nationals

More on Soto heroics, Scherzer, Rendon, Corbin and 30-11 run

July 13, 2019, 8:37pm

PHILADELPHIA - More notes from the Nationals' stunning 4-3 late inning comeback win over the Phillies. Juan Soto has pulled off three career go-ahead homers in the ninth inning or later to win games for the Nationals. All came at Citizens Bank Park: September 11, 2018: Soto hits solo homer lifts Nats to 7-6 lead (Nats trailed 6-3). April 9, 2019: Soto hits three-run shot in 10-6 win in 10 innings (Nats trailed 6-1). July 13, 2019: Soto hits two-run homer in ninth of 4-3 win (Nats trailed...

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Game 92 lineups: Nats at Phillies

July 14, 2019, 4:21am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have won six of their last seven series thanks to their 4-3 comeback win here Saturday night. They are 9-4 against the Phillies this season and have a 2 1/2 game lead over them in the National League wild card race. The Nats lead Milwaukee by two games for the top overall wild card. The Nationals have won a franchise-best 30 of their last 41 games to vault back into the postseason picture. Left-hander Patrick Corbin, who put together a quality start Saturday night...

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Ready for splitter, Soto hammers homer for 4-3 Nationals victory

July 13, 2019, 8:02pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Juan Soto knew what pitch was coming. And he hit it out of Citizens Bank Park. With the game on the line, the 20-year-old connected on a splitter from Phillies closer HÃ©ctor Neris and slammed a line drive well over the left-center field wall. The two-out, two-run shot came on the first pitch from Neris in the top of the ninth inning and was Soto's 16th of the season. Down 3-0, the Nationals rallied for stunning 4-3 comeback victory over the Phillies, thanks to Soto's...

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Max Scherzer to injured list, S. Kieboom recalled (Nats win 4-3)

July 13, 2019, 2:07pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer to injured list, S. Kieboom recalled (Nats win 4-3)

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have placed right-hander Max Scherzer on the injured list with a mid-back strain, retroactive to July 10. That means Scherzer, who previously was scratched from a scheduled Sunday start, would be eligible to return July 20 at Atlanta. Catcher Spencer Kieboom has been recalled from Double-A Harrisburg to take Scherzer's spot on the roster. Kieboom is hitting .213 with seven doubles, one homer and 11 RBIs in 38 games for the Senators. Scherzer looked like was good to...

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Soto's big catch shows defensive improvement

July 13, 2019, 3:35am

Nationals

Soto's big catch shows defensive improvement

PHILADELPHIA - Juan Soto continues to do Juan Soto things. This time it was on defense. In the bottom of the fourth Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, the Nationals led 2-0 as the dangerous Rhys Hoskins stepped in against Stephen Strasburg. Hoskins got a hold of a 1-2 88-mph changeup and drove it to deep left field. Soto tracked the ball toward the left field foul pole. He timed his jump perfectly, leaping back, crashing into the wall and making the catch as he fell to the ground. Hoskins was...

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Game 91 lineups: Nats at Phillies

July 13, 2019, 9:36am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Following the All-Star break, the Nationals could not have asked for a better start to the second part of their season. Stephen Strasburg was solid and Victor Robles contributed a big hit early as the Nats shut out the Phillies 4-0 in the opener of a key National League East series. It was the second time this season the Nats have shut out Philadelphia and is their seventh shutout of the season. The Nats lead the season series 8-4 and have won four straight games against their...

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Scherzer believes "Tuesday's realistic" for return from sore back

July 12, 2019, 6:58pm

Nationals

Scherzer believes "Tuesday's realistic" for return from sore back

PHILADELPHIA - Max Scherzer's back is still sore, and despite being scratched from Sunday's start here at Citizens Bank Park, he believes he will be back for Tuesday's series opener in Baltimore against the Orioles. "Tuesday's realistic," Scherzer confirmed Friday night after his club shut out the Phillies 4-0. "That's what we're hoping for. That's where we're just in a matter of days here. This is not a major thing. We know exactly what this is. We know it's muscular. "The pause...

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Strasburg battles through early jam to top Phillies 4-0

July 12, 2019, 6:33pm

Nationals

Strasburg battles through early jam to top Phillies 4-0

PHILADELPHIA - Stephen Strasburg wanted to pick up where he left off. Even with nine days between starts, the big right-hander returned from the All-Star break and continued to shut down opponents. The Nationals provided quick run support and Strasburg got out of an early jam, then fought through six innings in a 4-0 win at Philadelphia before a sold-out 42,318 at Citizens Bank Park. Strasburg has not allowed a run in his last two starts, spanning 13 1/3 innings, both victories over division...

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Grace focusing on craft despite lack of use (Nats win 4-0)

July 12, 2019, 2:42pm

Nationals

Grace focusing on craft despite lack of use (Nats win 4-0)

PHILADELPHIA - After making 28 appearances in the first two months of the season, left-hander Matt Grace has been called upon only nine times since June 1. He struggled in May, posting a 9.82 ERA in 12 appearances. After allowing runs June 20 and 22, he wasn't called on for almost another two weeks. Grace has started 0-1 with a 5.94 ERA in those 37 games. He has not given up a run in his two July appearances, so he feels like that is something to slowly build on. "It goes in waves. It is what...

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Scherzer pushed back "a couple of days," SÃ¡nchez to start Sunday

July 12, 2019, 1:04pm

Nationals

Scherzer pushed back "a couple of days," SÃ¡nchez to start Sunday

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have decided to push Max Scherzer's start back a couple more days. The right-hander will not start Sunday, as was orginally planned, due to continued back tightness. "He was sore after his last start," said Nationals manager Davey Martinez. "He had an MRI during the break. Came back negative. But he is sore. So we talked and we decided just push him back a couple days and see how he feels. We are at a point now where he went through an unbelievable run and...

