nationals

Nats' depth a key to run for wild card berth

August 15, 2019, 4:14am

Bench players have turned into starters throughout the season to help the Nationals turn things around. The first spark was from Gerardo Parra, who arrived in May from the Giants. Parra and his "Baby Shark" started it all off with a grand slam against the Dodgers. The most recent spark has come from veteran AsdrÃºbal Cabrera, in his second stint with the Nats after playing in Washington for 49 games in 2014. Cabrera started the season with 93 games for Texas. Cabrera went 3-for-5 with two...

Comments

Tags:

asdrubal cabrera byron kerr davey martinez gerardo parra howie kendrick matt adams nationals reds stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Mid-game offensive explosion lifts Nats to series sweep (updated)

August 14, 2019, 3:44pm

Nationals

Mid-game offensive explosion lifts Nats to series sweep (updated)

It's been a consistent pattern all summer long. The Nationals face an opposing pitcher they've rarely - if ever - faced before, need several innings to feel the guy out and then suddenly string together a bunch of hits to knock the previously effective starter out of the game. They've done it to several opponents, some rookies, some veterans who they haven't seen much before for whatever reason. But they've never done it like they did it to Trevor Bauer this afternoon during a 17-7 pasting...

Comments

Tags:

adam eaton anthony rendon cincinnati reds kurt suzuki mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Dozier and others on team expecting baby Nats soon

August 14, 2019, 10:10am

Nationals

Dozier and others on team expecting baby Nats soon

Nationals of the future are on the way with the wives of Brian Dozier, Daniel Hudson and Hunter Strickland expecting babies very soon. I asked Dozier before today's game when the due date is for his wife, Renee, for their first baby girl and he semi-joked "in about an hour". Dozier is not in the starting lineup today. But Nationals manager Davey Martinez said there is another reason for the day off. Dozier got stepped on sliding into third base in Tuesday's win over the Reds. "It's on its...

Comments

Tags:

brian dozier byron kerr daniel hudson davey martinez hunter strickland nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Strasburg and Bauer trade blows early (Nats win 17-7)

August 14, 2019, 1:31pm

Nationals

Strasburg and Bauer trade blows early (Nats win 17-7)

In the bottom of the third, Victor Robles singled and stole second base against Reds starter Trevor Bauer. Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg sacrificed Robles to third base. Trea Turner smacked a sacrifice fly to deep left field that scored Robles with the first run of the game. Strasburg allowed only one hit in the first three innings. After three innings, the Nats lead the Reds 1-0. Update: In the top of the fourth, Eugenio SuÃ¡rez and Josh VanMeter singled to start a Reds rally....

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr nationals reds stephen strasburg trevor bauer frontfeatured_nationals

Scherzer: "I think I'm ready to pitch in the big leagues"

August 14, 2019, 11:09am

Nationals

Scherzer: "I think I'm ready to pitch in the big leagues"

Max Scherzer insists he's ready to pitch. Now. In the big leagues. As soon as the Nationals will let him. Which is the real issue, to be honest. Scherzer may believe he's ready to return from the injured list this weekend, but he may be at the mercy of the Nationals' medical and coaching staffs. "It'll come down to me and the medical staff, yeah," manager Davey Martinez said. "Like I said, we're going to be very conscious, and we'll see where we're at. The good news is that he feels...

Comments

Tags:

davey martinez injuries mark zuckerman max scherzer milwaukee brewers nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Game 120 lineups: Nats vs. Reds

August 14, 2019, 8:21am

Nationals

In turning their season around, the Nationals have rebounded from a low point of 12 games under .500 to a high point of nine games over .500. They've had several chances to climb to 10 games over but to date haven't been able to reach that level. They'll get another chance today as they attempt to sweep the Reds. Stephen Strasburg takes the ball, looking to pick up where he left off Friday night in New York and earn his league-leading 15th win of the season. Strasburg has enjoyed success...

Comments

Tags:

cincinnati reds lineups mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime stephen strasburg frontstory_nationals2

Robles shows off Gold Glove arm in center field again

August 14, 2019, 3:56am

Nationals

Robles shows off Gold Glove arm in center field again

Game situation: top of the sixth and one away, the Nationals lead the Reds 3-0, pinch-hitter JosÃ© Peraza walks with one out. Jesse Winker singles to center field. Men on first and third. Right? Not so fast. As this scenario played out in yesterday's game, Nats center fielder Victor Robles picked up the ball in center field and fired a dart to third baseman Anthony Rendon, who made a diving tag to nail Peraza as he slid into third base. Victor Robles had to go get a ball in the right-center...

