nationals

Knotted up late in Pittsburgh (Nats win 5-4)

May 04, 2013, 2:49pm

PITTSBURGH - Stephen Strasburg gave the Nationals seven solid if not spectacular innings, and we're still tied 4-4 heading to the ninth here in Pittsburgh. The Nats have gone 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and have left 10 on base. Seven of those 10 have been in innings 6-8. At least they're getting guys on and giving themselves chances to drive runners in, however. That's something that was lacking in a handful of the Nats' recent losses. They've also walked six times and...

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Strasburg attacking but trailing (a missed opportunity for Moore)

May 04, 2013, 1:04pm

Nationals

Strasburg attacking but trailing (a missed opportunity for Moore)

PITTSBURGH - Through three innings, Stephen Strasburg has looked strong and healthy. He's been attacking hitters, throwing his fastball 94-96 mph and not showing any signs of the irritation in his forearm that led him to shake his throwing arm consistently during his last outing. Strasburg and the Nationals also trail 2-1 after three innings. After setting down six straight hitters, with two swinging strikeouts in that span, Strasburg allowed a Clint Barmes bloop single leading off the...

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Span out of Nats lineup, Espinosa leading off

May 04, 2013, 8:30am

Nationals

Span out of Nats lineup, Espinosa leading off

PITTSBURGH - A day after fouling a ball off his right ankle, Denard Span is out of the Nationals' lineup. Danny Espinosa will move into the leadoff spot for this afternoon's 4:05 p.m. game against the Pirates, and Roger Bernadina will play center with Span out. Span had a bandage on his right ankle, directly above the top of his foot, after last night's game. He played all nine innings last night but looked to be favoring the ankle a bit after the game. Jayson Werth will miss his second...

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Not scoring many runs, not getting many breaks

May 04, 2013, 12:24am

Nationals

Not scoring many runs, not getting many breaks

PITTSBURGH - Since some of you might have missed the stats I shared last night on Andrew McCutchen's dominance against the Nationals, I feel the need to pass them along again. Sorry. While it might sting to look at these numbers, they're so ridiculous that I feel like they have to be shared. In 24 career games against the Nats, McCutchen is batting .456 (41-for-89) with 11 home runs, 22 RBIs and an insane 1.448 OPS. "He's not going to hit a home run every time," said Ross Detwiler, who...

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Nationals reinstate Ryan Zimmerman from 15-day disabled list

May 03, 2013, 10:27am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today recalled from rehab and reinstated third baseman Ryan Zimmerman from the 15-Day Disabled List and optioned third baseman Anthony Rendon to Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Zimmerman, 28, rejoins the Nationals after being placed on the 15-Day DL on April 21 (retroactive to April 18) with a left hamstring strain. He missed 14 games, during...

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Johnson: "We just need to man up"

May 03, 2013, 7:10pm

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals struck out 14 times in tonight's 3-1 loss to the Pirates. Seven of those 14 were looking. They scored one run, marking the 11th time in 13 games that they've had three or fewer runners cross the plate. They're currently sixth-worst in the majors in runs scored. This is a Nationals club that feels it has the talent to be one of the top offensive teams in the league. It's just not happening right now. "I think we're kind of hitting rock bottom," Johnson said....

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Reactions from Detwiler, LaRoche and Zimmerman after 3-1 Nats loss

May 03, 2013, 7:44pm

Nationals

Reactions from Detwiler, LaRoche and Zimmerman after 3-1 Nats loss

PITTSBURGH - Ross Detwiler didn't get smacked all over PNC Park tonight. He allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. Far from a terrible outing, but not good enough for a win. Part of that falls on Detwiler, part of it falls on the Nationals' offense, which managed very little off A.J. Burnett, Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli in the Nats' 3-1 loss. "I mean, a loss is a loss, no matter what it is," Detwiler said. "I think (my) last three were losses. It's kind of tough to take...

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Don't pitch to Andrew McCutchen (Nats lose 3-1)

May 03, 2013, 4:25pm

Nationals

Don't pitch to Andrew McCutchen (Nats lose 3-1)

PITTSBURGH - Get ready for some offensive numbers that will wow you. They might also make you shake your head in disgust. Over 24 career games against the Nationals, Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen is now batting .455 with 11 home runs and 22 RBIs. McCutchen has gone 2-for-2 tonight with a solo home run and a single, accounting for the lone Pirates run off Ross Detwiler and two-thirds of Pittsburgh's hits on the evening. It was really enjoyable watching McCutchen take cuts in the...

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Now completely healthy, Marrero shows off bat again

May 03, 2013, 6:42pm

Nationals

Now completely healthy, Marrero shows off bat again

The torn hamstring stunted first baseman Chris Marrero's season before it really ever got started in 2012. His shoulder and hamstring slowed him down for much of the time and he never was able to feel 100 percent healthy for long periods of time last season. Following 127 games for Triple-A Syracuse in 2011, he had to fight back from injury in 2012. Marrero ended up playing only 37 contests with the Chiefs last season. So it certainly had to be refreshing for Marrero to work his way through...

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Zimmerman discusses his throwing, injury history

May 03, 2013, 3:07pm

Nationals

Zimmerman discusses his throwing, injury history

PITTSBURGH - After going without seeing live pitching for 13 days while sidelined with a strained left hamstring, Ryan Zimmerman made a one-day rehab appearance with high Single-A Potomac on Thursday, getting three at-bats and playing six innings in the field. It wasn't a lengthy rehab assignment, by any means, but Zimmerman thinks he accomplished all he needed to during that one day with the P-Nats in order for him to be game ready tonight. He was activated off the disabled list this...

