's time for Nationals lineup to produce

July 29, 2015, 10:09am

Nationals

MIAMI - The Nationals reached the 98th game before Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon found themselves together in the lineup for the first time this season. The trio combined to go 4-for-10 in last night's 4-1 loss to the Marlins with Zimmerman's second-inning double setting up the Nats only run. "Couldn't get it done (last night)," Nationals manager Matt Williams said after last night's game. "Overall, I think some guys put together some good at-bats, we just didn't come...

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Doug Fister dons new number, takes mound vs. Marlins

July 29, 2015, 11:57am

Nationals

Doug Fister dons new number, takes mound vs. Marlins

MIAMI - Doug Fister looks to reverse the theme of his season against the Marlins tonight. Since returning from the DL on June 18, Fister is 1-4 in six starts with a 4.72 ERA. The tall right-hander has surrendered four or more runs in four of those six outings, while opponents own a .324 batting average against him during the slide. Fister will look to get right against Miami, who he owns a 2-0 record with a 1.09 ERA in four career starts against. After experiencing his best stretch of the...

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Zimmermann on loss to Marlins and trade for Papelbon

July 29, 2015, 5:53am

Nationals

Zimmermann on loss to Marlins and trade for Papelbon

The Nationals fell 4-1 to the Marlins to open their series in Miami. Once again, Jordan Zimmermann pitched well, but had just one inning in which the opponent got a couple of runs on the board and it cost him. Of course, it doesn't help that he also once again didn't get much run support. On July 22 versus the Mets, Zimmermann had one inning where the opponent scored multiple runs. It happened in the fourth. The Mets put together four hits, three singles and a two-run double from Kirk...

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Nationals game blog: Bryce Harper looks for power surge against Fish

July 29, 2015, 3:04pm

Nationals

MIAMI - The Nationals look for their first win in Miami this season after dropping all four games to the Marlins thus far. Right-hander Tom Koehler brings an 8-6 record with a 3.16 ERA into tonight's start for the Fish. Bryce Harper's first career three-homer game came against Koehler back on May 6 at Nationals Park in a 7-5 win. Harper hasn't left the yard in his last 10 games with only three homers this month. Harper has reached base safely in a career-best 24 straight games dating to June...

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Giolito starts off well, but falls in Double-A debut for Harrisburg

July 28, 2015, 6:19pm

Nationals

Giolito starts off well, but falls in Double-A debut for Harrisburg

Right-hander Lucas Giolito began the night well in his Double-A debut, but ended up with a 5-0 loss as New Hampshire dropped Harrisburg in Manchester, N.H. The Nationals top prospect Giolito retired the first six batters he faced. But in the third, the Fisher Cats connected on four straight hits. New Hampshire led 2-0 after three. Giolito allowed a two-run single in the sixth to K.C. Hobson. That was the end of his outing, replaced by recently sent down right-hander Abel De Los Santos. He ended...

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Drew Storen reacts after losing closer role to Jonathan Papelbon

July 28, 2015, 7:12pm

Nationals

Drew Storen reacts after losing closer role to Jonathan Papelbon

MIAMI - Following tonight's 4-1 loss to the Marlins, Drew Storen reacted for the first time to the news that he lost his closer role when the Nationals acquired veteran right-hander Jonathan Papelbon from the Phillies earlier in the day. "Really, all I'm gonna say is that obviously I'm aware of the move," Storen said. "I've talked to (Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo) about it. I've talked to my agent. We've had some ongoing discussions. Until those have progressed, I'm just gonna...

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Rachel Levitin: How will Jonathan Papelbon mix in with Nationals bullpen?

July 29, 2015, 5:56am

Nationals

It looks like there's a new closing pitcher on Washington's roster. All-Star pitcher Jonathan Papelbon was traded from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday in exchange for minor league pitcher Nick Pivetta, and now it'll be interesting to see how the team's newest player integrates into the clubhouse. Outside of the business of baseball, many fans have expressed displeasure with the selection. That aside, I think the effect Papelbon has on the clubhouse and on...

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Mike Rizzo: "Papelbon is our ninth-inning pitcher"

July 28, 2015, 5:43pm

Nationals

Mike Rizzo: "Papelbon is our ninth-inning pitcher"

MIAMI - Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo formally announced the acquisition of veteran closer Jonathan Papelbon during tonight's game with the Marlins. The Nationals sent right-handed prospect Nick Pivetta to the Phillies in exchange for Papelbon and cash considerations. Rizzo spoke to the media at Marlins Park during the game: What do you like about Papelbon? "Well, he's a proven elite closer in the game of baseball. A guy that comes with a track record, and he's done it in some of the...