Comments

Tags:

brian dozier byron kerr davey martinez juan soto nationals reds victor robles featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Hudson delivers four outs for first save with Nationals

August 13, 2019, 8:00pm

Nationals

When Daniel Hudson trotted in from the bullpen with two outs in the eighth Tuesday night, many among the crowd of 30,130 at Nationals Park may have been wondering whether Davey Martinez intended to ask his recently acquired reliever to give him a four-out save, or whether Martinez simply wanted him to get out of the inning before handing the ball to someone else for the ninth. Hudson didn't need to ask the question. He already knew the plan hours earlier. "Davey told me before the game to be...

Comments

Tags:

cincinnati reds daniel hudson davey martinez mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Ross dominates again, bullpen pieces together the rest (updated)

August 13, 2019, 5:44pm

Nationals

Ross dominates again, bullpen pieces together the rest (updated)

The longest scoreless innings streak from a member of the Nationals pitching staff this season doesn't belong to Max Scherzer. It doesn't belong to Stephen Strasburg. It doesn't belong to Patrick Corbin. And it doesn't belong to Sean Doolittle. It belongs to Joe Ross. And if that fact doesn't surprise you, you haven't been paying close attention to the 2019 season. Given up for dead by everyone other than the folks who call the shots in the Nationals organization, Ross has completely...

Comments

Tags:

brian dozier cincinnati reds daniel hudson joe ross juan soto mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime wander suero featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Injury and ailment no big deal for Soto and Dozier in 3-1 win

August 13, 2019, 7:00pm

Nationals

Injury and ailment no big deal for Soto and Dozier in 3-1 win

It appears Juan Soto's ankle is just fine. So is Brian Dozier's stomach. Soto and Dozier crushed solo homers in the fourth inning, providing Joe Ross and the bullpen enough breathing room to help the Nationals drop the Reds 3-1. Soto hit home run No. 25 into the second deck of right field to give the Nats a 2-0 lead. It was his fourth homer in his last 10 at-bats. The 20-year-old said he has been fine-tuning his swing with the Nats hitting coach Kevin Long. "I feel really well at the...

Comments

Tags:

brian dozier byron kerr joe ross juan soto nationals reds featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

After sim game, Nats must decide if Scherzer is ready to return

August 13, 2019, 1:59pm

Nationals

After sim game, Nats must decide if Scherzer is ready to return

Max Scherzer emerged from a simulated game at Nationals Park this afternoon feeling "really good," perhaps good enough to convince club officials to let the ace return from the injured list without facing live hitters again. That determination won't be made for a few more days, not until Scherzer has a chance to see how his upper back recovers from today's two-inning-plus session and he attempts to throw off a mound again Thursday. But the fact it's even being considered is extremely...

Comments

Tags:

davey martinez mark zuckerman max scherzer milwaukee brewers nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Soto and Dozier go yard (Nats win 3-1)

August 13, 2019, 4:15pm

Nationals

The Nationals scored first on an interesting double play to end the top of the first inning. With one out, Victor Robles doubled. Anthony Rendon singled with Robles taking third base. Juan Soto's hot shot was gloved by Joey Votto at first. Votto stepped on first to retire Soto, then threw to shortstop JosÃ© Iglesias to tag Rendon out at second base. When Votto stepped on first base, that eliminated the force out. Robles crossed the plate before Rendon was tagged out at second base, so the...

Comments

Tags:

brian dozier byron kerr joe ross juan soto nationals reds frontfeatured_nationals

Soto and Dozier return to the starting lineup

August 13, 2019, 1:30pm

Nationals

Soto and Dozier return to the starting lineup

It turns out that left fielder Juan Soto's right ankle is good to go and he is back in the starting lineup for tonight's game against the Reds. Soto was injured rounding third base late in Sunday's win over the Mets and had to leave the game. Nationals manager Davey Martinez said he had to hold Soto back from trying to get into Monday night's game as well. "He checked all the boxes. We got him on the field, he ran angles. He turned like he was running the bases. The biggest thing was the...

Comments

Tags:

brian dozier byron kerr davey martinez erick fedde joe ross juan soto nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

As Doolittle deals with summer grind, Nats bringing back Holland

August 12, 2019, 8:47pm

Nationals

As Doolittle deals with summer grind, Nats bringing back Holland

Sean Doolittle admitted it. After pitching for the 52nd time in 118 games - a rate that leaves him on pace to establish a new career high with 71 appearances by season's end - and in five of the Nationals' last seven games, the club's closer admitted his gas tank is running low. "I mean, that's 5-of-7, in the middle of August, in the first season (in a long time) where I'm still going," Doolittle said with a chuckle. "I haven't put together a season like this in a while. I'm starting...