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Werth out of Nats lineup, Espinosa and Zimmerman return

May 03, 2013, 11:26am

Nationals

Werth out of Nats lineup, Espinosa and Zimmerman return

PITTSBURGH - As expected, Jayson Werth is out of the Nationals' lineup tonight a day after tweaking his hamstring in the fourth inning of the Nats' win over the Braves. Werth left the game after four innings and was replaced by Roger Bernadina in right field. The Nats don't think that Werth will need to land on the DL, but he'll get at least today off as he tries to let that ailing hamstring heal. This is now the third time in the Nats' last four contests that Werth has been out of the...

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Nationals' first selection in June draft not until No. 68

May 03, 2013, 9:15am

Nationals

Major League Baseball released the draft order for the 2013 First-Year Player Draft set for Thursday, June 6. The Houston Astros will have the No. 1 overall selection. The Nationals do not have a selection in the first round this season. The Nationals forfeited that late round selection because they signed pitcher Rafael Soriano. The Yankees picked up a compensatory pick for the loss of Soriano. New York has three selections in the first round at No. 26, No. 32 and No. 33. The pick the...

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Zimmerman reinstated, Rendon optioned to Double-A

May 03, 2013, 10:36am

Nationals

Zimmerman reinstated, Rendon optioned to Double-A

PITTSBURGH - It's official - the Nationals have reinstated third baseman Ryan Zimmerman from the 15-day disabled list and optioned Anthony Rendon to Double-A Harrisburg. Zimmerman had been on the disabled list since April 18 with a left hamstring strain. He missed 14 games. His rehab stint was a short one. Zimmerman appeared in just one game with high-A Potomac, getting three at-bats and going 0-for-3. That's apparently all he needed before feeling he was ready to return. Zimmerman is...

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Rendon returns to the minors, but does so with valuable new experience

May 03, 2013, 8:30am

Nationals

Rendon returns to the minors, but does so with valuable new experience

PITTSBURGH - With Ryan Zimmerman ready to come off the disabled list today after missing the last 15 days with a hamstring strain, Anthony Rendon's first taste of the major leagues has come to an end. Rendon will return to Double-A Harrisburg's roster today, going back to the long bus rides and cramped clubhouses that minor league ball offers. But he'll go back with eight big league games and 30 plate appearances under his belt, and a sampling of what life is like on the big stage. "It...

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Nationals Ryan Zimmerman confident rehab game has him ready to return

May 02, 2013, 8:24am

Nationals

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was able to pass a big test in his return from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday on a cool night at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Va. Zimmerman played third base for the Potomac Nationals in his lone rehab start to test the recovery of a sore hamstring, and despite an 0-for-3 performance, he felt his swing and timing are back. "Everything feels good," Zimmerman said. "I think seeing some live pitching was good. I saw pretty much every pitch,...

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Leaving Atlanta on a positive note

May 02, 2013, 10:21pm

Nationals

ATLANTA - In case you missed the final out of last night's 3-1 Nationals win, you missed a postgame celebration that's starting to grow in popularity. For years now, Rafael Soriano has untucked his jersey after notching a save. Last night, MASN's cameras caught Ian Desmond

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An early lead and a crisp Dan Haren (Werth leaves game in fifth)

May 02, 2013, 4:07pm

Nationals

An early lead and a crisp Dan Haren (Werth leaves game in fifth)

ATLANTA - The Nationals have now retired 29 of the last 30 Braves hitters to come to the plate. Dan Haren has faced just one over the minimum through three crisp innings tonight. Strangely enough, the only batter to reach base during this 30-batter stretch was tonight's Braves starter, Kris Medlen, who Haren walked on five pitches. Outside of that meeting with Medlen, Haren's been absolutely cruising. He's needed just 30 pitches to get through his three innings so far, and 20 of those...

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A heck of an outing from Haren (Nats win 3-1, salvage a split)

May 02, 2013, 5:07pm

Nationals

A heck of an outing from Haren (Nats win 3-1, salvage a split)

ATLANTA - After four starts to begin the season that ranged from average to ugly, Dan Haren might be turning a corner. Haren has been tremendous tonight, throwing seven frames of one-run ball against the Braves, allowing just three hits and striking out three. Perhaps even more remarkable than the pitching line has been Haren's efficiency. He's needed just 69 pitches to get through his seven innings of work, and 47 of those pitches have been strikes. That's an average of 9.9 pitches per...

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Johnson talks after Nats pick up a satisfying split (with Werth update)

May 02, 2013, 7:21pm

Nationals

Johnson talks after Nats pick up a satisfying split (with Werth update)

ATLANTA - Two nights ago, after an 8-1 Nationals loss, Davey Johnson started his postgame session with reporters by asking whether he really needed to discuss another defeat at the hands of the Braves. Tonight, Johnson was more than happy to talk about the Nats' second win over Atlanta in as many nights. "That was fun," a smiling Johnson said to open his postgame press conference. Dan Haren went eight innings, allowing just one run on four hits in what was far and away his best start as...

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Hearing from Haren after his best start as a National

May 02, 2013, 7:46pm

Nationals

Hearing from Haren after his best start as a National

ATLANTA - If you've read any of Dan Haren's quotes following a start or seen his postgame interviews on MASN, you've probably noticed that Haren is as self-aware and honest a player as you'll find in the majors. If Haren stinks, he'll tell you he stinks. If he needs to stop messing around and throw more strikes, he'll say so. Tonight, following his eight-inning gem in a 3-1 Nationals win over the Braves, Haren discussed what went right in his outing while also reflecting on what had...