nationals

Soto lands on IL, Turner "a little ahead of schedule"

May 04, 2019, 2:10pm

PHILADELPHIA - Juan Soto was hitting in the cage before Wednesday's game at Nationals Park when he first noticed a problem with his back. "I was hitting in the cage, and I just did a deep breath and started feeling something, and I went right to the trainer's room," he said. "And then it was stuck, and I can't even move. And after that I started getting treatments, and now we're here." "Here" is on the 10-day injured list, a place of residency Soto has never occupied in his brief...

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Critical pitching decision backfires in Nats' 4-2 loss (updated)

May 03, 2019, 5:49pm

Nationals

Critical pitching decision backfires in Nats' 4-2 loss (updated)

PHILADELPHIA - It doesn't happen every single night, but on occasion a major league manager faces a critical pitching decision in the latter innings of a tight ballgame, one that is likely to impact the outcome of the contest. Sometimes the pitchers involved get the job done and reward the manager for his decision-making process. Sometimes they fail and the manager is left to explain why he did what he did. Tonight, in the aftermath of an agonizing, 4-2 loss to the Phillies, Davey Martinez had...

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With Soto now unavailable, how do Nats generate offense?

May 03, 2019, 7:53pm

Nationals

With Soto now unavailable, how do Nats generate offense?

PHILADELPHIA - For all the agonizing over the pitching decisions made during Friday night's 4-2 loss to the Phillies, the continued lack of any sustained offense by the Nationals played just as much of a role in the club falling to 1-10 in series openers this season. "We didn't hit," manager Davey Martinez said. "We've got to score more than two runs. (Jeremy Hellickson) kept us in the ballgame. We had a couple opportunities, but we couldn't get that big hit." Given the injuries the...

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Game 32 lineups: Nats at Phillies (Soto placed on IL)

May 04, 2019, 11:33am

Nationals

Game 32 lineups: Nats at Phillies (Soto placed on IL)

PHILADELPHIA - And we're back for another evening at the ballpark. You know the drill by now. The Nationals, after dropping a series opener, will try to get back on track despite an injury-depleted lineup and a patched-together bullpen. They'll hope their starter gives them a bunch of quality innings, then hope they can cobble the rest together and emerge victorious. That depleted lineup has been depleted even further. Juan Soto was placed on the 10-day injured list today with back spasms....

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Soto sidelined for third straight day (Nats down 4-2)

May 03, 2019, 3:46pm

Nationals

Soto sidelined for third straight day (Nats down 4-2)

PHILADELPHIA - At a time when they can't afford to lose any more middle of the order hitters, the Nationals now find themselves without yet another middle of the order hitter. Juan Soto, still dealing with back spasms, is not in the Nationals' lineup for the third straight night. And if this continues much longer, the club may have to consider putting the young outfielder on the injured list like it already did with Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner and Ryan Zimmerman. "I'm hoping that after...

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Menhart hopes to make quick difference after "emotional" call

May 03, 2019, 2:35pm

Nationals

Menhart hopes to make quick difference after "emotional" call

PHILADELPHIA - Paul Menhart was walking his Australian Shepherd Husky Mix, Gracie, at home in Richmond Hill, Ga., three days ago when Nationals assistant general manager Doug Harris called. Menhart and Harris have worked together for years as two key members of the organization's minor league operation, and they kid around with each other plenty. So when Harris explained why he was calling, Menhart at first thought this might be a joke. Menhart was supposed to fly to West Palm Beach the next...

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Game 31 lineups: Nats at Phillies

May 03, 2019, 11:31am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - We're only five weeks into the season, but the Nationals already are making their second trip to Citizens Bank Park. In something of a scheduling quirk, they'll have faced the Phillies eight times before they ever see the Braves for the first time in 2019. This is also the start of an odd but difficult road trip that also features stops in Milwaukee and Los Angeles before the Nats come home. Suffice it to say, this is going to be a challenge. As you know, the Nationals are...

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Lilliquist's firing underscores need for pitching to improve

May 02, 2019, 9:36pm

Nationals

Lilliquist's firing underscores need for pitching to improve

The timing may have felt odd, given that it came minutes after a much-needed win that included a dominant start and effective relief with zero margin for error. And that it came after a little mini-run of five games that has seen improved pitching across the board, but especially from a bullpen that is attempting to stabilize itself after a disastrous opening month. But what became clear as Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez spoke following Thursday night's 2-1 win over the Cardinals was that the...

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Strasburg and Doolittle weave pitching gem in 2-1 win over Cards

May 02, 2019, 7:31pm

Nationals

Strasburg and Doolittle weave pitching gem in 2-1 win over Cards

Seven starts into the 2019 season, Stephen Strasburg has been the most consistent starter for the Nationals. His last three outings have been exceptional, allowing only three runs in 21 2/3 innings. Strasburg put together another gem Thursday night against the Cardinals, winning 2-1 after both teams waited through a rain delay lasting 2 hours, 32 minutes. He struck out nine to reach 29 punchouts in his last three starts. The right-hander has struck out nine or more batters in four starts this...

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Nats fire Lilliquist, name Menhart pitching coach

May 02, 2019, 7:09pm

Nationals

Nats fire Lilliquist, name Menhart pitching coach

It has been a theme that has plagued the Nationals since the beginning of the season. With the bullpen underperforming and getting off to a rough start, the club searched for answers. Then when the starting pitching wasn't getting the results that were expected from what was considered a strength, it felt like something had to give. On Thursday night, the Nationals avoided the sweep over Cardinals 2-1 behind another consistent performance from Stephen Strasburg. But after the game, general...