Comments

Tags:

bullpen davey martinez greg holland mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime sean doolittle featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Game 119 lineups: Nats vs. Reds

August 13, 2019, 11:22am

Nationals

The forecast tonight isn't great, but for now, the Nationals and Reds are intending to play the second game of their series. Given the fact this is Cincinnati's only trip here this year, and tomorrow's finale is scheduled for 4:05 p.m., there's certainly motivation to get this one in tonight as scheduled. The Nationals have several players back in the lineup, headlined by Juan Soto. Turns out Soto will have missed only one game after spraining his right ankle rounding third base Sunday in...

Comments

Tags:

brian dozier howie kendrick juan soto lineups mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime frontstory_nationals1

Fedde sharp again, bullpen hangs on for 7-6 win (updated)

August 12, 2019, 6:18pm

Nationals

Fedde sharp again, bullpen hangs on for 7-6 win (updated)

This was supposed to be the weak link of the Nationals organization: pitching depth. And when Max Scherzer went back on the injured list three weeks ago, there was ample reason to fear the worst out of the two guys who had now been thrust into the back end of the rotation: Erick Fedde and Joe Ross. Except those guys haven't been the problem, not in the least. The two right-handers have now each turned in back-to-back quality performances, all of them resulting in victories. Tonight it was...

Comments

Tags:

cincinnati reds erick fedde mark zuckerman matt adams nationals nationals pastime sean doolittle tanner rainey trea turner featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Turner and Eaton provide ignition for Nats' heavy hitters

August 12, 2019, 4:31pm

Nationals

Turner and Eaton provide ignition for Nats' heavy hitters

An important igniter to the Nationals offense recently has been the at-bats of their No. 1 and No. 2 hitters: Trea Turner and Adam Eaton. On Friday night in New York, the pair demonstrated their ability by getting on base seven times and scoring three runs. On Sunday, they again combined for three runs on two hits and a walk. In those two games, they totaled three stolen bases. Nationals manager Davey Martinez noticed what Turner can do leading off and with his quick glove on the infield....

Comments

Tags:

adam eaton anthony rendon byron kerr davey martinez juan soto nationals trea turner featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Updates on Soto, Scherzer, ElÃas and more (Nats up 6-2)

August 12, 2019, 2:09pm

Nationals

Updates on Soto, Scherzer, ElÃas and more (Nats up 6-2)

Juan Soto's not in the lineup but feeling much better about his right ankle than he did 24 hours earlier. Howie Kendrick's not in the lineup but back on the active roster and available to pinch-hit tonight. Max Scherzer is ready to face live hitters for the first time in three weeks. Ryan Zimmerman and Roenis ElÃas are making progress but still have major hurdles to cross before returning from the injured list. And Brian Dozier is sick. That's your daily Nationals injury update. And it's...

Comments

Tags:

brian dozier howie kendrick injuries juan soto mark zuckerman max scherzer nationals nationals pastime roenis elias ryan zimmerman featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Game 118 lineups: Nats vs. Reds (Kendrick activated)

August 12, 2019, 11:21am

Nationals

Game 118 lineups: Nats vs. Reds (Kendrick activated)

The Nationals are back home after a long and eventful road trip that started in Arizona with three new relievers, continued in San Francisco with a sweep and then concluded with a wild weekend in New York. Now they are right back at it with a week of home games against the Reds and Brewers. And they've got a familiar face back on their active roster (though not the lineup). Howie Kendrick is back after a brief stint on the injured list with a strained hamstring. Kendrick was activated this...

Comments

Tags:

andrew stevenson cincinnati reds erick fedde gerardo parra howie kendrick juan soto lineups mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime frontstory_nationals2

SÃ¡nchez and the bullpen played big parts in Nats' win Sunday

August 12, 2019, 3:29am

Nationals

SÃ¡nchez and the bullpen played big parts in Nats' win Sunday

Nationals right-hander AnÃbal SÃ¡nchez was once again able to do his job, holding the Mets to three runs in five innings of work. The only big inning for New York came in the second when they scored three runs on five hits. Joe Panik got the Mets on the board with an RBI single and Jeff McNeil tied the game at 3-3 on a two-run double. AsdrÃºbal Cabrera came through with a late two-run double of his own t make it 5-3 and Victor Robles sealed the win with a two-run shot in the ninth inning...