nationals

Trending upward

August 25, 2013, 7:17am

The chances of the Nationals making the playoffs are still very, very low. I'm talking incredibly low. According to Baseball Prospectus' playoffs odds report, the Nats have just a 1.9 percent chance of earning a postseason berth. This is after the Nats' five-game winning streak, making them 11-4 in their last 15 games. It's after they got back over .500 for the first time in nearly six weeks. The postseason odds are so low because despite this recent hot streak, the Nats still trail the...

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The little things add up (the runs keep on coming)

August 24, 2013, 4:25pm

Nationals

The little things add up (the runs keep on coming)

In the Nationals' four-run fourth inning, they did a lot of little things right, things that they haven't done much of this season. They had examples of nice situational hitting, like Wilson Ramos staying on a 1-2 cutter from Wade Davis and lifting a fly ball to right that went as a sacrifice fly to plate Ryan Zimmerman. Driving in runners from third with less than two outs has not been the Nats' forte this season. They had some smart, aggressive baserunning, like Bryce Harper tagging up...

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Taking the bad with the good

August 23, 2013, 10:50pm

Nationals

Following Thursday night's game, in which the Nationals blew a four-run lead and saw the Cubs tie things up with two outs in the bottom of the ninth before finally prevailing in 13 innings, I asked Anthony Rendon a question that Nats fans have probably been wondering for weeks now. Why can't the Nats just have a nice, quiet, 5-0 win one of these days? Why does it always have to be so dramatic? "That's what I'm saying!" a smiling Rendon said. "Where those games at? But that's baseball....

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Werth, Rendon out of Nats lineup

August 24, 2013, 12:37pm

Nationals

Ian Desmond is in the Nationals lineup despite a stiff back and what manager Davey Johnson said after yesterday's game was a tight hamstring. Jayson Werth and Anthony Rendon, however, are not in the lineup for tonight's game against the Royals. Werth served as the designated hitter yesterday, but Ryan Zimmerman will fill that role tonight. Bryce Harper will play right field for a second straight day, Tyler Moore will again play left and Steve Lombardozzi will play second with Rendon...

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Span, Zimmerman and Gonzalez will answer your questions

August 24, 2013, 9:58am

Nationals

Span, Zimmerman and Gonzalez will answer your questions

This Wednesday, we will be hosting our first video chat of the season, live on MASNsports.com. We will be have a tripleheader as Denard Span, Ryan Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez will all be participating and answering your questions. In order for this to be successful, we need your help. Submit your questions on Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #NatsChats or leave a comment in the section below. We also want to reward our "Touch 'Em All" participants with 15 bonus points for those taking...

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Not the best start (Nats win 11-10)

August 23, 2013, 5:00pm

Nationals

This sure isn't how the Nationals wanted to start their three-game set with the Royals after winning the last three against the Cubs. Gio Gonzalez has looked totally out of sorts through the first two innings, allowing six runs on seven hits. Five of those hits have been for extra-bases, including two homers, one by Eric Hosmer and one by former National Justin Maxwell. Gonzalez allowed three extra-base hits to the first five hitters he faced tonight, giving up three runs in the first. But...

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Desmond returns, Werth DHing

August 23, 2013, 1:30pm

Nationals

After getting double-switched out of Wednesday's game in the fifth inning and missing yesterday's game due to back stiffness, Ian Desmond is back in the Nationals' lineup for tonight's game against the Royals. Yesterday marked just the third game that Desmond has missed all season. His back originally tightened up on him during batting practice Wednesday. Jayson Werth will serve as the designated hitter for the Nats tonight in their interleague matchup against Kansas City. Bryce Harper...

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Nats send Kurt Suzuki back to Athletics (Nats get pitching prospect)

August 22, 2013, 10:06pm

Nationals

Nats send Kurt Suzuki back to Athletics (Nats get pitching prospect)

A little over a year ago, the Nationals acquired catcher Kurt Suzuki in a trade with the Athletics. Now, Suzuki is heading back to Oakland. The Nats have traded Suzuki to the A's, a team source confirmed late tonight, a deal that sends the 29-year-old catcher back to the team that drafted him and the only other team he's known. It's unknown at this time what the Nationals will be acquiring in return. The Washington Times first reported the Suzuki deal. Since the July 31 non-waiver trade...

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Brevard County making push to retain Nationals

August 23, 2013, 3:28pm

Nationals

The decision by Osceola County commissioners to reject plans for a new $98 million spring training complex for the Nationals may have opened the door for Brevard County to retain its status as the team's Grapefruit League home. According to this story in Florida Today, Brevard County commissioner Robin Fisher says the county will go "all in" in its attempts to keep the Nationals at Space Coast Stadium for spring training. Fisher has proposed that the county make $29 million in improvements...

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Looking back on a wacky week (Suzuki trade official)

August 23, 2013, 7:59am

Nationals

Looking back on a wacky week (Suzuki trade official)

The Kurt Suzuki trade is now official. The Nationals announce they've sent Suzuki to the Athletics for right-handed pitching prospect Dakota Bacus, who will report to low Single-A Hagerstown. Jhonatan Solano will join the Nats in Kansas City and become the new backup catcher to Wilson Ramos. What a wacky road trip this has already been for the Nationals. Three rain delays in seven days, including one that lasted a full two hours yesterday. Two games in a span of six days that lasted at...

