nationals

GarcÃa shows off two-strike approach with first MLB triple

May 27, 2021, 9:52pm

The Nationals produced a grand total of two extra-base hits during their just-completed three-game series with the Reds. One was Josh Bell's ninth-inning homer on Tuesday night, one that helped them avoid a shutout but still resulted in a 2-1 loss. The other was Luis GarcÃa's triple Thursday afternoon, and though it had no significant bearing on account of the Nats' 5-3 win, it did offer a glimpse into the 21-year-old's ability and growth at the plate. "A big at-bat in that moment right...

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Offensive woes on display again in shutout loss (updated)

May 27, 2021, 5:13pm

Nationals

Offensive woes on display again in shutout loss (updated)

There's no mystery surrounding the Nationals right now. Nobody has to dig deep into the analytics trying to figure out why they're not winning enough games. The answer is right there for everyone to see, young and old, expert and novice, old school and new school. They aren't hitting. At all. Tonight's 3-0, seven-inning loss to the Reds in the nightcap of a pseudo-doubleheader necessitated by the suspension of Wednesday night's game due to rain would have been alarming if not for the fact...

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Back of bullpen secures victory of suspended game (updated)

May 27, 2021, 12:06pm

Nationals

Back of bullpen secures victory of suspended game (updated)

With five innings on tap this afternoon to complete the game that only lasted four innings Wednesday night before a storm barreled through town, then a seven-inning game still to come later tonight as part of this pseudo-doubleheader, Nationals manager Davey Martinez had to concoct a pitching plan that would give his club the best chance to win both games. And when the Nats added to the three-run lead they already held when Wednesday's game was suspended, the path should've been simple for...

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Rainey activated off COVID-19 IL, Fedde to be cleared Friday

May 27, 2021, 9:43am

Nationals

Rainey activated off COVID-19 IL, Fedde to be cleared Friday

It's not often a team has the ability to change its roster mid-game, but the Nationals and Reds both were afforded the opportunity today for the completion of Wednesday night's suspended game. The Nats have activated Tanner Rainey off the COVID-19 injured list and will have the reliever available to them for the final five innings of the resumed game, plus tonight's seven-inning series finale. They'll also have Kyle McGowin available for the nightcap even though the right-hander was...

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Nats' lack of walks doesn't really concern Martinez

May 26, 2021, 7:50pm

Nationals

Nats' lack of walks doesn't really concern Martinez

The Nationals entered play Wednesday last in the National League - and next-to-last in the majors - with just 128 walks for the season. But for a team that prides itself on making contact, the lack of free passes isn't an issue for manager Davey Martinez. "You go up there with a bat in your hand and you swing it, you know?" he said during his pregame Zoom session with reporters. "I want these guys to be aggressive and if they get a ball they can hit, try to hit it hard and put it in...

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Game 46 lineups: Nats vs. Reds

May 27, 2021, 1:36pm

Nationals

After winning the completion of Wednesday night's suspended game, the Nationals now attempt to sweep this not-really-a-doubleheader against the Reds, hoping to get a big-time start from Stephen Strasburg and avoid using the relievers they needed to close out the earlier 5-3 win. Strasburg was pretty good in his first start off the injured list, tossing 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Orioles, though he pretty clearly was running out of gas by the fifth. The Nats will hope the right-hander...

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Suspended game ruins Ross' impressive start against Reds (updated)

May 26, 2021, 7:45pm

Nationals

Suspended game ruins Ross' impressive start against Reds (updated)

Wednesday night's game between the Reds and Nationals was suspended after a lengthy rain delay, with the decision officially announced at 11:35 p.m. The suspended game, still slated for nine innings, will be resumed at 2:05 p.m. on Thursday with the regularly scheduled series finale following at 7:05 p.m. as a seven-inning game. Play was halted at 8:31 p.m. with the Nationals ahead 3-0 and the tarp was placed on the field as a forecast downpour began. After more than three hours - and the...

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Washington Nationals reinstate Tanner Rainey

May 27, 2021, 8:53am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals reinstated right-handed pitcher Tanner Rainey from the Injured List and optioned right-handed pitcher Kyle McGowin to Triple-A Rochester on Thursday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Rainey, 28, returns to Washington's bullpen after missing six games. He tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief across his last four appearances before being placed on the Injured List on May 19. Rainey has tossed scoreless...

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Game 45 lineups: Reds at Nats

May 25, 2021, 9:22am

Nationals

Right-hander Joe Ross has been one of two pitchers this season for the Nationals. He either gets through five innings or so, giving his team a chance to win, or gets shelled. It's those rough patches that have inflated Ross' ERA to its current 5.72 entering tonight's game against the Reds. Take away two disastrous outings - when he allowed 10 runs in 4 1/3 innings at home to the Cardinals on April 19 and when he yielded eight runs in four innings to the Diamondbacks in Phoenix on May 15 -...

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Bell's recent surge continues with right-handed homer

May 25, 2021, 9:59pm

Nationals

Bell's recent surge continues with right-handed homer

The only real offensive highlight of Tuesday night's 2-1 loss at Nationals Park was Josh Bell's bottom-of-the-ninth homer. A homer that was a long time coming for the switch-hitting slugger, because it came from the right side of the plate. Though he has been breaking out of his season-long funk as a left-handed batter over the last two weeks, Bell hadn't shown much as a right-handed batter yet. The switch-hitter entered Tuesday's game just 2-for-25 on the season when batting righty against...

