nationals

Desmond, Moore homer as Nats top Red Sox 10-5

April 15, 2015, 9:56am

BOSTON - It's been a fast start for the Nationals at Fenway Park this afternoon. Third baseman Yunel Escobar drew a leadoff walk against Red Sox starter Wade Miley. A groundout from stortstop Ian Desmond and a lineout from designated hitter Jayson Werth advanced Escobar to third. Escobar was able to score easily when right fielder Bryce Harper hit a rocket off the center field wall for a two-out RBI double. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman followed by slicing a ball deep down the right field line...

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Craig Stammen heads to DL with right forearm stiffness, Taylor Jordan recalled

April 15, 2015, 7:05am

Nationals

Craig Stammen heads to DL with right forearm stiffness, Taylor Jordan recalled

BOSTON - The bad news is relentless for the Nationals these days. The team announced this morning that right forearm stiffness is sending right-hander Craig Stammen to the 15-day disabled list. Stammen has yet to allow a run in five appearances out of the bullpen this season. The 31-year-old has surrendered two hits and three walks to go with three strikeouts in four innings. The Nationals chose to recall right-hander Taylor Jordan from Triple-A Syracuse to replace Stammen instead of a...

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Williams reacts to good news on Span and bad news on Stammen

April 15, 2015, 9:15am

Nationals

Williams reacts to good news on Span and bad news on Stammen

BOSTON - Nationals manager Matt Williams said right-hander Craig Stammen will undergo a MRI on his right forearm after experiencing stiffness that landed him on the 15-day disabled list. "I won't know anything until we talk to the doctor and take some pictures of it," said Williams. "He never lets us know that anything is wrong with him because he is always feeling good. When he says, 'Hey, I'm sore,' we have to be concerned about that. So that's why we are putting him on the DL." The...

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MASN airing special on baseball's return to D.C. tonight (updated with rebroadcast dates)

April 14, 2015, 9:04am

Nationals

MASN airing special on baseball's return to D.C. tonight (updated with rebroadcast dates)

If a full evening of programming centering on Nationals baseball sounds like paradise, you're in luck. Not only will fans have the opportunity to watch full coverage of tonight's game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park beginning at 5:30 p.m., but once "Nats Xtra" postgame wraps up, MASN will air "National Pastime: Baseball's Return to Washington," an hour-long special in celebration of the club's 10th anniversary. Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the Nats' first opening day, in...

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Williams continues to experiment with lineup (it's Jackie Robinson Day)

April 15, 2015, 6:45am

Nationals

Williams continues to experiment with lineup (it's Jackie Robinson Day)

BOSTON - For the second straight day, Nationals manager Matt Williams has shuffled his lineup card to try and avoid a sweep at the hands of the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Shortstop Ian Desmond moves up to the two-hole after a 3-for-4 night that included a double and two RBIs. Jayson Werth will be the designated hitter and bat third today after hitting cleanup and second in his previous two games. Werth is 0-for-7 with three strikeouts since returning to the ballclub on Monday. Left-hander Gio...

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Ryan Zimmerman isn't worried about Nats' slow start

April 14, 2015, 8:47pm

Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman isn't worried about Nats' slow start

BOSTON - After watching his team blow a three-run lead, Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman came a few feet away from tying it back up when he yanked a fastball off Red Sox closer Koji Uehara that sailed past the wrong side of Fenway Park's famous left field foul pole. "I thought it was going to be way, way foul when I first hit it, but it kind of stayed true," said Zimmerman. "It made it closer, but I knew. Just standing there from home plate, I was pretty confident it was...

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Denard Span looked close to returning after seven innings for Harrisburg

April 14, 2015, 5:49pm

Nationals

Denard Span looked close to returning after seven innings for Harrisburg

Nationals center fielder Denard Span, who is on the disabled list recovering from right core muscle surgery, went 1-for-4 and played seven innings in a rehab assignment for Double-A Harrisburg. The Senators went on to win 8-4 over Bowie at Metro Bank Park. Span was the leadoff hitter and played center field. He cranked a single in his fourth at-bat. Span also apparently did well defensively. Denard Span just ran a long way to nab a dying flyball in RCF...I'd say he's moving just fine...

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Recipe for disaster

April 14, 2015, 7:38pm

Nationals

BOSTON - For the second straight night, Nationals manager Matt Williams watched as multiple defensive miscues forced a loss to the Red Sox. The Nats committed three errors and hit two batters in the seventh inning alone, which gave Boston three runs and the lead without even connecting on a single base hit. The Nats went on to lose 8-7. "Same recipe," Williams said. "If you put all the ingredients together the same way every time, then you're gonna get the same meal. That's what we've...

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Nationals recall Jordan, place Stammen on DL

April 15, 2015, 6:24am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Taylor Jordan from Triple-A Syracuse and placed right-handed pitcher Craig Stammen on the 15-day disabled list with right forearm stiffness on Wednesday. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Jordan, 26, joins the Nationals for the first time this season. The right-hander made one start for Triple-A Syracuse (April 10 at Scranton-Wilkes/Barre), tossing six scoreless innings while allowing...

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Rachel Levitin: Nationals still searching for rhythm and momentum

April 15, 2015, 5:58am

Nationals

If spring training is the warm-up for the start of the season, I think it's safe to say April is the warm-up for the rest of baseball's marathon run from spring to fall. The Nationals are 2-6 to start their 2015 run and there have already been mumblings from various sources around Twitter and otherwise that have people begging the question: Is it time to start worrying? Let's just put this out there now and put that to rest: No, it's not time to start worrying. To be honest, I feel like...

