nationals

Clubhouse reaction to Harper signing with Phillies

March 01, 2019, 6:58am

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals have had some time to digest the 13-year, $330 million deal that free agent Bryce Harper landed with the Phillies, and they're both happy for their former teammate and eager for the competition that the megadeal creates in what has become a much tougher National League East. "Man, it's awesome," third baseman Anthony Rendon said Friday morning at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. "So happy for him. I think it's great you have a team out there...

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Nats will be just fine without Bryce Harper

February 28, 2019, 3:27pm

Nationals

Nats will be just fine without Bryce Harper

So will the Nats Park crowd greet former Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper in a Phillies uniform April 2 for that first at-bat with resounding boos? Or will there be a standing ovation like Ian Desmond enjoyed in his return to D.C. after leaving for another team? If there are boos, Harper will let it wash off like he has every other time he has been greeted with a negative reaction in an opponent's park. Every time I covered the Nats on the road, in places like Milwaukee, Atlanta, New York,...

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The inevitable end of the Bryce Harper era in Washington

February 28, 2019, 3:18pm

Nationals

The inevitable end of the Bryce Harper era in Washington

This day, in spite of what his most ardent fans hoped, was always bound to come. From the moment the Nationals drafted him No. 1 in the country nearly nine years ago, folks began speculating where Bryce Harper would end up playing once he became a free agent. Would it be New York, home to the most historically successful franchise and some of the most historically important players in baseball? Would it be Chicago, home to an iconic franchise and ballpark with a clubhouse already full of young...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter

March 01, 2019, 2:40am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg will make his first Grapefruit League start this afternoon when the Nationals travel up Interstate 95 to nearby Jupiter to face the Marlins. Strasburg is the final member of the Nats' presumed starting rotation to take a spring turn. The lineup for today's game again does not contain first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who was supposed to play in his first spring exhibition on Wednesday against the Astros at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. That was...

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Harper heading to Philly for 13 years, $330 million (updated)

February 28, 2019, 10:41am

Nationals

Harper heading to Philly for 13 years, $330 million (updated)

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Bryce Harper finally has selected his new home. He's going to Philadelphia. For a really long time. Harper agreed to terms today with the Phillies on a 13-year, $330 million contract, according to a source familiar with the deal. The contract, which is pending a physical, includes no opt-out clauses and guarantees he'll play in Philadelphia through the 2031 season, when he'll be 39 years old. Fancred's Jon Heyman was first to report the signing. The deal also means the...

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Adams leads offensive charge at Fenway South (Nats lose 13-5)

February 28, 2019, 9:34am

Nationals

Adams leads offensive charge at Fenway South (Nats lose 13-5)

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Max Scherzer wasn't the only veteran who made the long trip across Alligator Alley for today's game against the Red Sox. Matt Adams is here as well. And like Scherzer, he's making the most of it. Batting cleanup and starting at first base, Adams launched a second-inning home run that cleared the stands down the right field line and departed jetBlue Park altogether. He added an RBI double down the right field line in the top of the third, helping the Nationals open up a 5-0...

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Even with Harper, Phillies must improve starting pitching to contend

February 28, 2019, 12:24pm

Nationals

Even with Harper, Phillies must improve starting pitching to contend

The Phillies this offseason have strengthened their defense, added to their bullpen and added three quality players - shortstop Jean Segura, catcher J.T. Realmuto and reliever David Robertson - and two former National League MVP outfielders, Andrew McCutchen and former National Bryce Harper, who has a 13-year, $330 million free-agent contract to play for one of the Nationals' division rivals. So, does that make the Phillies, who haven't had a winning season since 2011, the odds-on favorite to...

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On Taylor's swing, Martinez's lineup and Ross' pitch count

February 27, 2019, 6:16pm

Nationals

On Taylor's swing, Martinez's lineup and Ross' pitch count

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - More thoughts and observations from Wednesday's 14-8 thumping of the Astros to tide you over while I trek across the state for today's game against the Red Sox in Fort Myers ... * Yes, it's early. But the early returns on Michael A. Taylor's revamped swing have been quite positive. Taylor added two more hits during Wednesday's game, both of them line drives to left field, one for a single and another for a double. He also drew a walk in his third plate appearance....

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Martinez on Robles and Taylor: "They're both going to play"

February 28, 2019, 7:18am

Nationals

Martinez on Robles and Taylor: "They're both going to play"

FORT MYERS, Fla. - If there is a significant competition in Nationals camp this spring, it's in center field, with top prospect Victor Robles trying to prove he's ready for the starting job ahead of the erratic Michael A. Taylor. And though it's too early for any hard decisions about the fate of that competition, manager Davey Martinez pointed out today what's probably the understood truth but might get overlooked by those wanting to see one of the two seize the job. "Here's the deal with...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Red Sox in Fort Myers

February 28, 2019, 5:40am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Red Sox in Fort Myers

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Hello from jetBlue Park, aka "Fenway South." And we've got a matchup today worthy of the real Fenway Park, with Max Scherzer going up against the Red Sox. It's unconventional for a star pitcher like Scherzer to make such a long road trip (2 1/2 hours each way), but like Patrick Corbin earlier this week in Lake Buena Vista, Scherzer wanted to do it and stay on his regular pitching schedule. So he'll likely go three innings and about 50 pitches, going up against several...

