nationals

Heated Nats eke out 6-5 win to take weekend series (updated)

August 16, 2020, 12:44pm

BALTIMORE - A game that featured a lot of quality at-bats by a reconfigured lineup, a heated (and very audible) exchange with the plate umpire that led to the ejection of the hitting coach and dismissal of a pitcher watching from the stands, a dominant start by Max Scherzer that imploded via a couple of monster home runs and then a gift error to allow the go-ahead run to score ultimately came down to the two flamethrowers the Nationals now deploy at the back of their bullpen. The Nats were...

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After "seesaw" start, Nats want to start climbing uphill

August 16, 2020, 7:46pm

Nationals

After "seesaw" start, Nats want to start climbing uphill

There have been moments over the last 3 1/2 weeks when the Nationals looked very much like legitimate contenders, a team with a deep lineup, a dominant (when healthy) rotation and a revamped bullpen that might actually have morphed into a strength for the first time in a long time. And then there have been moments when the defending champions have looked nothing like the club that played .667 ball for more than six months last year, the current lineup ravaged by injuries and underperforming...

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Juan Soto named NL Player of the Week

August 17, 2020, 11:24am

Nationals

Following a week in which he hit .462 (12-for-26) with one double, five home runs, 12 RBI, three walks, one stolen base and 12 runs scored in seven games during the week, Juan Soto was named National League Player of the Week on Monday. Major League Baseball made the announcement on MLB Network. Soto, 21, led the National League in slugging percentage (1.077), OPS (1.610), home runs (5) and RBI (12) during the week. He hit safely in six of the seven games, drove in runs in five of the seven and...

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Game 19 lineups: Nats at Orioles

August 15, 2020, 8:04pm

Nationals Orioles

BALTIMORE - If you haven't heard, the Nationals have started this 60-game season with a 7-11 record. And if you haven't heard, the equivalent record in a 162-game season would be 19-31. Yes, with 30 percent of the 2020 season completed, the Nats are playing at exactly the same pace they played at through the first 30 percent of the 2019 season. But wait, there's more. At this point last season, the Nationals were scoring 4.38 runs per game. This season, they're scoring 4.39. Their on-base...

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Fedde, bats save the day after Strasburg leaves early (updated)

August 14, 2020, 8:06pm

Nationals Orioles

Fedde, bats save the day after Strasburg leaves early (updated)

BALTIMORE - Given the negative developments that already taken place over the preceding hours since they arrived at Camden Yards for 1 4/9 games of baseball, the Nationals would have been excused if they all threw up their hands in disgust at the sight of Stephen Strasburg walking off the mound with a trainer in the bottom of the first and decided to pack it in for the rest of the night. An early season of injuries, postponements and erratic play had now taken down one of their aces, who...

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Nationals place Stephen Strasburg on injured list

August 15, 2020, 10:44am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals placed right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg on the 10-day Injured List (carpal tunnel neuritis of the right hand) and recalled right-handed pitcher Ryne Harper from the Alternate Training Site (Fredericksburg) on Saturday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Strasburg, 32, went 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA in two starts this season. He tossed 4.1 innings in his first start on Aug. 9 vs. Baltimore. In his last start,...

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Former Oriole and National Hairston recalls grandfather's Negro League career

August 15, 2020, 5:47am

Nationals Orioles

Former Oriole and National Hairston recalls grandfather's Negro League career

The Orioles drafted Jerry Hairston Jr., in 1997, and when he made his big-league debut at Camden Yards against the Angels on Sept. 11, 1998, the Hairstons became the first African-American family to have three generations play in the major leagues. Hairston hit 26 home runs with the Orioles from 1998 through 2004 and then played with eight other teams, including the 2011 Nationals. His grandfather, Sam, played for the Birmingham Barons and won the Negro American League Triple Crown for the 1950...

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Strasburg departs in first inning with apparent injury

August 14, 2020, 5:41pm

Nationals Orioles

Strasburg departs in first inning with apparent injury

BALTIMORE - Stephen Strasburg's hand doesn't appear to be OK after all. Strasburg had to come out of tonight's game against the Orioles after throwing only 16 pitches, his velocity down and his command off, the nerve issue in his right hand that prevented him from making his first two starts of the season evidently causing a problem again. The Nationals were hoping Strasburg would be fine five days after he made his delayed 2020 debut against this same Orioles lineup in D.C. After that...

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Bacus promoted, Harper optioned but could still pitch tonight

August 14, 2020, 12:53pm

Nationals Orioles

Bacus promoted, Harper optioned but could still pitch tonight

BALTIMORE - The Nationals made another change to their bullpen prior to today's resumption of Sunday's suspended game against the Orioles, promoting right-hander Dakota Bacus and optioning right-hander Ryne Harper to their alternate training site in Fredericksburg. But that doesn't necessarily mean Harper won't make an appearance at Camden Yards before the night is over. Because clubs are allowed to add a 29th man to their active roster for the regularly scheduled nine-inning game coming...

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Bats silent, Castro hurt as Nats lose suspended game (updated)

August 14, 2020, 2:14pm

Nationals Orioles

Bats silent, Castro hurt as Nats lose suspended game (updated)

BALTIMORE - The Nationals took the field late this afternoon at Camden Yards, the first team to take the field despite the fact this is not their home, and set about to correct what went wrong Sunday at Nationals Park, when a malfunctioning tarp forced the suspension of their game with the Orioles, who led 5-2 at the time. When this resumed game finally ended today, they had done nothing to correct their mistakes from Sunday. If anything, they raised more questions in this 6-2 loss that...

