nationals

Ross and Harrison excited to join Pull Up Together campaign

December 04, 2020, 10:26am

The Nationals today announced their continued partnership with the Players Alliance and a stop coming up Saturday in Washington, D.C. The Players Alliance includes more than 100 black former and current professional baseball players who use their platforms to help baseball become a more inclusive environment for the next generation of players by building equitable systems to change the trajectory of diversity throughout the sport. The Pull Up Together campaign provides food, COVID-19 resources...

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Nationals still have confidence in Kieboom

December 02, 2020, 8:41am

Nationals

2020 was not the breakout season Carter Kieboom might have hoped for, but that does not mean that the Nationals third baseman did not make some positive strides. Kieboom hit .202 in 99 at-bats this past season, with one double and nine RBIs. The 23-year-old played in 33 games, three times more than he played in back in 2019. He showed a penchant for improved patience, seeing 4.39 pitchers per at-bat. In 2019, he saw only 3.91 pitches per time up. The big statistic that jumped out was his...

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Nats prospect Cole Henry way ahead of game as 2021 approaches

November 30, 2020, 4:20pm

Nationals

Nats prospect Cole Henry way ahead of game as 2021 approaches

Here is an update on the Nationals' 2020 second-round draft selection, right-hander Cole Henry. The 6-foot-4, 211-lb., Henry was LSU's No. 1 starter in the most recent abbreviated season. He is rated as the Nats No. 4 overall prospect on MLBPipeline.com. Although the Tigers were only able to get four weekends of play in due to the coronavirus pandemic shutdown, Henry still managed to go 2-1 with a 1.89 ERA in 19 innings. He recorded 23 strikeouts with only six walks. On Feb. 28, he beat Texas...

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Cronin refining curveball as he works toward big league goal

September 14, 2020, 6:49am

Nationals

Cronin refining curveball as he works toward big league goal

Lots of chatter from the Nationals recently about how well Matt Cronin is doing at the alternate training site. The left-hander has been dominant and has had the opportunity to showcase his stuff against experienced Nats hitters. "It was a little bit of an adjustment at first just facing more seasoned hitters," Cronin said. "Guys who knew the zone a little better and are used to seeing higher-quality stuff. I was struggling just attacking hitters when I first got here, but after the...

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Doubles can turn into homers as minor leaguers move to majors

November 28, 2020, 5:58pm

Nationals

Doubles can turn into homers as minor leaguers move to majors

One way to track the potential of a young star becoming a power hitter in the major leagues is to monitor doubles hit through their minor league career. Let's start with a couple of elite players - Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon - and their minor league statistics. Turner spent 69 games in the minors in 2014 and hit 16 doubles, which is one double every 4.3 games. That number stayed about the same in 2015, when Turner hit 24 doubles in 116 games, which was one double every 4.8 games. Turner...

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With Rainey placed on the injured list, Barrett returns to the Nats

September 15, 2020, 1:26pm

Nationals

With Rainey placed on the injured list, Barrett returns to the Nats

The Nationals have placed right-hander Tanner Rainey on the 10-day injured list with a right flexor strain and recalled Aaron Barrett from the alternate training site. Manager Davey Martinez spoke with Rainey today at Tropicana Field before they made the decision. "He came in today and said he felt a little bit better," Martinez said. "We just want to be safe and make sure that he is 100 percent when he comes back. That was the decision right there. At this point we just want to make sure...

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Is a good BABIP important in getting to the World Series?

November 26, 2020, 6:52am

Nationals

Is a good BABIP important in getting to the World Series?

I had a chance to catch up with current George Washington University and former big league coach Gregg Ritchie prior to the GW women's basketball game in D.C. on Wednesday night, and we talked about how important balls in play are to overall success for major league teams. Ritchie played in the Rangers organization in 1995 and was the Pirates' hitting coach from 2011-2012. He contended that most of the teams that recently played in the World Series did a very good job of putting the ball in...

