Lannan called up, Harper gets a game off (Morse has stomach bug)

Lannan called up, Harper gets a game off (Morse has stomach bug)
The Nationals have called up John Lannan to start the first game of today's doubleheader against the Marlins. No corresponding roster move was necessary because of a new rule that allows teams to carry 26 players on the active roster for doubleheaders. Also, Bryce Harper is sitting out Game 1 with Jayson Werth starting in center field. For the Nationals: SS Danny Espinosa 2B Steve Lombardozzi 3B Ryan Zimmerman CF Jayson Werth 1B Adam LaRoche LF Tyler Moore RF Mark DeRosa C Jesus Flores P...

The Adam LaRoche dilemma

The Adam LaRoche dilemma
Think about it for a second. So far this season, Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Morse, Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond have all spent time on the disabled list and have battled an injury for a fairly lengthy period of time. That's nearly every member of the middle of the Nationals' projected batting order. While his cohorts have been dinged up and out of the lineup, Adam LaRoche has quietly plugged away. He's consistently raked at the plate, hitting big home runs, plating baserunners and providing...

Nats acquire catcher Kurt Suzuki from Athletics

Nats acquire catcher Kurt Suzuki from Athletics
The Washington Nationals today acquired catcher Kurt Suzuki from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for minor-league catcher David Freitas. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Suzuki is a .254 (643-for-2530) career hitter with 134 doubles, 57 home runs, 302 RBI and a .689 OPS in 703 games spanning six seasons (2007-present) with Oakland. Defensively, Suzuki leads all qualified American League catchers in fielding...

A long-awaited, and successful, return

A long-awaited, and successful, return
In his first game in nearly three months, Jayson Werth went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a nice running catch in center field. "Like I never missed a step, really," Werth said of his return to the majors. "It was good." Werth broke his left wrist in a game against the Phillies back on May 6, an injury which required surgery, months of rehab and nine games on a minor league rehab assignment. On Thursday, he was finally back in the big leagues. Werth ripped a single to left field in his first...

Nats recall left-hander John Lannan from Syracuse

Nats recall left-hander John Lannan from Syracuse
The Washington Nationals today recalled left-handed pitcher John Lannan from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Lannan will start the first game of today's doubleheader against the Miami Marlins. The 27-year-old went 6-10 with a 5.24 ERA in 19 starts this season with Syracuse. Lannan earned the win in his lone start with Washington in 2012, holding the Atlanta Braves...

Zach Walters promoted to Triple-A Syracuse

Zach Walters promoted to Triple-A Syracuse
Making his second move of the season, shortstop Zach Walters has been promoted to Triple-A Syracuse, Nationals director of player development Doug Harris confirmed to MASNSports.com. Walters hit .293 in 43 games for Double-A Harrisburg, smacking 11 doubles, four triples, six homers and 19 RBIs. He scored 23 runs and walked eight times with one stolen base for the Senators. But what is more important is that he is a shortstop, and with the uncertainty of Ian Desmond's oblique injury and Steve...

The continued evolution of Ross Detwiler

The continued evolution of Ross Detwiler
Stephen Strasburg (April), Gio Gonzalez (May) and Jordan Zimmermann (July) have all now been named National League Pitcher of the Month this season. That leaves Ross Detwiler and Edwin Jackson as the only two Nationals starters yet to win the award. "I've got to beat Edwin to the punch, then," Detwiler said after tonight's 3-0 win over the Phillies. It'd be fair to say he's off to a good start in August. Detwiler worked seven scoreless innings tonight, allowing just three hits and two...

Solid rehab start for Chien-Ming Wang in Harrisburg

Solid rehab start for Chien-Ming Wang in Harrisburg
A very good showing for right-hander Chien-Ming Wang (hip) Thursday in a no-decision for Double-A Harrisburg in a 4-3, 12-inning loss to the Binghamton Mets. Wang went 6 2/3 innings, scattering seven hits, three runs, a solo homer, only one walk (which was intentional) and two strikeouts. Pitching coach Paul Menhart always monitors the groundouts for his pitchers, and Wang netted 12 grounders for outs plus four flyouts. He threw 99 pitches, 65 for strikes. The Mets scored one run in the...

Marty Niland: Jordan Zimmermann finally gets his due

Marty Niland: Jordan Zimmermann finally gets his due
It looks like Jordan Zimmermann's teammates - along with the rest of the baseball world - are finally starting to appreciate him. Of all the moves Davey Johnson has made this season, the best may have been resetting his pitching rotation after the All-Star break with the 26-year-old right-hander at the top. Zimmermann has been the team's most consistent pitcher all season, with an major league-leading 19 quality starts in 21 outings. In fact, he has never pitched fewer than six innings - one...

Werth returns, Rodriguez to the DL (plus Nats lineup)

Werth returns, Rodriguez to the DL (plus Nats lineup)
Less than three months after breaking his left wrist in a game against Cole Hamels and the Phillies, Jayson Werth is back in the Nationals' lineup and will start in center field against Hamels and the Phillies. It all comes full circle. Manager Davey Johnson announced minutes ago that Werth has been activated off the 60-day disabled list. Reliever Henry Rodriguez will land on the 15-day DL with a lower back injury, clearing space on the 25-man roster for Werth. Werth, who has missed 75...

