Scherzer "excited" for fourth opening day start with Nationals

Scherzer "excited" for fourth opening day start with Nationals
Opening day is here and the Nationals would not have it any other way: It's their two-time National League Cy Young Award winner against the most recent Cy Young winner. Max Scherzer facing the Mets' Jacob deGrom. Scherzer said he knows deGrom is on the other side today, but his focus is on getting the Mets lineup out and not about trading zeros with the New York starter. "You're cognizant when your facing someone as good as Jake," Scherzer said. "You go to bring your A-game. But it's...

2019 Nats media season predictions

2019 Nats media season predictions
Hey, do you know what today is? Yes, of course you do. And because you know it's opening day, you also know it's media prediction day! Ah yes, media prediction day, when my colleagues and I make complete fools of ourselves (some more than others) in trying to guess how the Nationals' season is going to play out. This is now the 10th consecutive year we've done this, via three different media outlets. And our pool of participants has both grown and changed dramatically in that time. We've...

Nationals finalize 25-man opening day roster

Nationals finalize 25-man opening day roster
The Washington Nationals announced their 2019 Opening Day roster on Wednesday. In addition, Washington selected the contract of infielder Jake Noll, placed right-handed pitcher Koda Glover (right forearm strain), infielder Howie Kendrick (left hamstring strain) and outfielder Michael A. Taylor (left knee/hip sprain) on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to March 25. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. The Nationals 25-man roster is...

Opening day roster announced, Noll makes club

Opening day roster announced, Noll makes club
The Nationals reported for spring training last month with a pretty good idea already who would fill out their 25-man roster. There were only a handful of jobs up for grabs, and even those seemed fairly set in stone, barring something unexpected developing over the course of six weeks in Florida. Well, something unexpected did happen. His name is Jake Noll, and thanks to one of the most unexpected spring training performances in recent club history the 25-year-old infielder is about to make his...

WGL Energy and the Washington Nationals partner to develop solar canopies at Nationals Park

WGL Energy and the Washington Nationals partner to develop solar canopies at Nationals Park
The Washington Nationals teamed up with WGL Energy Systems, Inc. (WGL Energy) to install 4,080 solar panels above the GEICO Garage and Garage C, with SGC Power serving as project developer. The solar canopies will supply power to the ballpark and provide covered parking for fans. The project was designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Nationals Park via on-site solar PV energy generation. The power from the project is expected to generate a combined total of 1.46 megawatts of energy,...

Nationals partner with Square to enable order-ahead and in-seat card payments at Nationals Park

Nationals partner with Square to enable order-ahead and in-seat card payments at Nationals Park
Square, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) today announced a partnership with Levy Restaurants and the WashingtonNationals. During the 2019 season, Caviar Pickup and the new Square Terminal will make it faster and easier for fans to order and pay for their favorite food and drink without missing a pitch. Caviar has partnered with the Nationals to create a concession stand that offers the only skip-the-line, order-ahead experience in the ballpark, powered by Caviar Pickup. Fans who open the Caviar app from their...

Medliminal partners with the Washington Nationals

Medliminal partners with the Washington Nationals
Medliminal, a medical bill review company that offers clients focused, innovative and cost-saving solutions through cutting-edge technology, has officially partnered with the Washington Nationals. The Medliminal team emphasizes the importance of strategic partnerships and is very excited for this year's baseball season. The partnership will include Medliminal signage and trademarks around the Washington Nationals stadium as well as Club 24 season tickets. "Our partnership with the Washington...

2019 MLB predictions

2019 MLB predictions
The countdown is on. We are now just shy of 24 hours from opening day across Major League Baseball. (Let's just forget the Athletics and Mariners already played two regular season games in Japan last week, cause it only makes things more confusing.) After an agonizing winter and spring waiting for free agents to sign, at last we can watch and write about what's actually taking place on the field. If you're looking for our annual Nationals media season predictions, you're going to have to...

Nationals Homecoming Gala raises more than $1 million for Dream Foundation

Nationals Homecoming Gala raises more than $1 million for Dream Foundation
Tonight at The Anthem at District Wharf, the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation highlighted its year-round community contributions during their annual Gala. As the primary fundraiser for the Dream Foundation, the 2019 Homecoming Gala raised more than one million dollars for the Foundation's initiatives focused on academics, the arts, nutrition and sports for children and teens in the Washington, D.C. region. This year's reimagined Gala at District Wharf was emceed by Lindsay Czarniak and...

Williams and Sanchez optioned, Noll still on roster

Williams and Sanchez optioned, Noll still on roster
The Nationals optioned reliever Austen Williams and infielder Adrián Sanchez to Triple-A Fresno this morning, all but finalizing their opening day roster with only one final question left to answer: Has non-roster invitee Jake Noll made the club, or is there another outside acquisition pending to fill the last spot on the bench? The Williams and Sanchez moves leave the Nationals with 28 players officially on their spring training roster. Included on that roster, however, are three players...