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Martinez on Rainey, Fedde and GarcÃa

May 26, 2021, 11:48am

Nationals

Right-hander Tanner Rainey, on the COVID-19 injured list since May 19, could be on the verge of rejoining the Nationals after throwing an extended bullpen session Tuesday, manager Davey Martinez said this afternoon. "He threw 32 pitches yesterday," Martinez said during his pregame Zoom session with the media. "I want to talk to him today and see how he feels after a long bullpen. If he feels good, he hasn't missed that much time. There's been times where guys in the bullpen, especially the...

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Nats' bats go silent again in 2-1 loss to Reds (updated)

May 25, 2021, 5:58pm

Nationals

Nats' bats go silent again in 2-1 loss to Reds (updated)

These Nationals have teased us before. They've had moments over the last two months when they appear to have figured things out, especially at the plate, only to fail to sustain any sense of positive momentum. So even though they looked much better over the weekend while sweeping the Orioles, the Nats were in no way guaranteed of showing up at the park tonight and picking up where they left off. And they most certainly did not. Barely making a peep at the plate against a Reds pitching staff...

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GarcÃa called up from Triple-A, Fedde and Rainey back in D.C.

May 25, 2021, 12:24pm

Nationals

GarcÃa called up from Triple-A, Fedde and Rainey back in D.C.

In deciding who would take Victor Robles' spot on their roster, the Nationals elected not to promote another outfielder from Triple-A Rochester, nor did they call up their top prospect who only two months ago was supposed to be their starting third baseman. The Nats' decision to recall infielder Luis GarcÃa before tonight's series opener against the Reds instead of Carter Kieboom or an outfielder revealed a few things about the current state of things in the organization. With no other...

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"Grateful" Doolittle ready for emotional return to Nationals Park

May 24, 2021, 2:29pm

Nationals

Upon signing with the Reds days before pitchers and catchers were due to report for spring training, Sean Doolittle took a look at Cincinnati's 2021 schedule. He scanned the entire 162-game slate, but he specifically noted when one particular road series would be taking place. May 25-27: at Washington. Doolittle has tried not to think about it too much since, because there were far more important matters to address. On the heels of an injury-plagued and ineffective 2020 season with the...

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Productive as ever, Zimmerman embraces part-time role

May 23, 2021, 8:55pm

Nationals

Productive as ever, Zimmerman embraces part-time role

Ryan Zimmerman knows what you're thinking. He knows you want him to play more than he is. He knows you believe he should be in the Nationals lineup more than a couple of times a week. And he gets it. But he also knows it would be a mistake in the long run. "You hear everyone saying, and rightfully so: 'This guy's raking. How are you not finding him more playing time?' " the 36-year-old first baseman said Friday afternoon during an in-person interview near the backstop at Nationals Park....

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Game 44 lineups: Nats vs. Reds

May 25, 2021, 11:04am

Nationals

The last time the Nationals swept a series, they proceeded to lose seven of their next eight games and dig themselves into a hole they're still trying to climb all the way out of. So this weekend's sweep of the Orioles, while encouraging, certainly doesn't guarantee this team has turned a corner. We won't know about that until we see how the Nats perform this week against the Reds and Brewers. Tonight's series opener versus Cincinnati will see Max Scherzer on the mound, so that's always...

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Washington Nationals recall Luis GarcÃa

May 25, 2021, 11:25am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals recalled infielder Luis GarcÃa from Triple-A on Tuesday. Washington placed outfielder Victor Robles on the 10-day Injured List (retroactive to May 20) with a right ankle sprain on Sunday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. GarcÃa, 21, went 16-for-68 (.235) with one double, four homers, seven RBI, six walks, one stolen base and seven runs scored in 17 games for Triple-A Rochester. He clubbed a two-run...

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Bullpen vets hang on, secure series sweep for Nats (updated)

May 23, 2021, 12:21pm

Nationals Orioles

Bullpen vets hang on, secure series sweep for Nats (updated)

During the course of one ballgame, a manager's toughest decision often boils down to the following question: Do everything in your power to win today's game or hold back in order to protect overused players for the long haul? There's never one right answer to the dilemma, and a skipper can twist himself into knots trying to justify either approach. So when this very quandary arose this afternoon on South Capitol Street and Davey Martinez had to decide whether it was worth playing all of his...

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Harris, Robles both land on IL before series finale (updated)

May 23, 2021, 7:29am

Nationals Orioles

Harris, Robles both land on IL before series finale (updated)

The Nationals have placed both Will Harris and Victor Robles on the 10-day injured list, the struggling reliever still unable to get over the mysterious right hand ailment that has plagued him since spring training and the young outfielder still not ready to return from a right ankle sprain he suffered four days ago. Kyle McGowin was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to take Harris' spot and provide manager Davey Martinez with a fresh arm out of the bullpen for today's series finale against...

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Nationals remain committed to Hand as closer

May 22, 2021, 8:53pm

Nationals Orioles

Nationals remain committed to Hand as closer

On a day when pitchers across the board were getting hit hard, often over the fence, the sight of Brad Hand trotting in from the bullpen for the top of the ninth couldn't have been especially comforting for Nationals fans. Less than 24 hours removed from the latest in a concerning string of shaky outings, here was Hand again entrusted by manager Davey Martinez to close out a wild 12-9 victory over the Orioles. And it wasn't unfair to question if he was the right man for the job at this moment...