nationals

Nats call up Walters, Brown, Kobernus, Perez and Cedeno

September 03, 2013, 11:56am

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals made their second round of September call-ups Tuesday, bringing up shortstop Zach Walters, outfielder Corey Brown, utility man Jeff Kobernus, outfielder Eury Perez and left-hander Xavier Cedeno. All five are on the lineup card and are in the clubhouse. Walters, 23, will be making his first appearance in the big leagues. He batted .253 with 29 homers and 77 RBIs in 134 games with Triple-A Syracuse. Brown, 27, was called up to the Nats in both 2011 and 2012, but...

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The latest on Harper's hip injury, Espinosa not getting a call-up

September 03, 2013, 2:30pm

Nationals

The latest on Harper's hip injury, Espinosa not getting a call-up

PHILADELPHIA - Last night, Davey Johnson expressed some frustration that he hadn't been informed about Bryce Harper's hip injury, a problem that left Harper limping and clearly a little gimpy after some swings last night. Johnson still hadn't been fully brought up to speed on Harper's status by the time he met with reporters around 5 p.m. today. "I mean, to this day, even now, they have not told me anything is wrong with him," Johnson said. "So with that in mind, I know he was getting...

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Nationals add five players to roster

September 03, 2013, 12:12pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today selected shortstop Zach Walters and recalled outfielder Corey Brown, left-handed pitcher Xavier Cedeno, infielder/outfielder Jeff Kobernus and outfielder Eury Perez from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Walters, 23, joins the Nationals for the first time after hitting .253 with 32 doubles, five triples, 29 home runs and 77 RBI in 134 games for Syracuse...

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Mr. Reliable has a rare misstep

September 03, 2013, 7:20am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - For the last handful of weeks, Nationals manager Davey Johnson has targeted the 90-win mark as what he feels his team will have to reach in order to have a realistic shot at the postseason. With last night's loss, the Nationals now need to go 21-4 to get to 90 wins. That's an .840 winnings percentage, or a 136-win pace. Not looking too likely, huh? Last night's loss stung for a number of reasons. The Nationals held a 2-1 lead going to the bottom of the eighth inning. They...

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Harper in Nats lineup

September 03, 2013, 11:31am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Bryce Harper remains in the Nationals' lineup despite being bothered by what we learned last night is a hip injury. Harper said that he's fine and wants to continue playing through the ailment, and manager Davey Johnson will allow him to do so. Gio Gonzalez (8-6, 3.56 ERA) takes the ball for the Nats tonight, with right-hander Ethan Martin (2-3, 6.39 ERA) going for the Phillies. For the Nats CF Denard Span 3B Ryan Zimmerman LF Bryce Harper RF Jayson Werth SS Ian Desmond...

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Harper dealing with hip injury, Johnson discusses Nats' 3-2 loss

September 02, 2013, 7:32pm

Nationals

Harper dealing with hip injury, Johnson discusses Nats' 3-2 loss

PHILADELPHIA - After Sunday night's win over the Mets, Bryce Harper acknowledged that he wasn't 100 percent healthy, although he declined to specify what exactly was ailing him. Turns out, it's Harper's hip. Harper limped his way through four plate appearances in tonight's 3-2 loss, going 1-for-3 with a walk, but there were a handful of times where it was clear that Harper was in some significant discomfort. After the game, manager Davey Johnson revealed that Harper has been getting...

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Clippard, Harper and Strasburg on Nats' big 3-2 loss

September 02, 2013, 8:14pm

Nationals

Clippard, Harper and Strasburg on Nats' big 3-2 loss

PHILADELPHIA - Tyler Clippard might have given up two run-scoring hits in the eighth inning that turned a 2-1 Nationals lead into a 3-2 Phillies advantage, but it wasn't either of those base knocks that he was really kicking himself over after the game. It was the two-out walk to the light-hitting Cesar Hernandez that got it all started. Hernandez came into the at-bat hitting .226 on the season with just one extra-base hit in 31 at-bats. But after getting ahead in the count 1-2, Clippard...