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Rays acquire DeJesus from Nats (Solano, Cedeno officially recalled)

August 23, 2013, 9:17am

Nationals

Rays acquire DeJesus from Nats (Solano, Cedeno officially recalled)

David DeJesus has another new team. Just days after joining the Nationals, DeJesus has been acquired by the Tampa Bay Rays. DeJesus joined the Nationals on Monday, only to be put on revocable trade waivers just hours later. The Rays put in a claim and the teams were able to work out a deal before Friday's 1 p.m. Eastern time deadline. The Tampa Bay Times was the first to report the acquisition. DeJesus played in three games with the Nats, and went 0-for-3 with a sacrifice in four plate...

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Nationals recall catcher Jhonatan Solano and left-hander Xavier Cedeno from Syracuse

August 23, 2013, 12:55pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today recalled catcher Jhonatan Solano and 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. Solano is a career .239 (17-for-71) big league hitter with five doubles, two home runs and eight RBI in 28 games for the Nationals. He debuted with Washington last season and impressed both offensively (five extra-base hits in 12 games) and...

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Strasburg: "Kind of the story of the year, to be honest"

August 22, 2013, 6:09pm

Nationals

Strasburg: "Kind of the story of the year, to be honest"

CHICAGO - Eight stellar innings, one disastrous inning, given the circumstances. Stephen Strasburg saw both ends of the spectrum tonight, as the Nationals' right-hander had dominated the Cubs going into the ninth only to see Chicago put up three runs to tie the game, with Donnie Murphy's two-run shot pushing the game into extra innings. "I feel like I can look at it two ways: I can look at that last inning or I can look at all the other innings where I was pitching really well," Strasburg...

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Nationals acquire right-hander Dakota Bacus from Athletics in exchange for catcher Kurt Suzuki

August 23, 2013, 7:51am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today acquired right-handed pitcher Dakota Bacus from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for catcher Kurt Suzuki. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Bacus, who will report to Hagerstown of the Single-A South Atlantic League, joins the Nationals after going 9-5 with a 3.56 ERA (48 ER/121.1 IP) in 26 games/21 starts for Beloit of the Single-A Midwest League. Bacus ranked among Athletics farmhands in ERA...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 5-4, 13-inning win

August 22, 2013, 5:49pm

Nationals

Johnson discusses Nats' 5-4, 13-inning win

CHICAGO - Chad Tracy joined MASN's Julie Alexandria for a walk-off interview on the field at Wrigley after today's 5-4, 13-inning win. Tracy's 50-foot swinging bunt RBI groundout ended up bringing in the game-winning run, so he was tabbed as the guy to get the questions on the field. "I know he was on the after-game show as the hero. But we gotta do better than that!" manager Davey Johnson said with a laugh. It was yet another wild win for the Nationals today, the second straight day...

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To the 11th (Nats win 5-4 in 13 innings)

August 22, 2013, 3:39pm

Nationals

To the 11th (Nats win 5-4 in 13 innings)

CHICAGO - I feel like we've been down this road before. Fairly recently. Maybe, say, five days ago. Let's hope this one doesn't go 15 innings. The Nationals and Cubs are still playing as we go to the 11th inning. The Nats left Kurt Suzuki stranded in scoring position in the top of the 10th, with Denard Span striking out and Steve Lombardozzi flying out after Suzuki had been bunted to second by Tyler Moore. It's fair to question Moore - a power hitter who is going pretty well right now -...

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Updates on Desmond, Haren and a funny clip from last night (we're under way)

August 22, 2013, 10:08am

Nationals

Updates on Desmond, Haren and a funny clip from last night (we're under way)

CHICAGO - After three straight gorgeous days in Chicago, the rain has hit Wrigley Field this afternoon. The tarp is on the field with about a half-hour to go until the scheduled time for first-pitch, and the radar isn't looking good for the next couple hours. We might be here for a while. Ian Desmond is out of the Nationals' starting lineup today due to a tight back that he first felt during batting practice yesterday. Desmond said last night that he hoped to be in the lineup for this...

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Strasburg back on track (Cubs tie it in the 9th, we go to extras)

August 22, 2013, 1:30pm

Nationals

Strasburg back on track (Cubs tie it in the 9th, we go to extras)

CHICAGO - One start after completely losing his control against the Braves and getting ejected following seven straight balls to begin the second inning (the final two of which were behind Andrelton Simmons), Stephen Strasburg has been totally locked in against the Cubs. Through three innings, Strasburg has struck out five, allowed one hit and two walks and thrown just 42 pitches, 27 for strikes. The fastball has touched 97 mph and the curveball has been dazzling. On a third-inning strikeout...

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DeJesus claimed off revocable trade waivers

August 22, 2013, 9:32am

Nationals

DeJesus claimed off revocable trade waivers

CHICAGO - David DeJesus' wild week continues. Hours after being acquired by the Nationals in a trade with the Cubs on Monday, DeJesus was placed back on revocable trade waivers by the Nats. Today, DeJesus heard multiple reports that he'd been claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays. The Nationals have three options when it comes to DeJesus now that he's been claimed: They can pull him back off waivers and keep him, which would leave them on the hook for the $2.5 million still owed to...

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Johnson recaps Nats' 11-6 win

August 21, 2013, 8:51pm

Nationals

CHICAGO - The self-deprecating one-liners from Davey Johnson in relation to the Nationals' offense keep on coming. "Eleven runs? You'd think it's Christmas!" Johnson quipped after tonight's 11-6 Nats win over the Cubs. The Nationals jumped out on top of the Cubs 6-1 tonight, only to see their hosts even things up with a five-run fifth inning. Ross Ohlendorf - making his first start back off the disabled list - gave up a two-run homer to Anthony Rizzo, and Illinois native Tanner Roark...