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Barrett confident and effective in first game back, wants more

September 15, 2020, 7:19pm

Nationals

Barrett confident and effective in first game back, wants more

The Nationals recalled Aaron Barrett Tuesday, and later that day the right-hander was in the game against the Rays at Tropicana Field, summoned in the sixth inning. Tampa Bay's Brandon Lowe was on first and there was one out. Mike Brosseau singled on Barrett's two-seam fastball and suddenly the Rays had two men on. But the very next pitch, Barrett got Yoshi Tsutsugo hit a grounder to shortstop Trea Turner for an inning-ending double play. In the seventh, Barrett returned to the hill and gave...

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More from Sam Clay on the numbers of baseball

November 24, 2020, 3:08pm

Nationals

More from Sam Clay on the numbers of baseball

Here is more insight from pitcher Sam Clay from last week's Zoom call on the psychology of baseball. The free agent left-hander was signed by the Nats on Nov. 18 to a major league contract after spending his entire minor league career in the Twins organization. He had been a free agent for only 16 days before the Nationals snatched him up. Clay boasts an amazing number: only six homers allowed in over 405 innings. Clay was asked about the numbers of baseball, whether it is the straight...

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Winter ball updates on Robles and Barrera, plus other notes

November 23, 2020, 2:27am

Nationals

Winter ball updates on Robles and Barrera, plus other notes

Center fielder Victor Robles is hitting well in the first week of Dominican Winter League play, slashing .316 with a .908 OPS. He has one homer, two RBIs and only three strikeouts in 19 at-bats over five games for Aguilas Cibaenas. Emilio Bonifacio is hitting .300 in three games and Wilmer Difo is hitting .250 over five games. Right-hander Paolo Espino did not allow a run for Toros del Este in his first appearance, with one hit, one walk and one strikeout. Espino made his major league debut for...

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Nats open 2021 spring slate Feb. 27 hosting Astros

September 16, 2020, 9:49am

Nationals

Nats open 2021 spring slate Feb. 27 hosting Astros

Major League Baseball today announced that the 2021 Nationals spring training schedule will begin Saturday, Feb. 27 when they host the Astros at FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches. The Nationals' 31-game spring slate features 15 home games, plus three other games as the visiting club against the Astros in their shared home stadium. The home schedule concludes March 28 at home against the Cardinals. The 2021 regular season commences for all 30 clubs on Thursday, April 1. The Nats also have...

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GarcÃa's homer in 10th lifts Nats to 4-2 win over Rays (updated)

September 16, 2020, 12:43pm

Nationals

GarcÃa's homer in 10th lifts Nats to 4-2 win over Rays (updated)

Luis GarcÃa went after the first pitch from Rays reliever Nick Anderson in the 10th inning and homered over the right-center field wall for his second big league homer as the Nationals survived Daniel Hudson's blown save for a 4-2 win over the Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Tropicana Field. GarcÃa drilled Anderson's 94 mph fastball a few minutes after the Rays' Brandon Lowe had tied the game with a homer off Hudson in the bottom of the ninth. For Anderson, it was only the fifth hit he...

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Noll catching on in return to the Nats

September 17, 2020, 3:16am

Nationals

It has been a very good return to the Nationals for Jake Noll this week. So far, he has gone 2-for-3 with a pair of singles against Tampa Bay as a pinch-hitter and designated hitter. Triple-A Fresno manager Randy Knorr, one of the many coaches working with players at the Nats' alternate training site, told manager Davey Martinez that Noll was improving a lot over the past two months on offense and defense. But what really got Martinez's attention was when Knorr spoke about how Noll was...

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Nats reportedly interested in Kris Bryant and DJ LeMahieu

November 21, 2020, 2:34am

Nationals

Nats reportedly interested in Kris Bryant and DJ LeMahieu

The Nationals are working the phones, speaking with big-time free agents and well-known players, in an attempt to upgrade their offense for a team that ended up in last place in the abbreviated 2020 campaign. In back-to-back tweets Friday, MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported the Nats are interested in trading for All-Star third baseman Kris Bryant and finding a way to sign touted free agent infielder DJ LeMahieu. The Nationals have pursued both players in the past, and could be looking to...