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Ted Leavengood: Desmond is Nationals' rock-solid rock star

September 02, 2013, 6:38pm

Nationals

You will not find his picture on the cover of Sports Illustrated nor Rolling Stone, but Ian Desmond is a rock star. He is a rock, one of the most solid players on the Nationals roster, and he is emerging as a star who deserves to be recognized as such. Desmond's WAR rating currently stands at 5.2 for the 2013 season. Wins Above Replacement - or WAR - is the blue ribbon of baseball analytics. FanGraphs is one of two Web sites that provide ongoing WAR ratings. WAR provides one magical number...

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Quite a pitchers' duel here in Philly (Nats lose 3-2)

September 02, 2013, 5:03pm

Nationals

Quite a pitchers' duel here in Philly (Nats lose 3-2)

PHILADELPHIA - Stephen Strasburg and Cole Hamels are locked in a pitchers' duel through six innings. Each All-Star has allowed just one run on two hits. Strasburg has struck out 10 and allowed just three balls out of the infield. Hamels has allowed just two baserunners since the first inning. The difference in this 1-1 game is that Strasburg is going to need to exit after six innings, while Hamels should be good for a little while longer. Strasburg was mowing Phillies batters down with...

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A strong start from Strasburg (but a tie game)

September 02, 2013, 4:07pm

Nationals

A strong start from Strasburg (but a tie game)

PHILADELPHIA - Stephen Strasburg couldn't have asked for a much better start than the one he's gotten through three innings. Strasburg has held the Phillies hitless thus far, has struck out six, and has yet to allow a ball out of the infield. The lone blemish on his line so far is a two-out walk to Chase Utley in the first. Other than that, it's been smooth sailing for the Nationals' right-hander. Strasburg struck out the side in the first, with all three Ks coming on curveballs. He then...

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Five more call-ups coming tomorrow; Johnson explains tonight's lineup decisions

September 02, 2013, 2:44pm

Nationals

Five more call-ups coming tomorrow; Johnson explains tonight's lineup decisions

PHILADELPHIA - Expect five more minor leaguers to get called up to join the Nationals tomorrow. The Nats plan to promote left-handed pitcher Xavier Cedeno and four position players tomorrow, rounding out their September call-ups. Cedeno and the bulk of the position players are already on the 40-man roster, so the Nats won't need to do much maneuvering there. Even if that was necessary, they only currently have 38 players on the 40-man. Outfielders Jeff Kobernus, Corey Brown and Eury Perez...

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Bernadina on his release and his time with Phillies

September 02, 2013, 2:06pm

Nationals

Bernadina on his release and his time with Phillies

PHILADELPHIA - Prior to his release exactly two weeks ago today, Roger Bernadina was the longest-tenured member of the Nationals organization. Tonight, he'll face off against his former team for the first time, wearing the colors of a hated division rival. After having a career season last year, hitting .291/.372/.405 in 261 plate appearances with the Nats, Bernadina's production dropped off mightily this season. He hit just .178/.247/.270 in 167 plate appearances, with just two homers and...

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Nats face Bernadina in opener of three-game set with Phillies

September 02, 2013, 11:38am

Nationals

Nats face Bernadina in opener of three-game set with Phillies

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals will cross paths with Roger Bernadina tonight for the first time since Bernadina was released Aug. 19 by the only major league organization he'd ever known. After his release, Bernadina pulled a John Lannan and signed with the Phillies, choosing to stay in the National League East and play in a park with which he has a good bit of familiarity. Bernadina will hit eighth and play right field for the Phillies tonight, and he'll dig in against Nats righty Stephen...

