A month of MASN's "Touch 'Em All" Nationals Rewards Program is in the books. During the launch, we saw fans sign up and then fervently take to their social media accounts to earn exclusive prizes.
During July, we saw so many great Facebook shares, tweets, Instagram pictures and more.
After rewarding five engaged fans with autographed Ryan Zimmerman gear last month, we're at it again! We'll be giving away signed baseballs and a jersey from Gio Gonzalez this August.
If you haven't done...
The Nationals are seeking their first series sweep on the road since September of 2012. Kurt Suzuki has done his part in making sure this happens.
Suzuki drove in two with a single to right in the second inning to give the Nats a 2-0 lead.
The inning started after Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond were hit by pitches, and Steve Lombardozzi picked up a single to load the bases.
Taylor Jordan then reached on a fielding error from Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy to score Lombardozzi, pushing the...
The Nationals will look to sweep the Brewers later this afternoon, but they have been hit with the injury bug once again.
Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 1, with right shoulder inflammation. To take his spot on the roster, the Nationals recalled left-handed reliever Xavier Cedeno from Triple-A Syracuse.
This will be Cedeno's third stint with the club, having appeared in 1 1/3 innings this season. Prior to going on the DL, Ohlendorf...
The Nationals won their second series since the All-Star break after a 3-0 win over the Brewers.
Dan Haren pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing just four hits, while walking two and striking out six. Since returning from the disabled list on July 7, Haren's ERA is 2.40.
The Nats' offense was powered by solo homers from Wilson Ramos and Adam LaRoche. LaRoche might have to thank shortstop Ian Desmond for the home run as LaRoche borrowed Jayson Werth's bat after Desmond suggested it....
Maybe Jayson Werth needs to order more of his bats from his manufacturer to hand out to his teammates.
Adam LaRoche would certainly request one.
Werth had two hits and LaRoche cranked a solo homer as the Nationals guaranteed a series win over the Brewers with a 3-0 win on Saturday.
Werth left the game in the sixth inning. Manager Davey Johnson said on MASN's "Nats Xtra" that Werth injured his groin again. Johnson does not believe it is serious. Werth will not play Sunday and Johnson is...
The Washington Nationals today placed right-handed pitcher Ross Ohlendorf on the 15-Day DL, retroactive to August 1, with right shoulder inflammation and recalled left-handed pitcher Xavier Cedeno from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.
Cedeno, 26, joins the Nationals for a third stint since being claimed off waivers from the Astros on April 23.
As a member of the Nationals, Cedeno...
It did not take long for Bryce Harper to back up his comments from Wednesday's postgame.
Friday night in Milwaukee, Harper crushed his 16th homer of the season, a solo shot off of Brewers reliever Burke Bradenhop in the sixth inning, in the Nationals' 4-1 victory at Miller Park.
The Nationals left fielder described what he saw from Badenhop for the game-changing homer.
"I was trying to go up there and make something happen," Harper said on MASN's 'Nats Xtra.' "J-Dub (Jayson Werth)...
Left-hander Ross Detwiler could miss the remainder of the season according to manager Davey Johnson, as told to reporters in Milwuakee.
Detwiler has been on the disabled list since July 4 with a herniated disc in his lower back.
Detwiler is currently in the middle of a 30-day rest period. The Nationals then hope to put Detwiler on a throwing program that will rebuild his arm strength.
Johnson remains hopeful that Detwiler will return before the end of the season.
"We'll try to bring...
The Nationals will use a different lineup tonight, one day after beating the Brewers 4-1.
Denard Span returns to the leadoff spot after several games in the seventh spot. Friday's hero, Bryce Harper will be hitting second.
Right-hander Dan Haren will take the mound and will be opposed by right-hander Donovan Hand.
For the Nats
CF Denard Span
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth
1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
2B Anthony Rendon
C Wilson Ramos
RHP Dan Haren
For the Brewers
2B...
The Nationals have announced tonight that they've signed Mike Rizzo to a long-term contract extension and promoted Rizzo to the position of president of baseball operations and general manager.
"Upon purchasing the Nationals, Mike Rizzo was our first hire and he has performed brilliantly," owner Theodore N. Lerner said in a statement. "We started with an idea about how baseball teams should be built and he translated it into a reality far faster than many could have imagined.
"He knows...
