Game 101 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies (game to start at 8:45 p.m.)

Game 101 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies (game to start at 8:45 p.m.)
The Nationals edged the Rockies 3-2 in Game 1 of today's doubleheader at Nationals Park. The Nats are now through 100 games in the 2019 campaign, sporting a 35-15 record since May 24, and are 22-9 since May 2 at Nats Park and have swept three straight doubleheaders. Tonight they look for four in a row. The Rockies are going in the opposite direction: 7-20 since June 21 and 3-15 since June 30. After the first game, the Nationals optioned right-hander Erick Fedde to Triple-A Fresno and called up...

Corbin taxed early but keeps score down (Nats win 2-0)

Corbin taxed early but keeps score down (Nats win 2-0)
Left-hander Patrick Corbin was wild to begin game two, having to labor to just get out of the first inning. The southpaw allowed a leadoff single to Charlie Blackmon and two walks in the first inning but escaped without allowing a run thanks to a big double play ignited by Anthony Rendon. However, Corbin was taxed for 27 pitches. Then Corbin fired three strikeouts in the second inning. In the third, the Rockies Trevor Story belted a one-out triple. But Corbin managed to wiggle out of trouble...

Game 100 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies

Game 100 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies
After a thrilling Tuesday night at the ballpark - thrilling, at least, once Trea Turner completed his second career cycle in the bottom of the seventh - the Nationals are right back at the park this morning for what promises to be a long day and night of baseball. Monday's rainout - did it ever actually rain during the evening hours? - forced them to schedule a day-night doubleheader today. The good news: The Nats were able to avoid burning up their bullpen during an 11-1 win over the Rockies....

Adams back in spotlight with Zimmerman on IL (Nats up 2-1)

Adams back in spotlight with Zimmerman on IL (Nats up 2-1)
Matt Adams has been in this position before. It happened last year. It happened earlier this year. Adams has known throughout his tenure with the Nationals that his playing time would be limited when Ryan Zimmerman was healthy. But he's also known he would need to step in and become a regular if and when Zimmerman suffered injury, an all-too-frequent occurrence in recent years. So when Zimmerman went down Sunday night with a recurrence of the plantar fasciitis that sidelined him two months...

Strasburg mixes his pitches again for sixth straight victory

Strasburg mixes his pitches again for sixth straight victory
Right-hander Stephen Strasburg kept an aggressive Colorado batting order guessing on Tuesday night, allowing his club to build a steady lead before the Nationals blew the Rockies away in the end, 11-1, before 22,612 at Nats Park. Strasburg tossed six shutout innings for his sixth straight win, matching the second-longest streak of his career, pushing his record to 13-4. He surrendered only three hits, struck out eight, and walked two. The three base hits were doubles by Trevor Story and Charlie...

Turner hits for second career cycle in Nats' romp (updated)

Turner hits for second career cycle in Nats' romp (updated)
The first time he did it - on a frigid, 43-degree Denver night in April 2017 - Trea Turner's accomplishment could perhaps be chalked up in part to the conditions. Yes, he hit for the cycle, but he did it at Coors Field, where nine different major leaguers have done it in the ballpark's 25-year history. "For me, it's hard to get that triple," he said. "And at Coors Field, it's a little bit easier." This time, however, Turner did it on a comfortable, 77-degree July evening at Nationals...

Scherzer set to return Thursday (and face Braves three times)

Scherzer set to return Thursday (and face Braves three times)
Barring any setbacks in the next 48 hours, the Nationals plan to activate Max Scherzer off the injured list for Thursday's series finale against the Rockies, a decision they are admittedly making in part because it would then line him up for several key starts the rest of the season ... including a potential wild card game in October. Yep, they've extrapolated the schedule out that far, just to make sure. More on that in a moment. Of more immediate consequence, Scherzer continues to pass...

Voth, Zimmerman and Strasburg notes (Nats win 11-1)

Voth, Zimmerman and Strasburg notes (Nats win 11-1)
With Monday's rainout and a doubleheader scheduled for Wednesday, the Nationals now have an opening Saturday in the second game of the Dodgers series. That could be a spot for right-hander Joe Ross to start. Right-hander Austin Voth, who last made a start July 16 in Baltimore, was placed on the injured list yesterday with right bicep tendinitis. Manager Davey Martinez said today that Voth had a setback when he tried to throw Monday and will have to go in for an MRI. "He threw a little bit and...

Game 99 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies

Game 99 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies
And we're back. The Nationals got an unexpected (but probably needed) night off with Monday's postponement (rain optional) so now they're rested and refreshed for tonight's delayed start of a four-game series with the Rockies. They better have caught up on their sleep, though, because they've now got to play four games in the span of about 51 hours. It begins tonight with Stephen Strasburg (tonight's originally scheduled starter for the Nationals) against Peter Lambert (Monday's...

Renewed confidence in four-seam gets Blazek back to bigs

Renewed confidence in four-seam gets Blazek back to bigs
The Nationals made a somewhat surprising move to shore up their bullpen with addition of veteran right-hander Michael Blazek on Monday. Right-hander Justin Miller was moved to the 60-day injured list and right-hander Kyle McGowin was optioned to Double-A Harrisburg. The 30-year-old Blazek has not pitched in the majors since 2017, having spent most of his career with the Brewers. His best season was 2015, when he went 5-3 with a 2.43 ERA in 47 games for Milwaukee. Nationals manager Davey...