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September calls for new prizes from MASN's "Touch 'Em All" Nationals Rewards

September 02, 2013, 10:38am

Nationals

Launched in July, MASN has been rewarding its top fans on social media with exclusive Nationals prizes. By sharing Facebook posts, retweeting our writers, tagging Instagram pictures with #masnNationals and more, fans have earned points, which at the end of the month, accumulated and earned them signed gear from their favorite Nationals. Well, this month is no different. Signed Denard Span baseballs and a bat autographed by the center fielder are on deck for September. Be sure to sign up for...

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Jordan wraps up 2013 stint with Nats

September 02, 2013, 8:38am

Nationals

For much of the last two-plus weeks, Taylor Jordan's actual baseball responsibilities have been pretty limited. Since being shut down for the season, partially due to a back strain that landed him on the disabled list and mostly due to Jordan reaching his team-imposed innings limit, the rookie right-hander has played catch every day, and, well, that's about it. There isn't a heck of a lot pitchers can do when they're on the DL, and there's even less pitchers can do when they're on the...

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Johnson discusses Harper's bunt, Nats' wild 6-5 win

September 01, 2013, 8:39pm

Nationals

Johnson discusses Harper's bunt, Nats' wild 6-5 win

There might not have been a play more crucial to the outcome of today's 6-5 Nationals win than Bryce Harper's sac bunt in the bottom of the eighth that pushed the tying runs into scoring position with one out. There might not have been a more controversial play, either. Those that are anti-bunt would certainly have issue with Harper - arguably the Nats' best hitter not named Jayson Werth - giving away an out late in the game. Those that are pro-bunt would certainly say that with Harper...

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Hope is still alive

September 02, 2013, 12:39am

Nationals

It's crazy how quickly things can shift this time of year. Twenty-four hours ago, the Nationals were waking up 7 1/2 games back of the Reds in the wild card chase and looking at a possible sweep at the hands of the lowly depleted Mets. They'd just been smoked 11-3 a night before, marking their second straight defeat, dropping them back to one game over .500. The mood in the clubhouse was somber. Players talked about how their time was running out to make a late push. Last night, a late,...

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Dave Nichols: Harper's eighth-inning sacrifice was case of results trumping process

September 02, 2013, 5:38am

Nationals

Dave Nichols: Harper's eighth-inning sacrifice was case of results trumping process

The Washington Nationals salvaged the last of the three-game weekend set with the New York Mets on EPSN's Sunday Night Baseball, overcoming an early deficit with a three-run eighth inning to win 6-5, spurred by Bryce Harper's sacrifice bunt with men on first and second and no outs, trailing by two runs. The percentages say it was a bad play. Statheads throughout Natstown winced. The Nationals only had six outs left and Harper gave one away on purpose. The next batter, rookie Anthony...

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Harper on sacrifice bunt that ignited game-winning rally

September 01, 2013, 8:56pm

Nationals

Harper on sacrifice bunt that ignited game-winning rally

Center fielder Bryce Harper, known for power and big hits at crucial times, came up with a stellar bunt with two men on during the Nationals' decisive three-run rally in the eighth inning Sunday night versus the Mets. Down 5-2, the Nationals rallied to score four runs in a 6-5 comeback victory. So was Harper bunting for a base hit? Bunting to get the two runners over? Did he decide to bunt on his own? "No, he was doing it on his own," said manager Davey Johnson. "I didn't think it was...

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A much-needed late comeback (Nats win 6-5)

September 01, 2013, 7:11pm

Nationals

A much-needed late comeback (Nats win 6-5)

Trailing 5-2 going to the bottom of the seventh, the Nationals were nine offensive outs from a sweep at the hands of the Mets. They now lead 6-5 as we go to the ninth. A Wilson Ramos RBI single in the seventh cut the Mets' lead to two, and then the Nats exploded for three runs in the eighth, with Jayson Werth's double to the gap in right-center scoring Ryan Zimmerman from first to cap the comeback. Scott Hairston and Denard Span singled to start the eighth, and after a sac bunt front Bryce...