Former Tigers Sánchez and Rodney guide Nats to 3-1 win

Former Tigers Sánchez and Rodney guide Nats to 3-1 win
DETROIT - A pair of former Tigers World Series pitchers came up big for the Nationals in Friday's series opener. Right-hander Aníbal Sánchez, who pitched for Detroit in the 2012 World Series, returned to his old stomping grounds and dodged trouble for six innings, while Juan Soto demonstrated his power, guiding the Nationals to the 3-1 victory over the Tigers at Comerica Park. The Nationals are now 41-40, moving above .500 for the first time since April 18. Newly signed reliever Fernando...

Game 82 lineups: Nats at Tigers

Game 82 lineups: Nats at Tigers
DETROIT - The Nationals look to go two games above .500 for the first time this season with a win Saturday in the second game of their series versus the Tigers at Comerica Park. Juan Soto continues to do Juan Soto things. His solo homer led off the second inning and set the tone for the Nationals 3-1 win over Detroit Friday night. Aníbal Sánchez tossed six innings allowing one run for his fourth win. "For me it's really important because we set the tone right away and the pitcher too,"...

Zimmerman, Scherzer and Martinez on reversal (Nats win 3-1)

Zimmerman, Scherzer and Martinez on reversal (Nats win 3-1)
DETROIT - Eighty games into the 2019 campaign, the Nationals have turned their season around. The Nats are now 40-40. This did not seem possible in late May. After 50 games, the Nats had 19 wins. The last 30 games, they have won 21. Flash back to May 23: After losing four in a row to the Mets, the Nats were 19-31. From April 19 to May 23, the Nats went 10-23. But in playing .700 baseball for 35 days, the game is fun again. The Nats have been competitive because their starting pitching, offense...

Game 81 lineups: Nats at Tigers

Game 81 lineups: Nats at Tigers
DETROIT - The Nationals are back at .500 for the first time since April 23. In that timeframe, they have played 58 games and fell as many as 12 games under .500 (19-31). They were 10 games out of first place on May 25 and have trimmed the deficit to seven games with nine games remaining until the All-Star break. The Nats have matched the Dodgers as the hottest team in the National League, going 8-2 in their last 10 games. Washington are 2 1/2 games back of the NL wild card. At the end of...

Sources: Taylor optioned to clear spot for Zimmerman

Sources: Taylor optioned to clear spot for Zimmerman
Ryan Zimmerman's return to the Nationals' active roster will come at the expense of Michael A. Taylor's longstanding place on it. The Nationals optioned Taylor to Double-A Harrisburg following last night's win in Miami to clear a spot on the 25-man roster for Zimmerman, who will be activated off the injured list before tonight's series opener in Detroit, according to multiple sources familiar with the transaction. Zimmerman returns nearly nine weeks after he was placed on the 10-day IL...

Zimmerman "happy to be back," Martinez wants Taylor to play every day

Zimmerman "happy to be back," Martinez wants Taylor to play every day
DETROIT - The Nationals reinstated veteran first baseman Ryan Zimmerman from the injured list in time for their series opener here tonight against the Tigers. Zimmerman has been out since April 28, missing 53 games with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Zimmerman played in five rehab games from June 21-26 with Double-A Harrisburg, where he hit .188 in 16 at-bats. But more importantly, he ramped up to a full nine innings to see how his right heel would feel after that much standing up...

Strasburg finishes strong, Adams stays hot

Strasburg finishes strong, Adams stays hot
MIAMI - Stephen Strasburg has looked better. But the right-hander's performance Thursday night was just as integral to the Nationals' 8-5 victory over the Marlins as the fireworks display put on by the Nats lineup. Strasburg has long dominated the Marlins; he entered this game 9-0 with a 1.23 ERA against Miami since September 2015. But this Marlins lineup proved tougher than previous ones, in part because of its ability to put the bat on the ball, especially on Strasburg's curveball. Miguel...

Nationals reinstate Ryan Zimmerman

Nationals reinstate Ryan Zimmerman
The Washington Nationals returned from rehabilitation assignment and reinstated first baseman Ryan Zimmerman from the 10-Day Injured List and optioned outfielder Michael A. Taylor to Double-A Harrisburg on Friday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Zimmerman, 34, returns to the active roster after missing 53 games with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Prior to the injury, he hit .213 with three doubles, three homers, 11 RBI, 10...

Carter Kieboom selected to 2019 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game

Carter Kieboom selected to 2019 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game
For the second consecutive season, Washington Nationals infield prospect Carter Kieboom has been selected to represent the organization at the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game. Major League Baseball made the announcement earlier today on MLB Network's "MLB Central." The 21st SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game features the top Minor League prospects competing as part of All-Star Sunday. Kieboom, 21, is hitting .316 with 16 doubles, three triples, 13 homers, 57 RBI, 44 walks and 51 runs scored in...

With sweep in Miami, Nats complete climb back to .500 (updated)

With sweep in Miami, Nats complete climb back to .500 (updated)
MIAMI - When they left New York on the evening of May 23, the Nationals were a defeated ballclub. They were blowing games in every manner possible. Their manager's job security appeared to be shaky. They were 12 games under .500 and facing a long, slow, unlikely climb back into contention. When they leave Miami late tonight, the Nationals will be flying sky high. They're winning games behind a potent lineup, a dominant rotation and a bullpen that is finding a way to get the job done far more...

