nationals

Detwiler dealing with back stiffness, could miss next start (with lineups)

June 29, 2013, 8:11am

NEW YORK - Another day, another injury issue for the Nationals. Ross Detwiler is dealing with a stiff lower back, manager Davey Johnson said this morning, an injury that could cause the left-hander to miss his next start in the Nats' rotation. Detwiler went five innings in last night's 6-4 win over the Mets, throwing 98 pitches in that time. He had landed on the DL with a right oblique/back issue in mid-May, and needed to miss nearly a month because of that ailment, but this issue is on the...

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Our first look at Taylor Jordan

June 29, 2013, 8:50am

Nationals

NEW YORK - Taylor Jordan arrived to Citi Field this morning with the crowd of Nationals players and staffers that were on the second bus departing the team hotel. The tall, baby-faced right-hander walked into the visitors' clubhouse with a smile stretching from ear-to-ear, dropped off his bags and tossed on a brand new, red Nationals warm-up shirt. He shook the hands of a few people milling around the clubhouse, met up with pitching coach Steve McCatty and then turned the corner to head to...

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Jordan's off and running (Nats don't give Jordan much help)

June 29, 2013, 9:56am

Nationals

Jordan's off and running (Nats don't give Jordan much help)

NEW YORK - Two innings into his big league career, Taylor Jordan has put up two zeros. Making his major league debut today against the Mets, Jordan understandably looked a little shaky in his first inning of work, but settled down in the second, locating better down in the zone and setting the Mets down in order. Jordan's first career big league pitch was a 91 mph fastball outside to Eric Young Jr. Catcher Kurt Suzuki rolled the ball towards the Nationals' dugout, and Jordan will have it...

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Harper completes nine innings in rehab game for first time, likely to return Monday

June 29, 2013, 5:21pm

Nationals

Harper completes nine innings in rehab game for first time, likely to return Monday

BOWIE, Md. - Left fielder Bryce Harper played nine innings in what is likely his final rehab game before returning to the Nationals. Harper has been recovering from left knee bursitis since late May. On Saturday night, he faced off against Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, also on a rehab assignment. Harper went 0-for-3 with a walk, a run and a pair of strikeouts. Bowie won the game 6-4. Harper struck out looking against Chen with a man on first base in the first inning. Leading off the...

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An all-around stinker (Nats lose 5-1)

June 29, 2013, 11:39am

Nationals

NEW YORK - The Nationals have committed three errors and made a few other poor defensive plays. They put up just one run against Mets starter Dillon Gee, who has a 0.96 ERA in 18 2/3 innings against the Nats this season and a 5.55 ERA against everyone else. They've allowed eight Mets hits through six innings, and didn't get Craig Stammen's best stuff in relief, as Stammen has surrendered three hits and two runs over 1 2/3 innings, this after allowing an inherited run to score, as...

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Taylor Jordan, Erik Davis up; Kobernus, Marrero optioned

June 29, 2013, 6:41am

Nationals

Taylor Jordan, Erik Davis up; Kobernus, Marrero optioned

NEW YORK - The Nationals made two roster moves this morning. We knew one was coming. One is a little bit of a surprise. The Nats have selected the contract of right-hander Taylor Jordan from Double-A Harrisburg and also recalled right-handed reliever Erik Davis. To make room for those two, first baseman Chris Marrero and outfielder Jeff Kobernus were both optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. We knew Jordan would be coming up today and getting this afternoon's start against the Mets and that...

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Johnson on Nats' 6-4 comeback win (Marrero optioned)

June 28, 2013, 7:46pm

Nationals

Johnson on Nats' 6-4 comeback win (Marrero optioned)

NEW YORK - Over the seven innings that Mets ace Matt Harvey was in tonight's game, the Nationals managed one run on three hits. Harvey overpowered the Nats, as he'd overpowered pretty much every other team he's faced this season. But the Nats kept the game close, and trailed 4-1 when the mediocre Mets bullpen was called upon in the eighth. Then they pounced. Ryan Zimmerman tied the game with a bases-loaded, two-out double in the eighth, and Ian Desmond smacked a go-ahead double in the...

