The Nationals showed resiliency with a gutty seventh inning rally against the first place St. Louis Cardinals. Down 6-2, the Nats put six runs on the board on four hits, three walks, one intentional and one hit by pitch.
The six-run outburst matched the most runs the Nationals had scored in an inning this season. The Nationals had also scored six runs in an inning versus the Cardinals on April 20, against the Marlins, May 15 and the Orioles, May 20.
Laynce Nix faced 11 pitches from St. Louis...
Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is scheduled to make his return to the Nationals lineup today after missing 58 games as a result of an abdominal injury. It's been a day the club has been looking forward to practically all season, and it's one that could desperately help the club out of its horrendous offensive slump.
In his absence, the Nationals have gone 27-31 overall, but have survived on their stellar pitching. At the plate, the club has hit just .229, and has managed to score only 496...
Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond will go tonight but center fielder Roger Bernadina did not start.
However, Rick Ankiel left the game in the second inning, Bernadina pinch hit and took over in center. We are awaiting word on the reason for Ankiel leaving the game.
Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said they are going to watch Desmond carefully tonight to see how his sore left thigh reacts.
"Desmond has had two days off now," Riggleman said. "I am sure he feels a little better. But I...
We all know the real reason we go to the ballpark. It's not so we can sit and watch a baseball game for nine innings, or spend the afternoon with our friends and family sharing in some quality time. Forget all of that. The real perk of going to a major league baseball game? It's all about the food, baby.
It's hard to imagine going to a sporting event without something delicious and equally unhealthy by my side. From Philly cheesesteaks during a Phillies game to a famous Dodger Dog, ballpark...
The Washington Nationals today recalled from rehab and reinstated third baseman Ryan Zimmerman from the 15-Day Disabled List and optioned right-handed pitcher Craig Stammen to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.
Zimmerman missed the last 58 games (27-31 team record during that span) after being placed on the DL on April 12, retroactive to April 10, with a left abdominal...
Pitching for Single-A Hagerstown, left-handed prospect Sammy Solis notched his first win as a professional Thursday with an impressive outing over Delmarva.
Solis went 6 2/3 innings in his longest start of the season, allowing just five hits and one run, with five strikeouts and one walk.
"It felt great giving the team a chance to win a game after my first two outings," he said. "It is still early in the season for me. I feel as though I can only get stronger."
Solis hit 96 mph on...
Tyler Clippard is a wanted man.
Nearly any time you hear about a playoff-bound team speaking with the Nationals about a potential trade, the availability of Clippard is almost always one of the first questions asked. And why wouldn't they? Over the past three years, and especially this season, he has been a lights-out reliever who gets it done in high-pressure situations and has a propensity for the all-important strikeout.
This season, Clippard has a league-leading 16 holds with a 1.86...
Nationals left-hander Tom Gorzelanny is scheduled to make a injury rehabilitation start tonight with the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, playing a 7 p.m. game against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees at Alliance Bank Stadium in Syracuse.
Gorzelanny went through bullpen sessions and simulated at-bats with Nationals pitching coordinator Spin Williams last week in Woodbridge, Va., at Pfitzner Stadium. Williams said Gorzelanny looked very good in those outings and deemed him ready to go for tonight's...
Single-A Potomac Nationals outfielder Destin Hood has been named to the Carolina League All-Star team that will face the California League All-Stars on June 21 in Modesto, Calif. He is the only P-Nats player this season to garner such an honor. Hood has had a very consistent season at the plate, batting .276, including 13 hits in his last 10 games.
Five times in that span, the Mobile, Ala., native, has had multi-hit games. Potomac Nationals hitting coach Mark Harris said, "For Hood to be...
It has been a big week for right-handed reliever Patrick Lehman. The George Washington University product went from being activated from the disabled list with the Single-A Potomac Nationals to a promotion to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators in a matter of two games.
At Potomac, Lehman was an impressive 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA and a team-leading seven saves. He tallied 11 strikeouts in 13 games with just three earned runs.
Lehman was cruising along early for the P-Nats, acclimating himself to...