Big bats team up to put Nats on top (Nats shut out Phils 3-0)

Big bats team up to put Nats on top (Nats shut out Phils 3-0)
Finally, the middle of the Nationals' lineup looks like Davey Johnson thought it would back in spring training. Ryan Zimmerman is in the No. 3 spot, Michael Morse is hitting cleanup, Adam LaRoche is batting fifth, and Jayson Werth is back in there hitting sixth. And the Nationals are reaping the benefits of having their big hitters all healthy. Zimmerman, Morse, LaRoche and Werth are a combined 5-for-7 with three RBIs so far tonight as the Nationals lead the Phillies 3-0 in the fifth. Two...

Talking pitchers and baserunning

Talking pitchers and baserunning
These days, you rarely ever see a pitcher involved in a play at the plate when he's the guy barreling towards home trying to score. Teams seem to go out of their way to protect their hurlers, and that generally includes avoiding situations in which the pitcher might be forced to lay a shoulder into a catcher or somehow end up contorting his body in an attempt to touch home plate safely. That's why it was a little strange to see Nationals third base coach Bo Porter wave Edwin Jackson home...

Zimmermann named NL Pitcher of the Month

Zimmermann named NL Pitcher of the Month
Despite battling some shoulder inflammation, which has made it tough for him to get loose before games, Jordan Zimmermann still pitched well enough in six July starts in order to earn National League Pitcher of the Month honors. Zimmermann becomes the third different Nationals starter to win the Pitcher of the Month award this season, joining Stephen Strasburg (April) and Gio Gonzalez (May). It's time for Edwin Jackson and Ross Detwiler to step it up, I guess. The three Nationals hurlers...

Nationals reinstate OF Jayson Werth, place RHP Henry Rodriguez on 15-day DL

Nationals reinstate OF Jayson Werth, place RHP Henry Rodriguez on 15-day DL
The Washington Nationals today returned from rehab and reinstated outfielder Jayson Werth from the 60-Day Disabled List and placed right-handed pitcher Henry Rodriguez on the 15-Day Disabled List, retroactive to Aug. 1, with a low back strain. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Werth, who missed the last 75 games with a left radius fracture, is batting .276 (27-for-98) with five doubles, a triple, three home runs, 12...

Zimmermann named NL Pitcher of the Month for July

Zimmermann named NL Pitcher of the Month for July
Washington Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann has been voted National League Pitcher of the Month for July, becoming the third different Nationals hurler to earn N.L. Pitcher of the Month honors this season, which is the most since 1979, when Houston Astros pitchers Ken Forsch (April), Joe Niekro (May), Joaquin Andujar (June) and J.R. Richard (September) all won monthly honors. This is Zimmermann's first monthly award. In six July starts, Zimmermann led qualifying Major League pitchers with...

Rendon's ankle "fine" after hit-by-pitch; goes 3-for-4 with two doubles, RBI

Rendon's ankle "fine" after hit-by-pitch; goes 3-for-4 with two doubles, RBI
Nationals prospect Anthony Rendon had one of his best all-around games of his rehab stint Thursday, going 3-for-4 with three runs, two doubles and an RBI in short-season Single-A Auburn's 11-3 rout of the Staten Island Yankees. Rendon played third base until there were two outs in the bottom of the seventh, replaced by Khayyan Norfork. Rendon was hit by a pitch on his surgically repaired left ankle in Wednesday night's game, and left the contest early for precautionary reasons. Despite...

Werth could be activated today (updated)

Werth could be activated today (updated)
Jayson Werth is in the clubhouse and it looks like he could be activated prior to tonight's game. No move has been announced yet, but we're waiting on word. Werth could return in time to face his former team before the Phillies leave town tonight. Update: Werth is currently shagging flies in center field during batting practice. Davey Johnson's pregame session with reporters has been pushed back at least 45 minutes and we're still waiting on a lineup for tonight. Meanwhile, two...

R. Zimmerman plans to play tomorrow, J. Zimmermann to get an extra day of rest

R. Zimmerman plans to play tomorrow, J. Zimmermann to get an extra day of rest
Both Ryan Zimmerman and Jordan Zimmermann had red-hot months of July. Both guys have been battling ailments of some sort recently. Neither is thought to be serious, however. Zimmerman is out of the lineup today for the second straight day because of a tight back, which started bugging him on the Nationals' recent road trip. The third baseman feels it was a combination of the recent travel and a play at the plate on Sunday which kind of caused the back to tighten up, but he insists he'll be...

Werth primed for return, leads off and notches two hits at Potomac

Werth primed for return, leads off and notches two hits at Potomac
Jayson Werth is another step closer to returning to the Nationals following another successful rehab stint. Werth led off and played center field for high Single-A Potomac in its game versus the Salem Red Sox on Wednesday night in Woodbridge, Va. The game was called due to rain in the ninth inning. The game will be resumed at 5:05 p.m. Thursday with the score tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth. Werth was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk in four plate appearances. "I felt good,"...

David Huzzard: A little love for the long men

David Huzzard: A little love for the long men
A good team, a winning team, is made up of a couple types of players. These are stars and role players. The guys that play their roles will never get as much credit as the Ryan Zimmerman, Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg or Gio Gonzalez-type players, but they are equally important to any winning team, and at 62-41 that is what the Nationals are. One of the more overlooked roles is long relief. These are the pitchers whose chief duty is to come into a game when it is getting out of hand and to...