nationals

Werth out of lineup, Taylor making major league debut

August 12, 2014, 11:48am

NEW YORK - With Jayson Werth once again out of the Nationals lineup, rookie Michael A. Taylor will make his big league debut tonight in right field and bat eighth. Werth missed two of the Nats' three games in Atlanta due to shoulder and ankle ailments. Taylor hit a combined .315 with 20 doubles, 22 home runs, 63 RBIs and 35 stolen bases in 102 games at Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse. Doug Fister will get the start on the mound for the Nats. For the Nationals CF Denard...

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A refresher on the revocable trade waiver process

August 12, 2014, 7:02am

Nationals

A refresher on the revocable trade waiver process

NEW YORK - The Braves continue to lose to teams not named the Nationals. Atlanta dropped another game last night, falling to the Dodgers 6-2. The Braves now are four games back of the Nats in the National League East and have dropped eight of their last 10 games. The only two wins in that span were over the Nats. Bob Nightengale of USA Today created quite a stir among a portion of the Nationals' fan base yesterday when he tweeted out that Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, Ian Desmond and Gio...

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Notes on Nats, Giolito, Rivero and Vettleson

August 12, 2014, 5:39am

Nationals

Notes on Nats, Giolito, Rivero and Vettleson

The Nationals did not play Monday, but benefitted from the Braves difficult homestand schedule. The Dodgers beat the Braves easily 6-2, pushing the Nationals' lead to four full games in the National League East and a robust five games in the loss column. Atlanta is now 2-2 on a 10-game homestand that includes the Nationals, Dodgers and Athletics. Despite losing two of three against Atlanta over the weekend, the Nationals have three more on the road in New York before heading home for a...

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Dave Nichols: Harper, everybody's favorite target, is slowly rounding into shape

August 12, 2014, 5:20am

Nationals

Dave Nichols: Harper, everybody's favorite target, is slowly rounding into shape

Bryce Harper is slumping. Bryce Harper should be sent to the minors to get his timing back. Bryce Harper isn't living up to the hype. Bryce Harper is more trouble than he's worth. Bryce Harper is still a punk. If you read social media, listen to sports talk radio, watch ESPN or listen to opposing team's broadcasters, you've probably heard all of the above ideas floated. His name is click-bait for anyone with an IP address and a blog. But here's a fact for you: Harper is still just barely...

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Opposite dugout: Mets challenge Nats with quality young pitching in D.C.

August 05, 2014, 5:45am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Mets challenge Nats with quality young pitching in D.C.

Manager: Terry Collins, fourth year Record: 53-59 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 1B Lucas Duda (.261/.358/.508, 22 doubles, 20 HR, 61 RBIs); 2B Daniel Murphy (.296/.341/.429, 31 doubles, 9 HR, 45 RBIs, 65 R); RHP Jacob deGrom (6-5, 2.77 ERA, 1.22 WHIP); LHP Jon Niese (5-7, 3.24 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) Season series vs. Nats: 1-5, 20 runs scored, 35 runs allowed Pitching probables Aug. 5: Zack Wheeler vs. Gio Gonzalez, 7 p.m., MASN2 HD Aug. 6: Jon Niese vs. Doug Fister, 7 p.m., MASN2 HD Aug. 7: Jacob...

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Opposite dugout: Mets try to stop skid vs. Nats at Citi Field

August 12, 2014, 4:18am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Mets try to stop skid vs. Nats at Citi Field

Manager: Terry Collins, fourth year Record: 57-62 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 1B Lucas Duda (.258/.352/.492, 22 doubles, 21 HR, 64 RBIs); 2B Daniel Murphy (.304/.347/.437, 33 doubles, 9 HR, 51 RBIs, 67 R); RHP Dillon Gee (4-4, 3.54 ERA, 1.10 WHIP); RHP Bartolo Colon (11-9, 3.97 ERA, 1.16 WHIP) Season series vs. Nats: 2-7, 30 runs scored, 48 runs allowed Pitching probables Aug. 12: Rafael Montero vs. Doug Fister, 7 p.m., MASN2 HD Aug. 13: Bartolo Colon vs. Jordan Zimmermann, 7 p.m., MASN2...

