Turner and Rosenthal head back out to rehab assignments

Turner and Rosenthal head back out to rehab assignments
Reliever Trevor Rosenthal and shortstop Trea Turner were both in the clubhouse pregame. But both are headed back out to continue their rehab assignments. Rosenthal has returned to full health from a viral infection but continues to rehab as the Nationals focus on his mechanics. Turner has been out since April 3 with a broken right index finger. Turner headed back to Woodbridge, Va., to play for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals today. They face Down East tonight at Pfitzner Stadium as the...

Robles homers, Rendon and Kendrick connect (Nats win 5-1)

Robles homers, Rendon and Kendrick connect (Nats win 5-1)
The Nationals have been hoping for a quick start against the Mets tonight after watching New York score four runs to begin Tuesday night's opener. They got that in this second game of the series. Adam Eaton walked against Mets starter Wilmer Font. Victor Robles singled. Anthony Rendon brought Eaton home with a run-scoring double. A Juan Soto groundout to shortstop scored Robles. Howie Kendrick's single to center scored Rendon. End of one in D.C., the Nats led the Mets 3-0. Left-hander Patrick...

Menhart settling in, wants pitchers' focus on preparation

Menhart settling in, wants pitchers' focus on preparation
On May 2, Paul Menhart took over for Derek Lilliquist as the Nationals pitching coach. He started his new position with a 10-game road trip from Philadelphia through Milwaukee to Los Angeles. In the midst of the Nationals' four-game set at Dodger Stadium, I had a chance to sit down with Menhart, who has been a coach in the Nationals system for 14 seasons, to see how his first two weeks on the job were going. Menhart spoke about what he wants to accomplish as the pitching coach and what he has...

Game 42 lineups: Nats vs. Mets

Game 42 lineups: Nats vs. Mets
Patrick Corbin has already faced the Mets twice this season, and he pitched well enough both times to emerge with a win. The left-hander, alas, did not get credited with a win after either of those starts. So he'll try to get over that hump tonight when he faces New York for the third time in 2019. The Nationals, in a recurring theme, haven't taken full advantage of the performances of their top three starters. Corbin, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg have combined for a 3.50 ERA in 26...

With "newfound confidence," Fedde excelling in bullpen

With "newfound confidence," Fedde excelling in bullpen
Here's one thing that's going well for the Nationals right now: Erick Fedde as a reliever. Long touted as the organization's top starting prospect, Fedde has made a smooth transition to the bullpen over the last two weeks and is thriving in his new role. It's only four total outings, but Fedde has yet to allow a run in eight innings of work, with only three hits surrendered in the process. "I have a newfound confidence right now," he said. "And I'm just trying to ride it out." So are...

First-inning mistakes doom Nats in loss to Mets (updated)

First-inning mistakes doom Nats in loss to Mets (updated)
It takes an awful lot for the Nationals to win a baseball game these days. It takes excellent starting pitching. It takes timely hitting from a lineup that seems to only score in one inning per contest. It takes effective work from the majors' least effective bullpen. And it takes clean defense, an occurrence most clubs can assume will be on display most nights but for this team represents the clear outlier. The Nats pretty much can't afford for any one of those four things to go wrong in...

Turner rehabs at Potomac, Zimmerman takes grounders

Turner rehabs at Potomac, Zimmerman takes grounders
Trea Turner is taking the field tonight in Woodbridge, Va., for his first game action in six weeks. Ryan Zimmerman was on the field this afternoon at Nationals Park for his first baseball activities in 2 1/2 weeks. Slowly but surely, the Nationals are getting healthier, and the next player on track to return from the injured list appears to be Turner, who tonight is beginning a rehab assignment with Single-A Potomac. Turner is scheduled to play shortstop and bat second tonight at Pfitzner...

Mistake in field sets up Ramos' grand slam (Nats down 5-2)

Mistake in field sets up Ramos' grand slam (Nats down 5-2)
The Nationals opened a key homestand this evening needing to play clean baseball and get things off on the right foot. Three batters into their series opener against the Mets, they couldn't turn a routine double play. And three batters after that, they gave up a grand slam to a former teammate and fan favorite. Yep, things are going swimmingly so far tonight on South Capitol Street. Wilson Ramos' grand slam off Jeremy Hellickson gave the Mets a 4-0 lead before many in the crowd had even...

Zimmerman's "A Night at the Park" raises $300,000 to fight multiple sclerosis

Zimmerman's "A Night at the Park" raises $300,000 to fight multiple sclerosis
Ryan Zimmerman hasn't stopped raising money to support research toward a cure for multiple sclerosis, and Monday's 10th edition of "A Night at the Park," his annual fundraiser, added approximately $300,000 in support. The Nationals first baseman's ziMS Foundation has been hard at work since 2006 in support of the 400,000 people affected by MS. Zimmerman's mother, Cheryl, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2006, and he has made a concerted effort to raise both funds and awareness of...

Jennings gets "back to the basics" with solid appearance Sunday

Jennings gets "back to the basics" with solid appearance Sunday
Left-hander Dan Jennings made his first appearance with the Nats April 30 and pitched 2/3 of an inning without allowing a run against the Cardinals. His second stint was May 1, against St. Louis again, and this time he was even better: one inning of scoreless relief with two strikeouts. But then he hit a rough patch. In his next three outings, Jennings allowed a combined five earned runs while recording only three outs. The 32-year-old surrendered the game-changing three-run shot to Rhys...

