nationals

Anthony Rendon could provide "jolt" for scuffling Nats' offense

June 04, 2015, 4:44am

After steamrolling through the West Coast a few weeks ago, the Nationals' offense seemed to be developing into a juggernaut. The Nationals won five of seven on that swing, hitting .312 as a team and scoring an eye-popping 53 runs. But the offense has been more of eyesore since. The untimely hitting from the early season has returned as have some slumps for key producers in the middle of the lineup. The Nats are batting just .223 with 39 runs scored while splitting the last 14 games since...

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Opposite dugout: Bryant getting all the publicity, but hardly Cubs' only weapon

June 02, 2015, 3:33pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Bryant getting all the publicity, but hardly Cubs' only weapon

Manager: Joe Maddon (1st season) Record: 27-24 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 1B Anthony Rizzo (.317/.443/.574 with 9 HR, 31 RBIs), 3B Kris Bryant (.270/.382/.459 with 7 HR. 33 RBIs), SS Starlin Castro (.267 with 23 RBIs), RHP Jason Hammel (4-2, 2.82 ERA, 0.90 WHIP), RHP Jake Arrieta (4-4, 3.18 ERA), RHP Hector Rondon (3.22 ERA, 9 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 1-2 Pitching probables: June 4: RHP Jake Arrieta vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m. MASN June 5: LHP Tsuyoshi Wada vs. RHP Tanner...

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Rendon plays in both ends of Harrisburg doubleheader

June 04, 2015, 3:18am

Nationals

Rendon plays in both ends of Harrisburg doubleheader

Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon (oblique strain) made another step toward returning to the team by playing in both ends of a doubleheader Wednesday night for Double-A Harrisburg. Rendon has not played this season for the Nationals. He has now had five rehab games since May 29. In Game 1, Rendon went 1-for-4 with a double in the seventh inning and struck out once. He was a part of a 4-6-3 double play. In Game 2, he was the designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a single. The Senators...

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Nats dominated by Jays 8-0 in series finale

June 03, 2015, 6:54pm

Nationals

Nats dominated by Jays 8-0 in series finale

The Nationals won nine consecutive series behind an explosive offense and stingy pitching. Tonight, they had neither while falling to the Blue Jays 8-0 and dropping their second straight series. With Stephen Strasburg and Doug Fister on the disabled list, Nationals manager Matt Williams turned to right-hander Taylor Jordan to make a spot start tonight. It couldn't have started any worse for Jordan, who walked Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes, one of the game's most dangerous leadoff men, on...

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David Huzzard: Baseball's maddeningly consistent inconsistency

June 03, 2015, 7:00pm

Nationals

David Huzzard: Baseball's maddeningly consistent inconsistency

A friend of mine asked me the other day why it feels like we are having the same discussions every year on social media, and I answered that it's because it's different people. The conversation he's referring to is the one about why can't baseball teams just be consistent. The main answer is that the baseball season is not a victory march. Sure, a bunch of experts picked the Nationals to win the World Series before the season started, but that never meant it was going to be easy or that all...

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Taylor Jordan roughed up in Nats' 8-0 loss

June 03, 2015, 3:26pm

Nationals

Taylor Jordan roughed up in Nats' 8-0 loss

Not the beginning right-hander Taylor Jordan was looking for in his first big league start of the season. Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes drew a four-pitch leadoff walk. Third baseman Josh Donaldson, the reigning American League Player of the Week, followed with a line drive pounded over Denard Span's head for a double. Reyes crossed the plate when right fielder Jose Bautista singled. Another base hit from left fielder Chris Colabello brought Donaldson home to increase his major league-leading...

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Max Scherzer named National League Pitcher of the Month

June 03, 2015, 1:02pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer named National League Pitcher of the Month

Behind a 5-1 record and a 1.67 ERA in May, Nationals starter Max Scherzer was named the National League Pitcher of the Month. Scherzer lost his first start of the month before winning his final five in a row. He allowed just eight earned runs while striking out 56 and walking only eight in 43 innings. In four of Scherzer's six outings, the right-hander struck out 10 or more batters, including a season-high 13 on May 27. Scherzer is 6-4 on the season with a 1.85 ERA, third best in the majors....