Scherzer "feels good" after bullpen session; Zimmerman back to IL

Scherzer "feels good" after bullpen session; Zimmerman back to IL
He did not come right out and say it, but because today's bullpen session went so well, it is likely that right-hander Max Scherzer will be back Thursday or Friday after recovering from bursitis in his right shoulder. Scherzer said Monday's bullpen session at Nats Park went exactly as planned and he felt at full strength. "Got off the mound, did a full bullpen," Scherzer reported. "Everything feels good. Ball comes out of my hand exactly how it should feel like, at 100 percent. Been...

Nats facing major obstacles as trade deadline approaches

Nats facing major obstacles as trade deadline approaches
ATLANTA - As he tries to navigate his way through these final days before the July 31 trade deadline, Mike Rizzo has to cope with the following realties: * The Nationals need bullpen help. * Their list of desirable prospects isn't nearly as long as it has been in the past. * They can't afford to take on much more salary without surpassing the league's luxury tax threshold, something the organization is openly saying it won't do. * Almost every contending team is also in the market for...

Game 99 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies (game postponed)

Game 99 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies (game postponed)
The Nationals wanted to win at least three of four in Atlanta this weekend. But they instead hold steady at 6 1/2 games back in the National League East after splitting four games, falling 7-1 in Sunday night's series finale at SunTrust Park. Now the Nats return home for 10 games through July 31, beginning with four games against the Colorado Rockies. The Dodgers and Braves also visit D.C. this week and next. The Rockies are in a mile-high tailspin, losers of seven out of their first nine...

Nationals' streaks end in lopsided loss to Braves

Nationals' streaks end in lopsided loss to Braves
ATLANTA - If the streak was going to end, this probably felt like the night it would happen, with the backup to the backup starter on the mound. If a member of the Nationals rotation was going to take a loss for the first time in 28 games, Joe Ross was a good candidate. And yet tonight's 7-1 loss to the Braves can't really be pinned on Ross, who did all the Nats could have asked of him under the circumstances. He gave them a chance to win. "He looked good," manager Davey Martinez said. "He...

Nationals announce roster moves

Nationals announce roster moves
The Washington Nationals made the following roster moves on Monday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Michael Blazek from Triple-A Fresno Recalled outfielder Andrew Stevenson from Triple-A Fresno Placed first baseman Ryan Zimmerman on the 10-day Injured List with plantar fasciitis in his right foot Transferred right-handed pitcher Justin Miller to the 60-day Injured List Optioned...

Zimmerman appears to re-injure heel (Nats down 3-0)

Zimmerman appears to re-injure heel (Nats down 3-0)
ATLANTA - Ryan Zimmerman's return from plantar fasciitis appears to have lasted only three weeks. Zimmerman winced as he ran down the first base line for an infield single in the top of the second inning tonight at SunTrust Park and had to depart the Nationals' series finale against the Braves. The Nationals didn't immediately announce a reason for Zimmerman's departure, but it appeared he aggravated the same right heel injury that sidelined him from late April through late June. The...

Scherzer aiming to return Thursday, Voth heads to IL

Scherzer aiming to return Thursday, Voth heads to IL
ATLANTA - The Nationals are preparing for Max Scherzer to return to the rotation Thursday afternoon and start their series finale against the Rockies. Scherzer, who hasn't pitched since July 6 due to an inflamed bursa sac underneath his right shoulder blade, continues to feel better from a cortisone shot he received earlier in the week. Manager Davey Martinez said the right-hander is scheduled to throw a full bullpen session Monday afternoon at Nationals Park. "We'll see how that goes,"...

Nats-Braves games have become must-see TV

Nats-Braves games have become must-see TV
ATLANTA - Sean Doolittle, still on something of an emotional high after notching a five-out save Saturday night, was asked about the significance of extending himself beyond his normal workload for this particular game. "I think just where we're at right now in the season - the standings, against the Braves, especially after losing a tough one last night - I don't know if tonight was necessarily a must-win game, but it was definitely a big win for us," he said. "It was kind of all hands on...

Game 98 lineups: Nats at Braves

Game 98 lineups: Nats at Braves
ATLANTA - The Nationals have a chance to take three of four from the Braves with a win in tonight's series finale. They would've loved to have Max Scherzer on the mound for this one, as originally hoped, but that won't happen. They planned to have Austin Voth on the mound, but that won't happen either. The right-hander has been placed on the 10-day injured list with right biceps tendinitis. So it's Plan C, and that's Joe Ross. It's been a weird season for Ross, to say the least. He's...

Doolittle gets five outs to preserve Nats' tense win (updated)

Doolittle gets five outs to preserve Nats' tense win (updated)
ATLANTA - Davey Martinez wasn't willing to use Sean Doolittle in the ninth inning Friday night. He was willing to use his closer in the eighth inning tonight. And the Nationals manager was rewarded for his aggressive pitching maneuver with a nip-and-tuck victory that ensures his team will at worst split this weekend's series against the division leaders. Doolittle, making his first appearance in a week, recorded five outs to preserve the Nationals' 5-3 win over the Braves, a tense affair...