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Difo and Yezzo having big weeks in Hagerstown

August 11, 2014, 7:54am

Nationals

Difo and Yezzo having big weeks in Hagerstown

Nationals prospect Wilmer Difo is riding a six-game hitting streak and continues to impress at low Single-A Hagerstown. He is batting .407 (11-for-27) in those six games. He had three hits at West Virginia and four hits against Kannapolis just in the last week. Difo hit a two-run shot to break a 4-4 tie in that Kannapolis game, and the Suns ended up winning 9-4. Hagerstown director of broadcasting/media relations Eli Pearlstein said Saturday's performance by Difo was the best he has seen this...

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Keri's "Up, Up, & Away" should be required reading for Nats fans

August 11, 2014, 8:08am

Nationals

Keri's "Up, Up, & Away" should be required reading for Nats fans

Baseball is a game dominated by numbers: match-ups between pitchers and batters, forgettable and memorable streaks, and win-loss records, especially during the dog days of August. But statistics are only one facet of the national pastime; they help frame and shape the game, but they don't define it. Though we're caught between old-school stats and the sabermetric revolution - where there seems to be a number to explain everything, however convoluted the reasoning behind the figure - nothing...

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Nats recall Michael Taylor, place Souza on DL with left shoulder contusion

August 10, 2014, 11:52am

Nationals

Nats recall Michael Taylor, place Souza on DL with left shoulder contusion

ATLANTA - Steven Souza Jr.'s collision with the Turner Field wall has landed him on the disabled list. The outfielder has been placed on the DL this afternoon with a left shoulder contusion. Michael Taylor has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to take Souza's place on the roster, marking his first stint in the big leagues. Souza tried to rob a home run Friday night but ran full-speed into the right field wall, his shoulder colliding with the wall. Souza fell to the ground in a heap. He...

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Williams on the Nats' 3-1 loss to Braves

August 10, 2014, 7:28pm

Nationals

Williams on the Nats' 3-1 loss to Braves

The Nationals will leave Atlanta with their lead down to 3 1/2 games in the National League East. Gio Gonzalez was a victim of a high pitch count. He was unable to make it out of the fifth inning as he allowed two runs on 111 pitches. Jerry Blevins allowed the other run of the night in the eighth inning. Shortstop Ian Desmond provided the Nats with their lone run of the night, courtesy of a solo home run in the fourth inning. Here's what manager Matt Williams said to reporters following the...

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Putting a bow on the Atlanta series

August 11, 2014, 12:48am

Nationals

NEW YORK - Good morning from the Big Apple. It's an off-day for the Nationals, which is much-needed for a handful of reasons. First, the schedule: This is the Nats' first day off since July 24, 18 days ago. After this, there will be 16 more games before the next off-day, so the Nats will savor this one. Second, the recent grind: The Nats played 13 innings Thursday, traveled to Atlanta after that game, sat through a rain delay Friday night and tried to grind out of a seven-run hole, sat...

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Michael Taylor's measured ascension through minors sped up in 2014 (updated)

August 10, 2014, 7:00am

Nationals

Michael Taylor's measured ascension through minors sped up in 2014 (updated)

It has been quite the ascension for Nationals outfield prospect Michael Taylor. Reports have Taylor in Atlanta ready for possible activation to the big league club if outfielder Steven Souza Jr. has to be placed on the disabled list due to injury. Back in January, Taylor was honored as the 2013 Potomac Nationals Player of the Year. He was placed on the 40-man roster around the same time. The previous season started with then-Potomac hitting coach Mark Harris working on adjusting Taylor's...

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Gonzalez rolling in Atlanta (Nats fall 3-1)

August 10, 2014, 5:10pm

Nationals

Gonzalez rolling in Atlanta (Nats fall 3-1)

Stop me if you've heard this before. The Nationals and Braves have played three innings and remain in a scoreless game. Gio Gonzalez settled down after a 29-pitch first inning when he loaded the bases to strikeout the side in the second inning. Overall, Gonzalez has seven strikeouts through the first three innings. The Nats offense has been held in check by Braves starter Alex Wood. Wood has allowed just two hits through three innings. Update: Just as I finished typing that last...