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Bryce Harper named National League Player of the Month

June 03, 2015, 12:45pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper named National League Player of the Month

After busting out with an offensive assault throughout May, Bryce Harper was rewarded as the National League Player of the Month. The announcement was more a formality after Harper was earlier named Player of the Week in the NL in back-to-back weeks. Over 26 games in May, Harper's binge included 13 homers, four doubles, a triple, 28 RBIs and 24 runs scored. He batted .360 with a .884 slugging percentage, the eighth-best mark in baseball history for the month. Harper didn't crush his first...

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Jordan gets the start tonight, plus notes on Treinen and Taylor

June 03, 2015, 4:48am

Nationals

Jordan gets the start tonight, plus notes on Treinen and Taylor

Right-hander Taylor Jordan makes his first start for the Nationals this evening as they attempt to claim the finale of the three-game interleague set with the Blue Jays. Jordan is filling Stephen Strasburg's spot in the rotation after the right-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left trapezius muscle. Jordan's only appearance this season came in relief of Strasburg last Friday. He was called on in emergency duty shortly after the second inning began when Strasburg...

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Pillar on homers off of Scherzer, Lobaton on the double steal

June 03, 2015, 2:29am

Nationals

Pillar on homers off of Scherzer, Lobaton on the double steal

Nationals ace Max Scherzer gave up two homers in a game for the first time this season in Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Blue Jays, a 7-3 loss. Scherzer last allowed more than one homer in a game on Aug. 30 of last season at the White Sox. Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar hit both of the round trippers, a solo shot in the second that made it 1-0 Toronto and a game-changing three-run homer in the sixth that gave them a 4-3 lead. Pillar said it was the first time in his career...

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Rachel Levitin: Renion recalls Riggleman's abrupt resignation

June 03, 2015, 5:40am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Renion recalls Riggleman's abrupt resignation

The Nationals ran into a familiar face last week while in Cincinnati. Former Nats Manager Jim Riggleman, who served as manager from 2009 to 2011, caught up with general manager Mike Rizzo and reflected on his time with the ballclub. Riggleman is now the Reds' third base coach, after serving as a minor league manager in their system for a couple of seasons. According to reports, Riggleman doesn't harbor any ill will against the club and is happy to be working in baseball, regardless of the...

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Scherzer left frustrated after lead escapes in 7-3 loss

June 02, 2015, 7:46pm

Nationals

Scherzer left frustrated after lead escapes in 7-3 loss

After rolling off five straight victories, Nationals ace Max Scherzer was bound to hit a bump in the road. It just didn't figure to come from Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar, who tagged Scherzer for two costly homers in the Nats' 7-3 loss in Game 2 of Tuesday's split doubleheader. Through 52 games this year, Pillar hit two homers. By the sixth inning tonight, the 26-year-old had matched his season total of longballs. The hardest part for Scherzer was both of Pillar's blasts came with...

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Span cautiously optimistic he will play in series finale

June 02, 2015, 7:20pm

Nationals

Span cautiously optimistic he will play in series finale

The Nationals decided right before Game 2 of their doubleheader with the Blue Jays on Tuesday that center fielder Denard Span would not play to give his sore right knee another full day to rest. An MRI revealed no significant damage, but there was still swelling and soreness. Manager Matt Williams made the call to keep his starting center fielder out of the lineup. "Just sore. Not gonna push him in that regard," Williams said following a 7-3 loss to Toronto in the nightcap. "So we'll see...