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Zimmerman on the comeback: "It's not easy, but good teams do that"

June 28, 2013, 8:23pm

Nationals

Zimmerman on the comeback: "It's not easy, but good teams do that"

NEW YORK - The first 14 Nationals hitters that Matt Harvey faced Friday night all took the disappointing walk back to the visitors' dugout along the third base line. Seven of those 14 were set down on strikes by the Mets flame-throwing right-hander. At that point, when Harvey was cruising through the first 4 2/3 innings and had yet to allow a baserunner, did the Nats start to feel he had no-hit stuff? "No. This morning, when I woke up, I thought he had no-hit stuff," Ian Desmond...

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Having trouble getting to Harvey (Nats come back to win 6-4)

June 28, 2013, 4:32pm

Nationals

Having trouble getting to Harvey (Nats come back to win 6-4)

NEW YORK - The hits might be few and far between for the Nationals tonight. That is, if they come at all. Mets right-hander Matt Harvey has been perfect through four innings so far, striking out six and making Nats hitters look pretty silly in the process. Five of Harvey's strikeouts have been of the swinging variety. He got Denard Span and Anthony Rendon swinging to open the game, showing both 98 mph fastballs and then getting them to flail at offspeed pitches (the curve got Span, the...

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What Johnson wants to see from Detwiler

June 28, 2013, 3:21pm

Nationals

NEW YORK - It's been a bit of an ongoing back and forth. Davey Johnson talks about wanting to see Ross Detwiler mix his pitches a bit more, and Detwiler goes out and has success throwing nearly almost entirely two- and four-seam fastballs. Lately, however, Detwiler hasn't had as much success. He has an 8.59 ERA in three starts since coming off the DL, and after Detwiler's last start, Johnson said that a major factor in his rough outing against the Rockies was that he wasn't mixing his...

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Talking Strasburg and the lack of streaks

June 28, 2013, 5:35am

Nationals

Talking Strasburg and the lack of streaks

Here's the good news: The Nationals are looking like they've got three top-of-the-rotation starting pitchers right now. Jordan Zimmermann is tied for the major league lead with 11 wins and has a 2.28 ERA. Gio Gonzalez has bounced back from a rocky April and owns a 2.32 ERA over his last 10 starts. And after yesterday's outing, Stephen Strasburg has a 2.41 ERA on the season. Over his last eight starts (one of which was a two-inning, injury-shortened outing), Strasburg's ERA is a ridiculous...

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Harrisburg manager Lecroy on Harper: "He looked good"

June 27, 2013, 6:31pm

Nationals

Harrisburg manager Lecroy on Harper: "He looked good"

BOWIE, Md. -- Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper appears ready to return to the big league club as he rehabs from bursitis in his left knee. Harper played left field for Double-A Harrisburg on Thursday night in the 11-6 Senators win over the Bowie Baysox. It was his third rehab game of the week. He was supposed to play nine innings. If a regular game averages nine innings in three hours, Harper almost got that much work in time alone. Harper had four plate appearances in the first five...

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Nats, Mets lineups for series opener

June 28, 2013, 11:50am

Nationals

NEW YORK - Greetings from Citi Field on a slightly muggy but otherwise nice day. Looks like we'll avoid the storm clouds that apparently are hovering around those of you back in the mid-Atlantic region. There was a point where I wasn't sure whether I'd make it here at all. The cab driver I had take me to my hotel was quite possibly the worst driver I've ever seen. I'm not 100 percent sure he'd ever driven a car prior to today. Luckily, I'm here safe and sound. Tonight the Nationals...