George Washington University redshirt senior left-hander Bobby Lucas Jr. lost his breath for a moment when the Washington Nationals called to tell him he had been selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
The Nationals selected the talented southpaw from Baltimore's Calvert Hall College High School, in the 27th round. Lucas concluded his GW career with 12 victories and 233 strikeouts in 193.2 innings. He appeared in 81 games with 25 starts.
"It was something unreal,...
Nationals top prospect Bryce Harper made news this week when he blew a kiss to an opposing pitcher after hitting a home run. The incident drew a lot of buzz around sports shows and the blogosphere.
But the play of Harper at the plate and in the outfield continues to make headlines and begs the question of when he will make his next move up in the Nationals' farm system.
Better yet, when will Harper be in D.C. hitting home runs out of Nationals Park?
Jim Callis, executive editor for...
Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg talked about the positive impression right-handed pitcher Chien-Ming Wang made on him as they both worked out in Viera, Fla., last month. Strasburg said Wang gave him advice on rehabilitating from injuries and what it takes to get better but not push it when you are anxious or frustrated.
Wang should know. His recovery from a football-like shoulder injury has been long and strenuous. But it appears the light at the end of the tunnel may be approaching...
If you're a baseball fan on Twitter these days, it's likely that you've encountered an account for a ball player's facial hair. Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth's beard has a Twitter handle, as does San Francisco Giants pitcher Brian Wilson's jet-black growth. Nationals farmhands Bryce Harper (and his attempt at upper-lip fuzz) and Collin Balestar's mustache have also gotten into the Twitter game.
All this talk over facial hair got me wondering - does Major League Baseball care about...
WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman went 0-for-3 with a walk, a strikeout and a throwing error for the Single-A Potomac Nationals in a 6-4 setback to the Frederick Keys before 1,479 at Pfitzner Stadium. It was Zimmerman's third rehab start in the past four days as he recovers from abdominal surgery.
Zimmerman was out on a called third strike in his first at-bat against the Keys' Japanese starter Ryohei Tanaka. He also reached on a walk, flew out to right field and...
Left-handed starting pitcher Tom Gorzelanny went through a bullpen session and simulated game action under the watchful eye of Nationals pitching coordinator Spin Williams this week at Pfitzner Stadium.
Williams believes Gorzelanny is good to go for a Monday start for the Single-A Potomac Nationals as he rehabilitates from elbow discomfort suffered in Milwaukee back in late May. He was eligible to come off the disabled list Wednesday, but will instead have a rehab start in Woodbridge to...
WOODBRIDGE, Va. -- Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, in his third game as he rehabilitates from abdominal surgery, stepped to the plate with two men on in the bottom of the first. Keys Japanese pitcher Ryohei Tanaka struck out Zimmerman looking on three pitches.
Potomac scored twice in the inning on a triple by Justin Bloxom, P-Nats led 2-0. Destin Hood connected on an RBI double over the centerfielder's head, and extended the advantage to 3-0.
P-Nats lead 3-0 over the Frederick Keys...
It's not the most reliable of sources, but Bleacher Report had Bryce Harper kiss situation. While the unwritten rule of respecting one's opposition by not showing them up was clearly broken, Bleacher Report is under the impression that this is a rule that should be broken. Why? Because people want to be entertained while watching a game.
In today's 24-hour news cycle and constant state of connectivity, the attention span of the average person has dwindled to dust. It's like Ellen...
WOODBRIDGE, VA. -- Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman batting third in his third game as he gets back to 100 percent health from abdominal surgery May 3. Single-A Potomac facing Frederick.
Manager Matt LeCroy sends out:
Eury Perez CF
Jeff Kobernus 2B
Ryan Zimmerman 3B
Justin Bloxom 1B
Destin Hood RF
J.P. Ramirez LF
Sandy Leon C
Justino Cuevas SS
Cutter Dykstra DH
Cameron Selik starting for the P-Nats versus Ryohei Tanaka.
The Washington Nationals today selected 20 players on the final day of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Nationals Assistant General Manager & Vice President of Player Personnel Roy Clark and Nationals Director of Scouting Kris Kline made the joint announcement.
During the three-day Draft, the Nationals selected a total of 51 players: 15 right-handed pitchers, 11 left-handed pitchers, two...