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Strasburg's health critical to Nats' hopes (Nats win 2-1)

May 02, 2019, 1:43pm

Nationals

Strasburg's health critical to Nats' hopes (Nats win 2-1)

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg is on another nice streak, having allowed only two earned runs over 15 innings in his last two starts. He has done a nice job of using his fastball, changeup and curveball to strike out batters. Nationals manager Davey Martinez has noticed that Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki are not afraid to call for three or four changeups in a row if they believe that will confuse hitters. "I think a lot of has to do with Suzuki and Gomes," Martinez said. "He trusts the catchers...

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Nationals name Paul Menhart pitching coach

May 02, 2019, 6:42pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals relieved pitching coach Derek Lilliquist of his duties and named Paul Menhart pitching coach on Thursday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Menhart joins the Major League club after serving as the organization's Minor League pitching coordinator since 2015. The 2019 season marks his 14th season in the Nationals organization. Menhart progressed through Washington's Minor League system beginning in 2006....

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Pregame notes on Soto, Turner, Kieboom, more (6:30 p.m. start expected)

May 02, 2019, 11:00am

Nationals

Pregame notes on Soto, Turner, Kieboom, more (6:30 p.m. start expected)

Nationals manager Davey Martinez said Juan Soto is ready to go today against the Cardinals in the series finale after being a late scratch last night prior to game three due to back spasms. "He's in the lineup. He's good to go," Martinez said. "It's good to have him back in there. He said he didn't feel anything really. I think he just cramped up. We don't want to take a chance." Martinez said the training staff was concerned it was something worse when Soto was hurt during batting...

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Game 30 lineups: Nats vs. Cards (Soto scratched again)

May 02, 2019, 5:13am

Nationals

Game 30 lineups: Nats vs. Cards (Soto scratched again)

The Nationals look to salvage the final game of their four-game series with the Cardinals today before they set out on a rigorous 10-game, three-city road trip starting Friday in Philadelphia. Right-hander Stephen Strasburg (2-1, 3.82 ERA) needs eight strikeouts to reach the 1,500-strikeout plateau. Strasburg is 2-2 with a 2.56 ERA in six starts against St. Louis in his career with 43 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings. He has not faced the Cards since 2016. In his last two starts, Strasburg has...

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Scherzer rebounds nicely after tough first inning

May 01, 2019, 7:43pm

Nationals

Scherzer rebounds nicely after tough first inning

This has been an unusual start to the season for right-hander Max Scherzer. Scherzer fell to 1-4 as the Cardinals dropped the Nationals 5-1 Wednesday night despite seven innings of work and only three runs allowed. JosÃ© MartÃnez's two-run single highlighted the Cards' early three-run outburst in the first that set the tone. Scherzer allowed three runs in that inning, then fired six shutout frames to keep his club within striking distance. In the opening inning, his defense did not help,...

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Kieboom learning how to cope with big league struggles

May 01, 2019, 8:21pm

Nationals

Kieboom learning how to cope with big league struggles

The Nationals don't take lightly the decision to call up a top prospect. It's not as simple as promoting a young player because his minor league stats jump off the page. There's a mental component to it as well, and they've got a pretty good track record at knowing the right time to summon budding stars like Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto to the majors. And they believe they picked the right time to summon Carter Kieboom to take over for the injured Trea Turner at...

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Sloppy defense dooms Nats in third straight loss to Cards (updated)

May 01, 2019, 6:07pm

Nationals

Sloppy defense dooms Nats in third straight loss to Cards (updated)

Given the current state of their depleted lineup, the Nationals cannot afford to give the opposition extra runs with shaky play in the field. They certainly can't afford to give them four extra runs. The Nationals lost to the Cardinals for the third straight night, this time by a 5-1 count. They again struggled to come up with productive at-bats when they had opportunities to do something significant at the plate. But they also made life a whole lot tougher on their lineup - not to mention ace...

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May day: Nats looking to add runs in middle innings

May 01, 2019, 1:54pm

Nationals

May day: Nats looking to add runs in middle innings

Manager Davey Martinez mentioned Tuesday night after a 3-2 loss that the month of April is finally over and May 1 is upon the Nationals. Today in preparing for their third game of the series against the Cardinals, Martinez emphasized more the importance of this game after two losses in the series and five losses in their last six games. "You prepare yourself every day to play, whether it's April or May going to come out and play," Martinez said. "The month is over. Here we go, May 1, we got...

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On the bullpen's three-game turnaround and Ross' role in it

May 01, 2019, 2:09pm

Nationals

On the bullpen's three-game turnaround and Ross' role in it

OK, it's only three games on the heels of 25 games with decidedly worse results. It's going to take much more time for the Nationals bullpen to be considered fixed after a disastrous opening month to the season. But that doesn't mean the last three days can't be viewed with optimism, because it's been a night-and-day performance for this beleaguered group. Beginning with Erick Fedde's four-inning appearance Sunday in relief of Jeremy Hellickson, the Nationals bullpen has turned itself...

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Soto scratched, Cards get to Scherzer in first (Nats fall 5-1)

May 01, 2019, 4:00pm

Nationals

Soto scratched, Cards get to Scherzer in first (Nats fall 5-1)

The Nationals scratched left fielder Juan Soto from the lineup with back spasms about an hour prior to first pitch against the Cardinals. Michael A. Taylor took over center field, Adam Eaton played left field and Victor Robles was in right field. The Cardinals did not waste any time getting on the board against Nationals ace Max Scherzer. After recording the first out, Scherzer allowed singles to Paul Goldschmidt and Paul DeJong. Marcell Ozuna then dropped a double into right field after Robles...