The Nationals open another big series on the road at Miller Park against the Milwaukee Brewers. Wisconsin native right-hander Jordan Zimmermann will oppose former Nationals left-hander Tom Gorzelanny.
The Nationals need to play well in this series and gain some momentum before returning home to begin a home stand against the first-place Atlanta Braves.
For the Nats
LF Bryce Harper
2B Anthony Rendon
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth
1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
CF Denard Span
C Wilson...
The Nationals are looking to get off to a quick start against the Brewers on Friday night at Miller Park. The Nationals have lost the first game in six straight series dating back to July 8. Washington won the first game of the series against Milwaukee and San Diego at Nationals Park to begin the month of July.
Tom Gorzelanny made quick work of the Nationals in the first, getting Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman 1-2-3. Gorzelanny and Jordan Zimmermann are quick workers, so the...
Following the two-game disaster in Detroit, the Nationals open a three-game set with the Brewers starting tonight.
They do so with their general manager locked up long-term and their No. 3-5 starters set to take the mound in Milwaukee.
Tonight, it'll be Jordan Zimmermann getting the ball against old pal Tom Gorzelanny, who has worked his way into the Brewers' rotation within the last month.
When the Nationals sent Tyler Moore back to Triple-A Syracuse on July 8, they said the plan was to...
DETROIT - Before I pack up and head out of Detroit late this morning, I wanted to pass along some bonus thoughts from the Nationals' two games at Comerica Park, which, by the way, I really enjoyed visiting for the first time.
You never really hear Comerica mentioned as one of the nicer parks in the majors, and while it certainly isn't up there with PNC Park in Pittsburgh or AT&T Park in San Francisco or Camden Yards in Baltimore, I enjoyed the layout and feel of the park here in Detroit.
I...
The Washington Nationals today announced that Mike Rizzo has signed a new, long-term contract with the team and has been promoted to the position of President of Baseball Operations and General Manager. Managing Principal Owner, Theodore N. Lerner, issued the statement.
Rizzo, who was appointed General Manager in 2009 after serving as Assistant GM since 2006, is widely credited with building one of the strongest scouting operations in baseball and engineered a player development system...
DETROIT - Not only did the Nationals get blown out by 10 runs this afternoon, they also had Bryce Harper and Ross Ohlendorf leave their 11-1 loss to the Tigers with apparent injuries.
Quite a banner day for the road team.
Fortunately for the Nats, neither Harper nor Ohlendorf appear to have any type of serious ailment, and the Nationals believe both will be fine.
Harper, who after the game had some critical things to say about the mood around the team right now, started grimacing and bent...
DETROIT - Bryce Harper may be the youngest guy in the Nationals' clubhouse, but that's not going to stop him from speaking his mind.
After this afternoon's 11-1 trouncing at the hands of the Tigers, the 20-year-old Harper aired some of the frustration that he's been feeling lately, with the Nats now four games under .500 and 10 1/2 games back of the Braves in the National League East.
The Nats scored two runs in these two games in Detroit and were outscored 16-2 overall, snapping a...
DETROIT - Adam LaRoche's tone doesn't change much regardless of the outcome of a game.
He's a quiet, calm presence in the Nationals' clubhouse after losses, and he's the same after big wins.
But LaRoche seemed even a bit more beaten down than normal after today's 11-1 loss at the hands of the Tigers, a game where the Nats trailed 5-1 after two innings and 10-1 after four.
"You don't want to say we've gotten used to it, by any means, but it seems like we've had a few of these games...
The non-waiver trade deadline has passed and it appears the Nationals are staying intact. Given the team's performance this summer, there were times in which I thought there might be a few more mumblings on the rumor mill followed by a few changes come the end of July. But as I've continued to watch this team over the course of season, this might be the best thing for them.
Washington is quiet clearly invested in maintaining its core group players who they'll continue to develop over time....
Overall, the trades leading up to Wednesday's non-waiver deadline can be described in one word: anti-climactic.
Cliff Lee and Michael Young stayed put in Philadelphia. Former National Michael Morse stayed in Seattle, even though Texas and Pittsburgh were looking for right-handed power. It turns out there was no market for the Twins' Justin Morneau.
It's strange that Bud Norris, traded from Houston to the Orioles Tuesday, will be pitching against his former Astros team in his first...