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Nationals and Braves lineups for series finale

August 10, 2014, 1:41pm

Nationals

Jayson Werth is currently in the Nationals lineup for the series finale at Turner Field. Werth pinch-hit in the 11th inning of last night's extra-inning win. With a win tonight, the Nats would extend their National League East lead to 5 1/2 games. Gio Gonzalez will face fellow lefty Alex Wood. Gonzalez has struggled in his career against the Braves. He is 2-7 with a 5.31 ERA in 10 career starts against Atlanta. For the Nationals CF Denard Span 3B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson Werth 1B Adam...

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A long wait, but a big win

August 10, 2014, 1:32am

Nationals

ATLANTA - On Friday night, the Nationals sat through a rain delay and battled nearly all the way back from a seven-run deficit, but still dropped a game to Atlanta. Despite the loss, the comeback was significant, players said prior to yesterday's contest. And they meant it. But moral victories only go so far. And so when the Nats headed to extra innings with the Braves last night, another close loss wasn't going to boost clubhouse morale. There would be no more productive defeats. Another...

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Nationals place OF Steven Souza Jr. on 15-day DL, recall OF Michael A. Taylor from Syracuse

August 10, 2014, 11:42am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today placed outfielder Steven Souza Jr. on the 15-Day Disabled List (left shoulder contusion) and recalled outfielder Michael A. Taylor from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Taylor, who will don uniform #18, joins the Nationals after combining to hit .315 with 20 doubles, 22 home runs, 63 RBI and 35 stolen bases in 102 games this season for Double-A...

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We're scoreless in Atlanta (Nats win 4-1)

August 09, 2014, 7:57pm

Nationals

We're scoreless in Atlanta (Nats win 4-1)

The Nationals and Braves had to wait three hours and 47 minutes to play baseball tonight; in return, we've seen a pretty decent pitching matchup between Tanner Roark and Aaron Harang. Neither pitcher has allowed a run through three innings of work. Roark has allowed three hits, walked one and struck out two, while Harang has allowed two hits, walked one and struck out one. It appears the rain delay did not bother either pitcher. Update: Denard Span extended his on-base streak to 35...

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Williams discusses Nats' thrilling 4-1, 11-inning win

August 09, 2014, 11:40pm

Nationals

Williams discusses Nats' thrilling 4-1, 11-inning win

ATLANTA - Are the Nationals and Braves capable of playing a normal, uneventful 5-2 ballgame? How about a quiet 3-1 contest? No? OK, then. The Nats and Braves waited out nearly a four-hour rain delay tonight and then battled for 11 innings before Washington was able to take a 4-1 win. Wilson Ramos' RBI single to center broke the 1-1 tie, and Kevin Frandsen then drove in two more with a double to right to break the game open in extras. Here's manager Matt Williams after the...

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Williams on Roark, Werth and Souza (10:50 p.m. start time)

August 09, 2014, 2:26pm

Nationals

Williams on Roark, Werth and Souza (10:50 p.m. start time)

When Nationals manager Matt Williams wrote out the lineup card, he anticipated Jayson Werth could return to right field this evening, but that won't be the case. Werth was scratched from the Nats lineup with lingering soreness in his right shoulder and right ankle. Prior to being scratched, Williams said Werth was receiving treatment from the training staff. "When you get to this time of the season, you've got welts and scratches that can get kind of chronic if you allow it, so you've...

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Trying to pull some positives from last night

August 09, 2014, 7:55am

Nationals

Trying to pull some positives from last night

ATLANTA - Not only have the Nationals gone 0-4 at Turner Field this year and 4-10 in Atlanta dating back to the beginning of last season, but they always seem to come out of those games nursing a new batch of ailments. Last season, Stephen Strasburg twice came out of starts at Turner Field with injuries (forearm and oblique) and Bryce Harper injured his side trying to make a leaping catch at the right field wall. This year, Ryan Zimmerman broke his thumb in a game at Atlanta, Denard Span...