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Fenway follies continue for Nats (Red Sox win 8-7)

April 14, 2015, 3:14pm

Nationals

Fenway follies continue for Nats (Red Sox win 8-7)

BOSTON - The Nationals jumped out in front in the second when center fielder Michael A. Taylor delivered a two-out single, scoring second baseman Danny Espinosa. It was Taylor's team-leading fourth RBI. The Red Sox came right back in their half of the inning. A pair of singles from first baseman Mike Napoli and shortstop Brock Holt eventually paid off when center fielder Mookie Betts hit a two-out double, scoring both. Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg has already given up five hits through...

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No panic for Werth after loss in return

April 13, 2015, 5:33pm

Nationals

BOSTON - Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth was 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his first game of the season after missing most of spring training while recovering from right shoulder surgery. "I was trying to think of historically on opening day how I fare," Werth said. "I might have to look it up, but this is kind of standard opening day for me. Usually my timing's a little bit off and what have you. But I feel good physically." Werth hadn't played more than seven innings in any of his...

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Williams looks for spark from Escobar in leadoff spot (with roster move and lineups)

April 14, 2015, 10:37am

Nationals

Williams looks for spark from Escobar in leadoff spot (with roster move and lineups)

BOSTON - Nationals manager Matt Williams has shaken up the lineup for the first time this year. Third baseman Yunel Escobar brings his team-leading eight hits and .367 OBP to the leadoff spot. Center fielder Michael A. Taylor, the team's leadoff hitter for the first seven games, has six strikeouts the last two days and 11 in just 29 at-bats this season. Williams dropped Taylor to the bottom of the order. Left fielder Jayson Werth moves into the two spot after going 0-for-3 with a strikeout...

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Williams explains lineup changes, talks plan for Span

April 14, 2015, 2:00pm

Nationals

Williams explains lineup changes, talks plan for Span

BOSTON - With the Nationals sitting dead last in the majors in team batting average at .185, manager Matt Williams has decided to make some changes in his lineup. Third baseman Yunel Escobar has been one of the offensive bright spots, going 8-for-27 (.296) through the first seven games. Williams has decided to move Escboar into the leadoff spot, followed by left fielder Jayson Werth, while center fielder Michael A. Taylor falls to the last spot in the order after striking out six times over the...

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Matt of Matt's Bats: Despite issues in field and at plate, Nats should come around

April 14, 2015, 5:01am

Nationals

Matt of Matt's Bats: Despite issues in field and at plate, Nats should come around

The Nationals have played seven games so far and have an unimpressive record of 2-5. When everyone is excited for baseball season to begin and expectations are so high that this team could win the division and even go to the World Series, it's disappointing that there have been so many sloppy plays and bad losses. However, there are also bright spots that people may not be noticing. Let's start by looking at what's going wrong, because that's what people are talking about. If Ian Desmond...

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Nationals select contract of right-hander Rafael Martin

April 14, 2015, 11:33am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of right-hander Rafael Martin on Tuesday and designated left-hander Xavier Cedeno for assignment. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Martin, 30, joins the Nationals for his first Major League assignment. Plucked from the Mexican Winter League after catching the eye of Nationals Director of International Scouting Bill Singer, Martin signed with Washington as a Minor League free agent on Feb. 25,...

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Defensively challenged Nats can't execute under pressure

April 13, 2015, 4:32pm

Nationals

Defensively challenged Nats can't execute under pressure

BOSTON - In the last 103 years, plenty of Hall of Fame managers have sat in the same office in the bowels of historic Fenway Park having just watched the Red Sox defeat their team. Few couldn't have been as frustrated as Nationals manager Matt Williams was after seeing his ballclub fall 9-4 in the fashion they did in Boston's home opener. "About as bad as you can get," said Williams. "It's tough to win ballgames when you can't catch the baseball. It's gotta get better than that." Only...

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Matt of Matt's Bats: The Nationals through the eyes of a 10-year-old

April 08, 2015, 4:31pm

Nationals

Hello, Nationals fans! Aren't you happy baseball is back? My name is Matt, a 10-year-old kid from the D.C. suburbs. I am a huge Nats fan, so I am so excited to be writing for MASNsports.com this season. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the readers who may not know me. In July 2012, I started a blog called Matt's Bats, which you can find here. I started writing Matt's Bats because I became a huge fan of baseball after going to my first Nationals game in 2009. When I...

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Bryce Harper excited to have Jayson Werth back for special day at Fenway

April 13, 2015, 10:48am

Nationals

Bryce Harper excited to have Jayson Werth back for special day at Fenway

BOSTON - It's safe to say Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper is feeling good about friend and teammate Jayson Werth returning to start in left field at Fenway Park today. "Definitely, we're excited about it. I am," said Harper. "Being able to have him back in the lineup is gonna help us hugely. I'm very excited - I think we all are - to get him back. He's one of our leaders on this team, so we definitely need him and the way he plays and everything he's about." Werth, who was...

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Horrendous defense leads to early exit for Zimmermann (Red Sox win 9-4)

April 13, 2015, 12:48pm

Nationals

Horrendous defense leads to early exit for Zimmermann (Red Sox win 9-4)

BOSTON - The pageantry of opening day at Fenway Park included New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, head coach Bill Belichick and owner Bob Kraft entering the field through the Green Monster each carrying a Lombardi Trophy hoisted above their shoulders. Moments later, Brady would skip the ceremonial first pitch to Red Sox star David Ortiz. The game began with Nationals center fielder Michael A. Taylor striking out for his 11th time in 26 at-bats. Third baseman Yunel Escobar then reached...