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Report: Nats in Rochester on 10-year deal, but Richmond still in play

November 21, 2020, 2:09am

Nationals

Report: Nats in Rochester on 10-year deal, but Richmond still in play

Two and a half years ago, the Nationals agreed to a two-year deal to have their Triple-A team play out of Fresno, Calif., after they lost their affiliation deal with Syracuse to the Mets. But now the Nationals have agreed to move to Rochester, N.Y., for what is reported to be a long-term affiliation. Kevin Reichard, founder and publisher of the Ballpark Digest, appearing on ESPN 95.7 FM Rochester on Friday, said Major League Baseball is looking for longer deals for each of its...

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Eaton on broken finger: "It's fitting for how my year has went"

September 18, 2020, 11:39am

Nationals

Eaton on broken finger: "It's fitting for how my year has went"

The Nationals placed outfielder Adam Eaton on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a fractured left index finger, which effectively ended his 2020 regular season. Eaton hurt the finger on a bunt attempt in Wednesday's game against the Rays. After the injury, Eaton tried to shake it off, play defense and stay in the game. But the finger began to swell up and he could not grip the ball as well as he wanted to, hampering his ability to throw. "I've been playing pretty pissed off lately, so I...

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Game 49 lineups: Nats at Marlins

September 18, 2020, 3:29pm

Nationals

Fresh off an impressive 5-0 win over the Marlins in Game 1 of their series-opening doubleheader, the Nationals go for the sweep by sending right-hander Wil Crowe (0-1, 7.50 ERA) to the hill for his third big league start. The Marlins will pitch left-hander Daniel Castano (0-2, 3.32 ERA). Castano took the loss in the Nats' 5-4 win on Aug. 22 at Nationals Park. As the opener, Castano allowed two runs on one hit with two walks and recorded only one out, a strikeout. Crowe allowed three runs on...

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Crowe, bullpen struggle as Nats fall 14-3 in nightcap (updated)

September 18, 2020, 7:07pm

Nationals

Crowe, bullpen struggle as Nats fall 14-3 in nightcap (updated)

The nightcap of today's twi-night doubleheader was no fun for Wil Crowe and the bullpen as the Marlins jumped on the Nationals for six runs in the first three frames and cruised to a 14-3 victory at Marlins Park. Brian Anderson went 3-for-4 with a career-high three homers and seven RBIs. Corey Dickerson went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. The Marlins put together three four-run innings in the rout. The win allowed Miami to snap a two-game skid and split the twinbill. The Nats won the...

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Brock Holt on pitching for the first time in a big league game

September 18, 2020, 9:12pm

Nationals

Brock Holt on pitching for the first time in a big league game

In the bottom of the sixth inning Friday night in Miami, Nationals right-hander Aaron Barrett was called into pitch in a game the Marlins already led 10-3. Barrett hit Garrett Cooper with a pitch. As TV cameras went back for his reaction, it appeared the right-hander was shaking out his arm after that pitch that got away. Barrett then walked JesÃºs Aguilar on five pitches. Quickly, manager Davey Martinez and a Nats trainer went to the mound to check on Barrett. Martinez said after the game...

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Game 52 lineups: Nats at Marlins

September 20, 2020, 10:35am

Nationals

In Game 2 of today's doubleheader and the series finale, the Nationals send out left-hander Ben Braymer for his first major league start. Braymer has made two big league appearances, Aug. 28 and Sept. 15, and has gone 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA, with four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. He has allowed six hits and walked two. Manager Davey Martinez said Braymer has been stretched out and he expects 60 to 75 pitches from him. The southpaw made 26 starts last season in the minors, going 4-10 with a 4.53...