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Infield prospect GarcÃa called up after Castro breaks wrist

August 14, 2020, 3:56pm

Nationals Orioles

Infield prospect GarcÃa called up after Castro breaks wrist

BALTIMORE - The Nationals' second base plans just took a dramatic turn in a direction they probably weren't expecting to go in August 2020. After Starlin Castro broke his right wrist making a diving play during today's resumption of Sunday's suspended game, the club promoted top prospect Luis GarcÃa off their traveling taxi squad and put the 20-year-old in their starting lineup for tonight's regularly scheduled game against the Orioles. Castro's injury came as he dove for Bryan...

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Nationals select contract of infielder Luis GarcÃa

August 14, 2020, 4:40pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of infielder Luis GarcÃa and placed infielder Starlin Castro on the 10-day Injured List (broken right wrist) on Friday. Additionally, the Nationals transferred left-handed pitcher Sam Freeman to the 60-day Injured List (left flexor mass strain). Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. GarcÃa, 20, is considered the No. 2 prospect in Washington's Minor League system, according to both...

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What you need to know about today's games in Baltimore

August 13, 2020, 7:15pm

Nationals Orioles

What you need to know about today's games in Baltimore

The 2020 season has already included, and will continue to include, some weird days. Today might end up ranking near the top of the list, though, from the Nationals' perspective. The Nats are scheduled to open a three-game weekend series with the Orioles at Camden Yards. But before the two teams can do that, they first need to complete the suspended game they began at Nationals Park on Sunday. With the Nationals as the home team, even though they'll be playing in Baltimore. With a roster that...

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Nationals select contract of right-hander Dakota Bacus

August 14, 2020, 11:57am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Dakota Bacus and optioned right-handed pitcher Ryne Harper to the Alternate Training Site (Fredericksburg) on Friday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Bacus, 29, joins the active roster for the first time in his career, and will make his Major League debut with his first appearance. In eight Minor League seasons entering the 2020 campaign, Bacus went 42-25 with...

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Voth's short start sets up Romero's rough debut in loss (updated)

August 13, 2020, 12:37pm

Nationals

Voth's short start sets up Romero's rough debut in loss (updated)

Draw up a recipe for pitching trouble, and this is what you'd come up with: After last night's starter went 2 2/3 innings, and with 1 4/9 games on tomorrow's schedule, the Nationals knew they needed quality and length from Austin Voth in today's series finale at Citi Field. Voth often provides quality, but the length part still eludes the young right-hander. Which meant by bottom of the fifth this afternoon, Davey Martinez had little choice but to put a left-hander whose last competitive...

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Bullpen changes coming today after Freeman injured

August 12, 2020, 8:40pm

Nationals

Bullpen changes coming today after Freeman injured

The Nationals are expected to get one key veteran back in their bullpen today, but they may be losing their only effective left-hander for a prolonged stretch. Sam Freeman, who had been a surprise revelation through the season's first three weeks, departed Wednesday night's 11-6 loss to the Mets after telling manager Davey Martinez and director of athletic training Paul Lessard he felt a "pop" in his elbow. The Nationals have initially diagnosed Freeman with a flexor strain in his left...

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Game 16 lineups: Nats at Mets (Doolittle to IL, Romero promoted)

August 13, 2020, 8:53am

Nationals

Game 16 lineups: Nats at Mets (Doolittle to IL, Romero promoted)

For all the issues they've got right now - and there are issues - the Nationals have a chance today to win a series against a division rival. A four-game series, at that. After taking the first two games at Citi Field, then dropping Wednesday night's not-so-pretty contest, the Nats go back at it against the Mets this afternoon for the finale. The forecast in New York (just like here in D.C.) isn't great, but they'll give it a go and hope for the best. The Nationals really need quality...

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Nationals select the contract of Seth Romero

August 13, 2020, 8:48am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Seth Romero and placed left-handed pitcher Sean Doolittle on the 10-day Injured List (retroactive to Aug. 11) with right knee fatigue on Thursday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Romero, 24, was Washington's first round pick (No. 25 overall) in the 2017 First-Year Player Draft. He is the No. 13 prospect in the Nationals system and has the "Best Slider" among...

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Bullpen rounding into form, even with Doolittle on the outs

August 11, 2020, 10:02pm

Nationals

Bullpen rounding into form, even with Doolittle on the outs

Every team enters every season thinking it has its bullpen plan in place. Who's going to close. Who's going to set up. Who's going to get lefties out. Who's going to pitch out of jams. And then the season begins, and every team realizes that plan going in isn't going to work and has to start adjusting on the fly. Truth be told, it takes months for a bullpen to truly take shape. A manager needs to see how different pitchers handle different situations. He needs to see who's healthy and...

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Nationals reinstate Will Harris

August 13, 2020, 6:44am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals reinstated right-handed pitcher Will Harris from the 10-day Injured List and placed pitcher Sam Freeman on the 10-day Injured List with a left flexor mass strain on Thursday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Harris, 35, appeared in two games prior to being placed on the Injured List on July 31 (retroactive to July 29) with a right groin strain. He allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits with two walks...