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Illness delays Zimmerman's spring debut (Nats win 14-8)

February 27, 2019, 7:41am

Nationals

Illness delays Zimmerman's spring debut (Nats win 14-8)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It looks like today's game will get started as scheduled after all. The forecast hasn't completely cleared up, but it appears to have cleared up enough to allow the Nationals and Astros to get underway on time. Whether it will stay that way long enough to get the full game in remains to be seen. Even if the rain holds off, we won't be seeing Ryan Zimmerman today. He was held out of the lineup, not because of concern about having him play on a wet field but because...

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Not rushed this year, Hellickson ready to extend himself for Nats

February 27, 2019, 12:09pm

Nationals

Not rushed this year, Hellickson ready to extend himself for Nats

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's forgotten a bit because of his strong performance last season, but Jeremy Hellickson didn't sign with the Nationals until March 17. He made only one Grapefruit League start before the club broke camp and headed north for opening day. It admittedly took some time for Hellickson to feel like he was in regular-season form. That's not the case this spring. Hellickson did re-sign late again, but at least this time the contract was done before pitchers and catchers...

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SÃ¡nchez shows off wide-ranging repertoire in scoreless debut

February 26, 2019, 6:04pm

Nationals

SÃ¡nchez shows off wide-ranging repertoire in scoreless debut

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Anyone who hadn't seen AnÃbal SÃ¡nchez pitch before Tuesday's game saw everything they needed to see during this start against the Cardinals to understand exactly why the Nationals wanted him in the first place. Over the course of two efficient, scoreless innings of work, SÃ¡nchez showed off the repertoire and approach that made him so successful last season in Atlanta. With a fastball that stayed in the upper-80s but a deep assortment of off-speed pitches that...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

February 27, 2019, 5:29am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We've had a bit of a strange weather pattern here over the last 24 hours. It absolutely poured last night, for multiple hours, soaking everything in sight. But this morning the sky was bright blue and it looked like it would be a beautiful day. Except there's another system heading this way, and it's forecast to hit the area right around 1 p.m. So that means today's game against the Astros could be jeopardized. The Nationals are preparing as though they'll be able...

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Rosenthal wows with triple-digit fastball in return from surgery

February 26, 2019, 11:55am

Nationals

Rosenthal wows with triple-digit fastball in return from surgery

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Trevor Rosenthal sneaked a peek. How could he not? After throwing a couple of fastballs in the top of the fifth this afternoon at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, Rosenthal decided things were going well enough to take a look at the scoreboard radar gun. "I did. I peeked," he said with a sheepish grin. "After I threw the two balls to the second hitter, I kind of peaked at it. I was kind of surprised at how hard I was throwing." The entire stadium was, Trevor....

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Zimmerman scheduled to play Wednesday (Nats lose 6-1)

February 26, 2019, 8:58am

Nationals

Zimmerman scheduled to play Wednesday (Nats lose 6-1)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Ryan Zimmerman is the lone Nationals position player who has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring, but it doesn't appear he'll hold that distinction much longer. Zimmerman is scheduled to make his 2019 debut Wednesday when the Nationals host the Astros here in West Palm Beach, manager Davey Martinez said. Zimmerman, who infamously played in only one major league game last spring and did the vast majority of his work in minor league games on back...

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Glover has forearm strain, has "no doubt" he'll be ready

February 26, 2019, 5:58am

Nationals

Glover has forearm strain, has "no doubt" he'll be ready

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - An MRI of Koda Glover's elbow revealed a forearm strain but no ligament damage, the reliever said this morning, though he will be shut down from throwing for now while the Nationals map out a plan to try to keep their oft-injured right-hander healthy at last. "Just a forearm strain," Glover said. "Nothing crazy. UCL was great. That's good news. It's just one of them things where we think maybe some weakness in there or some fatigue. But I'll be fine. I'm really...

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On Robles' speed, C. Kieboom and Difo's new position tryouts

February 25, 2019, 6:54pm

Nationals

On Robles' speed, C. Kieboom and Difo's new position tryouts

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - It's tough to draw many conclusions from spring training games, all the tougher to draw conclusions from long-distance road spring training games, when only a handful of big league regulars are in attendance and they play only a few innings before giving way to minor leaguers. So there wasn't a whole lot to read into the Nationals' 9-4 loss to the Braves on Monday afternoon. But let's pick out a few noteworthy developments, beyond Patrick Corbin's strong two-inning...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in West Palm Beach

February 26, 2019, 4:32am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals are back home today, facing the same Cardinals team they saw over the weekend in Jupiter. Though this time they'll be going up against Adam Wainwright instead of Michael Wacha. The lineup includes several regulars, including a one-two combo of Trea Turner and Brian Dozier. Davey Martinez said he wants to try to play those two middle infielders together as much as possible this spring, recognizing the need for them to get familiar with each other. Turner...

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For Corbin, long road trip for spring debut worth the time

February 25, 2019, 11:39am

Nationals

For Corbin, long road trip for spring debut worth the time

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - He could've stayed back in West Palm Beach, skipped the 2 1/2-hour drive up the turnpike and faced live hitters on a back field or something. Veteran pitchers, certainly those who just signed a $140 million contract, aren't typically asked to make long road trips in spring training. Patrick Corbin, though, wanted to pitch against the Braves today. He wanted to stay on his regular schedule, wanted to make his Nationals debut and not get any kind of special...