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As second half opens, Nats try to sustain positive momentum

July 11, 2019, 8:37pm

Nationals

As second half opens, Nats try to sustain positive momentum

With a torrid, 6 1/2 week stretch to close out the first half of the season, the Nationals got themselves into a pennant race that felt entirely out of reach when they were 19-31 and owned the National League's second-worst record. Now comes the tricky part: sustaining the turnaround and making sure the last 6 1/2 weeks were not in vain. And doing that while facing much stiffer competition than this previous stretch offered. The schedule the Nationals face to open the second half is no joke....

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Game 90 lineups: Nats at Phillies

July 12, 2019, 9:18am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals arrive in Pennsylvania tonight as the hottest team in baseball, 8-2 over their last 10 games and 28-11 since a unpleasant start to the season. The offense is clicking, the bullpen is holding its own, the defense is showing off and the starting pitching is what the Nats expected from the start of the campaign. But manager Davey Martinez is cautiously optimistic as they begin a critical series against the Phillies tonight at Citizens Bank Park. "I look at what we...

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Five key second-half storylines for the Nationals

July 10, 2019, 8:01pm

Nationals

The Nationals are going to be playing meaningful baseball through the rest of the summer, and perhaps into the fall. Given the state of things only seven weeks ago, that's a pretty remarkable development in its own right. Of course, the Nationals' goal was never simply to be playing meaningful baseball the rest of the way. They want to make sure it all ends with even more meaningful baseball. And to do that, they're going to need to overcome some more obstacles and make some critical...

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Voth seeks to fine-tune fastball glove side as he preps for Orioles

July 10, 2019, 2:15am

Nationals

Voth seeks to fine-tune fastball glove side as he preps for Orioles

Right-hander Austin Voth was unable to set up hitters with his fastball in the spot he wanted to against the Royals last Friday night. When that happens, it has a ripple effect on Voth's other pitches. He ended up throwing 96 pitches in only 4 1/3 innings and allowing four runs. "I'm a little bit, a tick off, I would say," Voth said. "Definitely with my fastball command you can notice that. Like last two games I just haven't been able to stick those fastballs glove side, especially in...

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Barraclough reinstated from injured list, optioned to Harrisburg

July 10, 2019, 7:02am

Nationals

Barraclough reinstated from injured list, optioned to Harrisburg

The Nationals announced that right-hander Kyle Barraclough has been reinstated from the injured list and optioned to Double-A Harrisburg. Barraclough had been on the injured list with a right radial nerve irritation since June 16. He made three rehab appearances at high Single-A Potomac, going 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA. In three innings, he allowed two earned runs on four hits, with no walks and six strikeouts. He surrendered two solo homers. Barraclough was placed at Harrisburg so he can be more...

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Soto's improved defense adds to multi-dimensional talent

July 11, 2019, 3:22am

Nationals

Soto's improved defense adds to multi-dimensional talent

A lot has been made of Juan Soto's big bat and his impact on the offense. But within the last two months heading into the All-Star break, Soto has improved on his tracking in the outfield, and his overall defense has excelled. He is making stellar catches and reading balls hit to his area well. Soto is throwing to the correct cutoff area after retrieving base hits. Nationals third base coach Bobby Henley said Soto has an understanding about his position and is learning to take control of a...

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Nationals' first-half report card

July 09, 2019, 8:40pm

Nationals

The first half of the season officially ended nearly two weeks ago, when the Nationals played their 81st game. They've played eight more since then, which means the season's already 55 percent complete. But this being the All-Star break, and this being the longstanding tradition, everyone just refers to this week as the midway point of the season. Which means this is the time to hand out midterm grades. What a wild first half it was for the Nationals, who looked dead in the water in late May...

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Strasburg brings sinker back with powerful results

July 09, 2019, 3:32am

Nationals

Strasburg brings sinker back with powerful results

Stephen Strasburg had an outstanding first half for the Nationals, rolling to 10 wins. One noticeable secret to his success in 2019 is that he has altered his pitch usage. Strasburg re-introduced his two-seam fastball on a consistent basis for the first time in several seasons. The addition of the sinker has forced hitters to guess more and has made it more difficult to figure out what the right-hander is trying to do on the mound from pitch to pitch. According to Brooks Baseball, Strasburg is...

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By sticking together in tough times, Nats turned season around

July 07, 2019, 9:58pm

Nationals

By sticking together in tough times, Nats turned season around

As the baseball world turned on the Nationals, called for the manager's head and called for the general manager to sell off every valuable part he had for future pieces, those inside the clubhouse who wear the uniform didn't understand why everybody was so eager to abandon ship. Yes, they had just been swept by a Mets team that looked like it was in disarray itself. They had fallen to 12 games under .500 and owned the second-worst record in the National League. But while they admittedly knew...

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Notes on Kieboom, Taylor, Barraclough and Scherzer

July 08, 2019, 3:24am

Nationals

Notes on Kieboom, Taylor, Barraclough and Scherzer

Nationals shortstop prospect Carter Kieboom made a couple of nice impact plays in the All-Star Futures Game on Sunday in Cleveland. Kieboom scooped a grounder near the second base bag and threw the runner out to end the third inning and then followed that up with a single in his next at-bat in the top of the fourth. He came around to score the National League's first run in a 2-2 tie after eight innings. Kieboom finished 1-for-2 with a run scored. Kieboom has slashed .320/.431/.590 with 18...