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Harper staying with Harrisburg, Ramos close to returning, Taylor Jordan notes

June 28, 2013, 2:45pm

Nationals

Harper staying with Harrisburg, Ramos close to returning, Taylor Jordan notes

NEW YORK - Speaking following yesterday's game, Davey Johnson left the door open to the possibility that Bryce Harper would cut short his rehab assignment by a few days and join the Nationals in New York this weekend. That won't be happening. Harper is remaining with Double-A Harrisburg for the time being. Harper will get a day off today, but he'll still hit indoors and do some throwing. He'll be back in the lineup tomorrow against Bowie, and then if all goes well, could be ready to...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 3-2 loss to D-backs and Harper's status

June 27, 2013, 5:56pm

Nationals

Johnson discusses Nats' 3-2 loss to D-backs and Harper's status

As he sat down for his postgame press conference after tonight's 3-2, 11-inning loss to the Diamondbacks, Davey Johnson looked at reporters and slowly shook his head. The offensive production and clutch hitting that had been present in the Nationals' first two games of this series disappeared in today's series finale, and the Nats will hop on a flight up to New York tonight again the owners of a .500 record. You can't exactly blame the Nats for missing the chance to pick up a series sweep...

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Desmond gets the Nats going (Nats lose 3-2 in 11 innings)

June 27, 2013, 2:29pm

Nationals

Desmond gets the Nats going (Nats lose 3-2 in 11 innings)

Ian Desmond's first half continues to get more impressive. The Nationals shortstop cranked a two-run homer in the fourth inning today, his 13th of the season, that gave the Nats a 2-0 lead over the Diamondbacks. Desmond took a massive swing at an 0-1 slider from Arizona starter Patrick Corbin and came up empty. I think I felt the gust of wind from Desmond's hack up here in the press box, about 3,000 feet in the air. After working the count to 2-2, Desmond then got another slider, and he...

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Bryce Harper with two-run triple, walk in first two trips to plate at Bowie (updated twice)

June 27, 2013, 4:00pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper with two-run triple, walk in first two trips to plate at Bowie (updated twice)

BOWIE, Md. - Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper has continued to look ready to return to the big league club as he rehabs from bursitis in his left knee. Harper walked in the first inning against the Bowie pitcher Devin Jones. He scored from first on a Justin Bloxom double one batter later to give Double-A Harrisburg a 1-0 lead. In the second inning, Harper tripled to just left of center field. The ball rolled past the defender, scoring two runs as Harrisburg upped its advantage to 3-0....

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Perry outrighted, clearing spot for starter (Moore notes; we're under way)

June 27, 2013, 11:48am

Nationals

Perry outrighted, clearing spot for starter (Moore notes; we're under way)

The Nationals have outrighted right-hander Ryan Perry to Double-A Harrisburg, a move that drops Perry from the 40-man roster and clears a spot for the Nats to add a starter for Saturday's game against the Mets. Perry had already been pitching for Harrisburg, so this was strictly a procedural move. And while the Nats aren't officially willing to announce who will get the start on Saturday, we know who it will be. As has been speculated for much of this week, Taylor Jordan will get the ball,...

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Harper joins Harrisburg, likely to return to Nats Monday

June 27, 2013, 11:04am

Nationals

Harper joins Harrisburg, likely to return to Nats Monday

After kicking off his rehab assignment at high Single-A Potomac and playing two games with the P-Nats, Bryce Harper has moved on to Double-A Harrisburg. Harper has joined the Senators for their four-game series against Bowie, allowing him to jump up a level while also staying local. Harper, who is rehabbing from left knee bursitis, is scheduled to play 8-9 innings tonight, according to Nationals manager Davey Johnson. Assuming all goes well over these next few days and Harper doesn't suffer...

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On Zimmermann, Rendon, Espinosa and Owings

June 27, 2013, 7:00am

Nationals

On Zimmermann, Rendon, Espinosa and Owings

After three long days, my jury duty is complete, this following more than 7 1/2 hours of deliberation last night that caused me to miss another Nationals game. I'm all done now, however, and am ready to get back into the flow this afternoon as the Nats wrap up their three-game series with the Diamondbacks and then head up to New York for three against the Mets. While I didn't get to see last night's 3-2 Nats win, I'm studying the box score right now. Here's what it tells me: Jordan...