Nats return home from brutal trip desperate to make up ground

Nats return home from brutal trip desperate to make up ground
It's been 12 days since the Nationals last played a ballgame in D.C. Derek Lilliquist was still their pitching coach. Juan Soto and Matt Adams hadn't gone on the injured list yet. Gerardo Parra was still employed by the Giants. Yeah, a lot has happened since then. Most of it negative, with a few positive developments sprinkled in around the edges. When the Nationals finally return home tonight to open a week's worth of games on South Capitol Street against the Mets and Cubs, they'll do so...

Game 41 lineups: Nats vs. Mets

Game 41 lineups: Nats vs. Mets
There's a ballgame being played tonight in Washington, and that in and of itself is good news for the local club, which last set foot on the turf here 12 days ago. The Nationals have a six-game homestand against the Mets and Cubs, and they'll try to get things off on the right foot tonight against a New York team that has lost 10 of its last 16 and is facing an important week itself. The Nationals lineup is healthier than it was the last time they played here, with Anthony Rendon and Juan...

Nats positive they can build off competitive series split with Dodgers

Nats positive they can build off competitive series split with Dodgers
LOS ANGELES - After a difficult 1-5 start to their long road trip through Philadelphia and Milwaukee, the Nationals bounced back with a solid series against the first-place Dodgers. Los Angeles had won 10 straight home games to begin the season before the Nats arrived. Losing 6-0 on Sunday afternoon, the Nationals went 2-2 in the four-game set. The Nats won the opener 6-0 behind a solid performance from Patrick Corbin and a three-run home from Howie Kendrick. The Dodgers bounced back to take...

Ryu outduels Strasburg, Nats head home after 3-7 road trip

Ryu outduels Strasburg, Nats head home after 3-7 road trip
LOS ANGELES - Dodgers southpaw Hyun-Jin Ryu was hard to solve and Corey Seager blasted a grand slam Sunday in a 6-0 shutout of the Nationals. The left-hander did not allow a base hit until the eighth inning, thanks to another gritty at-bat from veteran Gerardo Parra. Seager put the game away with his second career grand slam in the eighth. The Nats were held to that Parra double. Brian Dozier earned the only walk off of Ryu, but finished 0-for-2 with two strikeouts against his former...

Monday morning Nats Q&A

Monday morning Nats Q&A
I'll admit I've been holding off doing a Q&A for a few weeks, because I know where this is likely going. There's a lot of aggravation out there among Nationals fans, and while it's certainly justified, it also tends to lead to irrational and unproductive conversations that put your trusty beat writer in awkward and no-win situations. But I know you have thoughts, and I know you want my thoughts on those thoughts. And so I thought I'd give this a shot today and see how it goes. But here...

Pitchers' duel unfolding Sunday in SoCal (Nats fall 6-0)

Pitchers' duel unfolding Sunday in SoCal (Nats fall 6-0)
LOS ANGELES - A tremendous pitching battle is unfolding on a sun splashed Sunday afternoon in Southern California between right-hander Stephen Strasburg and Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu. Ryu began with strikeouts of Brian Dozier and Juan Soto in the first inning. He retired the first nine batters he faced, holding the Nationals without a base hit for the first three innings. Strasburg struck out Joc Pederson to begin the game and enjoyed a 1-2-3 first inning. But the Dodgers plated a run in...

Scherzer thrilled for former teammate Parra's big hit

Scherzer thrilled for former teammate Parra's big hit
LOS ANGELES - Right-hander Max Scherzer earned his second win of the season Saturday night thanks to a former teammate. Scherzer played alongside new National Gerardo Parra in Arizona in 2009. Parra delivered a grand slam Saturday night lifting the Nationals to a 5-2 win over the Dodgers. Scherzer said Parra had a flair for the dramatic even back then. "It's been 10 years since I played with him. He was a little kid when he came up," Scherzer said. "I told him I remembered when you hit that...

Game 40 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

Game 40 lineups: Nats at Dodgers
LOS ANGELES - Stephen Strasburg is nearing another milestone in his career. The San Diego native is three wins away from 100 for his career. He is the all-time leader in Nationals starts with 214. Earlier in the month, he reached 1,500 strikeouts, which shows Nationals manager Davey Martinez how good the right-hander has been for 10 seasons. He is now at 1,512. "That's impressive, I mean it really is," Martinez said. "Here's a guy that missed a considerable amount of time in his career and...

Martinez updates Kendrick, Robles, Turner and Rosenthal news

Martinez updates Kendrick, Robles, Turner and Rosenthal news
LOS ANGELES - Nationals players are wearing special commemorative caps, socks and using pink bats in the series finale today against the Dodgers on Mother's Day. "I'd like to wish all the mothers a happy and wonderful Mother's Day," Martinez said to open his pregame availability. "Everybody thinks my job is hard, but I can only imagine what moms go through every day and we thank you from the bottom of our heart." On the field, Martinez elected to give infielder Howie Kendrick the day off...

Parra pulls off dramatic grand slam for 5-2 comeback win in L.A.

Parra pulls off dramatic grand slam for 5-2 comeback win in L.A.
LOS ANGELES - Hey, check out the new guy. Down in the late innings and a capacity crowd of 53,647 roaring, the Nationals pulled off one of their most dramatic comeback victories of the season thanks to their all everything super-utility signee from two days ago. Outfielder/first baseman Gerardo Parra crushed a 2-2 four-seam fastball off Dodgers reliever Dylan Floro with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning and his team down 2-1. The baseball sailed deep over the right-center field...