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Bryce Harper leading National League in early All-Star Game voting, plus Lucas Giolito notes

June 02, 2015, 12:26pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper leading National League in early All-Star Game voting, plus Lucas Giolito notes

Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper continues as the leading vote-getter in the National League for the 86th All-Star Game, which will be played July 14 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Harper has already garnered 2.3 million votes, which is fifth-best total in the major leagues. Kansas City's Salvador Perez leads the way with 2.68 million votes, followed by Lorenzo Cain at 2.5 million. Online voting is 100 percent ahead of the trend set at this time last year. Harper gave the...

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Homers hurt Scherzer as Nats fall 7-3

June 02, 2015, 3:56pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer labored through a 26-pitch first inning, which included a walk and a poor throwing error from Yunel Escobar. Scherzer seemed to get back on track as he retired the first two batters of the second inning on just three pitches. But with two outs, Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar pulled a solo homer to left. It was Pillar's third home run of the season and the fourth allowed by Scherzer. A runner has been on base for the Nats in each of the first two innings, but nothing has...

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Nats Notes: Wednesday starter, Span, Rendon, Giolito and bullpen

June 02, 2015, 7:39am

Nationals

Nats Notes: Wednesday starter, Span, Rendon, Giolito and bullpen

Nationals manager Matt Williams has an option to bring up a 26th player for Game 2 today against the Blue Jays. Williams said they have not announced the possible, and if they do add to the roster, they will make the move after Game 1. He also confirmed there was no thought to adding a starting pitcher for today's Game 2. They don't want to alter Jordan Zimmermann and Max Scherzer's start schedule today. "No, both the starters are on regular rest," Williams said. "We want to keep them in...

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Dominant performance from Jordan Zimmermann in 2-0 Nationals win

June 02, 2015, 1:03pm

Nationals

The explosive Blue Jays offense entered the first game of today's split doubleheader leading the majors with 268 runs scored. Against Nationals starter Jordan Zimmerman, they scored none. Zimmerman blanked Toronto for eight innings as the Nats shut out the Blue Jays 2-0. "Really good," Nationals manager Matt Williams said of Zimmermann's performance. "He was in command from the first pitch, you know, throwing it where he wanted to. Early on, he was keeping his pitch count down which...

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Span, Zimmerman sit; Nats recall den Dekker (with lineups)

June 02, 2015, 1:43pm

Nationals

Span, Zimmerman sit; Nats recall den Dekker (with lineups)

Major League Baseball rules allow teams to add a 26th man to their rosters for the second game of doubleheaders scheduled less than 48 hours in advance. The Nationals chose to recall outfielder Matt den Dekker from Triple-A Syracuse this afternoon to fill that spot for Game 2 tonight. den Dekker was on the Nationals' opening day roster, going 0-for-2 while appearing in four games at the start of the season. Once Jayson Werth returned from the disabled list after shoulder surgery, den Dekker...

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Stephen Strasburg diagnosed with left trapezius strain

June 02, 2015, 8:39am

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg diagnosed with left trapezius strain

Tests confirmed that Stephen Strasburg is suffering from a strained left trapezius muscle, according to Nationals manager Matt Williams. "It's tight, and they're working on it," Williams said. "Of course, it affects his neck and his upper back. So just getting that calmed down as we go along here and then get him back to throwing at some point." The neck tightness forced Strasburg out of his last start one batter into the second inning, after throwing just 16 pitches. Strasburg told...

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Zimmermann looks to end Nats' three-game losing streak (with lineups)

June 02, 2015, 7:43am

Nationals

Zimmermann looks to end Nats' three-game losing streak (with lineups)

After last night's postponement, the Nationals and Blue Jays are set to play a split-doubleheader under gloomy and threatening skies today. Jordan Zimmermann starts Game 1 with Max Scherzer getting the ball in the nightcap. Zimmermann has pitched at least six innings and allowed three or fewer earned runs in all but one of ten starts this season. He enters today's outing with a 4-2 record and a 3.26 ERA. Nationals manager Matt Williams has kept his same lineup that was scheduled to play last...