Nationals ready to trade spring prep for meaningful games

Nationals ready to trade spring prep for meaningful games
After almost six weeks in Florida, the Nationals unpacked at the locker stalls in their home park on Monday, surrounded by the familiar and eager to move a day closer to games that count. "I said this about seven days ago: I hit the wall," manager Davey Martinez said before Monday's exhibition game against the Yankees. "OK, spring training should be done, let's go. I could see it in the players' faces. They'd had enough. Granted, we've still got four more days until the season starts,...

Zimmerman: "I think we have a really good team"

Zimmerman: "I think we have a really good team"
Veteran first baseman Ryan Zimmerman has been through several camps with the Nationals over the years. Starting in spring training 2006 (played in 20 games late in 2005), Zimmerman has been to 14 big league camps with just one team. He has been healthy through some, rehabilitating in others. He has come off of 100-loss seasons and returned after four playoff appearances. He has seen well stocked teams and clubs that had holes to fill, even before the season even began. Before this campaign,...

Phillies made their move, but so did rest of NL East

Phillies made their move, but so did rest of NL East
The offseason for the National League East was a steady stream of reinforcements, making it the most competitive division of Major League Baseball's six. Four teams have a chance to win the crown. The biggest offseason splash was the Phillies' trade for catcher J.T. Realmuto. But that was only until halfway through spring training, when they signed free-agent outfielder Bryce Harper. So, how will the Nationals be without Harper, 26, the 2015 NL MVP? And, do the Phillies have enough in their...

Exhibition game lineups: Nats vs. Yankees

Exhibition game lineups: Nats vs. Yankees
The Nationals take on the New York Yankees in their final tune-up exhibition before the season begins Thursday at Nats Park against the New York Mets. Weather permitting, right-hander Aníbal Sánchez (0-1, 4.50 ERA) will start for the Nationals against Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr. (0-1, 3.29). It is all regulars in the lineup except for Kurt Suzuki starting instead of Yan Gomes at catcher. Matt Adams will be the designated hitter. Manager Davey Martinez had said during spring...

What we made too big a deal about and what we glossed over

What we made too big a deal about and what we glossed over
Spring training is over. The Nationals are home at last. They have one more exhibition game later this afternoon against the Yankees (if weather permits) and then it's time to turn our focus to Thursday's season opener against the Mets. It was a long six weeks down in West Palm Beach. When pitchers and catchers reported way back on Feb. 13, Bryce Harper was still two weeks away from signing with the Phillies. MLB was making plans to use a 20-second pitch clock this season. Trevor Gott and...

After six weeks of fundamentals, Nats ready to see results

After six weeks of fundamentals, Nats ready to see results
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - This being the final day of spring training, the Nationals' goals were pretty simple: Get through the day quickly and healthy. They were successful on both counts. Today's 5-3 exhibition loss to the Astros at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches wrapped up in a mere 2 hours, 30 minutes. And everybody walked away in one piece before showering, dressing and boarding the bus for the airport and the charter flight home to Washington. Davey Martinez gave a handful of...

Hellickson to open season in bullpen (Nats lose 5-3)

Hellickson to open season in bullpen (Nats lose 5-3)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - With three scheduled off-days in the first two weeks of the season, the Nationals will open with a four-man rotation and keep No. 5 starter Jeremy Hellickson in the bullpen as a long reliever. The club could have stuck with a traditional, five-man rotation, but that would've left Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin and Aníbal Sánchez getting some unnecessary extra days off in early April. By moving Hellickson to the bullpen for the short-term, the rest...

Kendrick nearly ready, but not for opening day

Kendrick nearly ready, but not for opening day
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Howie Kendrick, as expected, will stay back in Florida while the rest of the Nationals break camp this evening and open the season on the injured list while finishing his rehab from a hamstring strain suffered earlier this month. Kendrick has been taking batting practice and grounders while lightly running the bases in recent days but hasn't yet appeared in a game. He plans to get into minor league games within a few days, then get himself ready to join the active...

Split-squad lineups: Nats vs. Astros and Mets

Split-squad lineups: Nats vs. Astros and Mets
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - And so we have reached final day of spring training. Yes, the Nationals' charter (not to mention the commercial flights us reporters use) will be heading back to Washington tonight. Anybody who doesn't swing at the first pitch during today's game deserves to be fined. Make that today's games. Plural. For some bizarre reason, the Nationals have split-squad games today: One at home against the Astros, one on the road against the Mets. Given the travel situation, almost...

After 97-pitch start, Strasburg has week to prepare for Mets

After 97-pitch start, Strasburg has week to prepare for Mets
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We kind of glossed over it amid the flurry of Nationals roster and lineup news following yesterday's 4-4 tie with the Cardinals, but there was a ballgame and things did happen during the game that warrant mention. Especially Stephen Strasburg. Making his final tune-up before the regular season, Strasburg put forth a performance similar to Max Scherzer's impressive start the previous night. Strasburg allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. But...