Soto now putting up better numbers than as rookie (Nats up 6-4)

Soto now putting up better numbers than as rookie (Nats up 6-4)
MIAMI - Juan Soto had one of the great seasons by a teenager in major league history, and it was only natural to question whether it was possible for the young slugger to be any better this season. Halfway through the 2019 campaign, the answer is: Yes, it is possible. There's a long way yet to go, but heading into tonight's series finale against the Marlins (the Nationals' 80th game of the season) Soto is sporting a higher batting average (.302), slugging percentage (.525) and OPS (.925)...

Rizzo on bullpen changes, trade deadline mindset

Rizzo on bullpen changes, trade deadline mindset
MIAMI - As July creeps ever closer and thoughts of the trade deadline begin creeping into his mind, Mike Rizzo made a series of bullpen changes this week that could go a long way toward determining just how the Nationals general manager chooses to approach July 31. In releasing Trevor Rosenthal and then summoning veterans Fernando Rodney and Jonny Venters from the minors, Rizzo ostensibly declared this new-look relief corps has one month to prove itself before he must decide whether to be...

Game 80 lineups: Nats at Marlins

Game 80 lineups: Nats at Marlins
MIAMI - The last time the Nationals owned a .500 record, they were wrapping up a late April series in Colorado. Trea Turner was on the injured list with a fractured index finger. Anthony Rendon was out of the lineup but not yet on the IL with a bruised elbow. Ryan Zimmerman had just landed awkwardly on his right foot. Trevor Rosenthal had been on the active roster since opening day. With a win tonight, the Nationals would not only sweep the Marlins but would reach the coveted .500 mark for the...

Taylor says Robles is learning how to make big plays in outfield

Taylor says Robles is learning how to make big plays in outfield
The education of outfielder Victor Robles has continued as he works toward his first 100 major league games with the Nationals. One big step is Robles learning to trust his ability to make big plays - especially diving catches - without getting hurt. Last time he was in Miami, he got banged around the outfield, making a couple of plays against the wall. Then, later in the season, he made a spectacular diving play heading toward the left-center field wall, diving in a cloud of dust to make the...

With comeback win, Nats within one game of .500 (updated)

With comeback win, Nats within one game of .500 (updated)
MIAMI - The Nationals lineup needed some time to figure out Marlins rookie starter Zac Gallen tonight, a chance to watch the young right-hander up close more than once and figure him out. That also meant the Nationals needed Patrick Corbin to keep them in this game and give that lineup a chance to do something later on. Which is precisely what Corbin did. The left-hander gave up one early run but otherwise was stellar over the course of seven innings to give his teammates a chance to...

Nationals agree to terms with two players from 2019 First-Year Player Draft

Nationals agree to terms with two players from 2019 First-Year Player Draft
The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with two members of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft: Third baseman Drew Mendoza (3rd Round) and left-handed pitcher Matt Cronin (4th Round). Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Assistant General Manager & Vice President of Scouting Operations Kris Kline and Director of Scouting Operations Eddie Longosz made the joint announcement.

Scherzer's current run ranks among best of his career

Scherzer's current run ranks among best of his career
MIAMI - What's the best seven-start stretch of Max Scherzer's career with the Nationals? The mind immediately turns to the summer of 2015, his first in Washington, when he - in succession - tossed a one-hitter in Milwaukee, then no-hit the Pirates in D.C., then carried a perfect game into the sixth inning in Philadelphia. But that was only three starts, great as they were. You might remember a run of dominance in June 2017, when Scherzer posted an 0.86 ERA and 0.554 WHIP across seven starts,...

With Zimmerman set to return, decisions looming (Nats up 4-1)

With Zimmerman set to return, decisions looming (Nats up 4-1)
MIAMI - Ryan Zimmerman appears to have completed his rehab assignment in Harrisburg and is on track to come off the injured list Friday when the Nationals open a weekend series in Detroit. Which means the organization and manager Davey Martinez are about to face some delicate decisions. Zimmerman's pending return will require the Nationals to remove someone prominent from the current 25-man roster. And then once he is officially back, Martinez will have to figure out how much playing time to...

Scherzer dominates, Nationals cruise in Miami (updated)

Scherzer dominates, Nationals cruise in Miami (updated)
MIAMI - If the Nationals' primary objective over these final two weeks before the All-Star break is to take care of business against the sub-.400 competition they're facing, they put on a clinic tonight that should be bottled up and saved for future teams to watch and admire. It helps, of course, to have peak Max Scherzer on the mound. Scherzer continued his month of dominance with yet another gem, carving up the Marlins for eight innings and leading the Nationals to a simple, efficient,...

Game 79 lineups: Nats at Marlins

Game 79 lineups: Nats at Marlins
MIAMI - The last time Patrick Corbin faced the Marlins ... well, he put forth his best performance of the season. Corbin shut out Miami on 116 pitches May 25 in D.C., a four-hitter that served as the high point for his debut season with the Nationals. It was followed, of course, by three straight subpar outings, which prompted some concern about the left-hander. Until he bounced back in a big way last week against the Phillies, allowing one run and four hits over seven innings. So Corbin should...