Nationals set to unveil bullpen cart tonight

Nationals set to unveil bullpen cart tonight
ST. LOUIS - OK, so it's not quite the addition to the Nationals bullpen everyone is looking for at this perilous moment in a season on the brink. But if the club's new bullpen cart can bring some smiles to people's faces and maybe even help relievers save some energy before they enter to pitch, this could prove to be an important late-summer acquisition after all. The Nats are set to unveil the "WGL Energy Bullpen Cart" later today and make it available for use by relievers from both teams...

Opposite dugout: Marlins bullpen taxed after Ureña's antics lead to ejection, suspension

Opposite dugout: Marlins bullpen taxed after Ureña's antics lead to ejection, suspension
Manager: Don Mattingly (3rd season) Record: 48-75 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: C J.T. Realmuto (.293), 2B Starlin Castro (.281), RF Brian Anderson (54 RBIs), SS Miguel Rojas (9 HR, 44 RBIs), RHP Drew Steckenrider (1 save) Season series vs. Nationals: 3-8 Pitching probables: Aug. 17: RHP Dan Straily (4-5) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (15-5), 7:05 p.m., MASN2Aug. 18: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (4-9) vs. LHP Tommy Milone (1-1), 7:05 p.m., MASN2Aug. 19: LHP Pablo López (2-3) vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez (7-9), 1:35...

Miller, Glover close out 5-4 win to end road trip (updated)

Miller, Glover close out 5-4 win to end road trip (updated)
ST. LOUIS - It wasn't all that long ago that Davey Martinez had no shortage of established late-inning relievers at his disposal when he needed to try to close out a game. There was Sean Doolittle. There was Kelvin Herrera. There was Ryan Madson. There was Brandon Kintzler. When Martinez looked down to that bullpen this evening at Busch Stadium, though, none of those established guys were there. Or, at least not on the active roster. No, when he needed someone to protect a one-run lead against...

Ryan Sullivan: Hitching a ride on a fun idea

Ryan Sullivan: Hitching a ride on a fun idea
Somewhat lost amid this difficult road trip for the Nationals, the team announced via press release Thursday that they will debut the WGL Energy bullpen cart during Friday's game against Miami. This bullpen cart will be at all remaining 2018 home games, with both home and visiting pitchers able to use the cart to drive them from the bullpen to their dugout. Originally introduced in 1950 by the Indians, bullpen carts were popular attractions at baseball games throughout the 1960s and 1970s....

After rehab start, Ross on track for September return (Nats up 5-4)

After rehab start, Ross on track for September return (Nats up 5-4)
ST. LOUIS - It may come too late to have much impact on their fortunes this season, but Joe Ross is on track to return from Tommy John surgery and pitch for the Nationals in September. Ross, who had elbow ligament replacement surgery on July 19, 2017, made a rehab start for Single-A Potomac this afternoon, throwing 63 pitches of scoreless ball over 3 2/3 innings. "He threw well," manager Davey Martinez said. "They said he had good action on his fastball, which is good, cause that's who he...

Hellickson getting MRI, Strasburg still on target for Tuesday

Hellickson getting MRI, Strasburg still on target for Tuesday
ST. LOUIS - Jeremy Hellickson may not be able to make his next scheduled start for the Nationals, but Stephen Strasburg appears on track to return himself and perhaps mitigate the loss of Hellickson to a wrist injury suffered during Wednesday's loss. Hellickson, who hurt himself bracing for impact after he jumped over the Cardinals' Harrison Bader sliding across the plate on a wild pitch, had his right wrist wrapped in a protective sleeve today. He didn't attempt to play catch, as pitchers...

Game 122 lineups: Nats at Cardinals

Game 122 lineups: Nats at Cardinals
ST. LOUIS - There may be no bigger house of horrors for the Nationals than Busch Stadium. Either version of the ballpark. Did you know that in the 14 seasons since this franchise arrived in D.C., it owns an 11-31 record on the road against the Cardinals? That's 11 wins in 14 seasons. That's really not good. And three of those wins came during a stunning sweep in May 2016. Given that backdrop, it's perhaps not all that surprising that the Nationals tonight are trying to avoid a four-game...

After disastrous 72 hours, Nats cope with reality of standings

After disastrous 72 hours, Nats cope with reality of standings
ST. LOUIS - At 10:03 p.m. CDT Sunday, as Ryan Madson prepared to deliver his 2-2 pitch to David Bote at Wrigley Field, the Nationals were one strike away from moving to within 4 1/2 games of first place in the National League East. By 10:21 p.m. CDT Wednesday, as Trea Turner's fly ball to center field at Busch Stadium settled into Harrison Bader's glove, the Nationals were nine games back in the division. Yes, in the span of 72 hours, 18 minutes, this team lost 4 1/2 games in the standings....

Nats lose Hellickson to wrist injury, fall nine games back (updated)

Nats lose Hellickson to wrist injury, fall nine games back (updated)
ST. LOUIS - This isn't the Nationals' longest road trip of the season. It only feels like it. And because of that, the 41 games that still remain on the schedule in 2018 are perilously close to losing all significance. With a lackluster 4-2 loss at Busch Stadium tonight, the Nationals dropped their third straight to the Cardinals and fell to 1-5 on this season-defining trip through Chicago and St. Louis. They are now, stunningly, the owners of a losing record at 60-61. And with the Braves...

Strasburg could make return Tuesday vs. Phillies (Nats down 3-0)

Strasburg could make return Tuesday vs. Phillies (Nats down 3-0)
ST. LOUIS - If Stephen Strasburg recovers from today's simulated game against Nationals teammates with no lingering issues, the right-hander could make his return to the active roster as soon as Tuesday to face the Phillies in Washington, D.C. Though Davey Martinez had previously said the plan for Strasburg, out since July 20 with a pinched nerve in his neck, included a minor league rehab start, today's 70-pitch session may have convinced club officials to speed up the process and get the...

The math for the Nationals isn't pretty

The math for the Nationals isn't pretty
ST. LOUIS - It probably feels like grasping at straws, but it's about all the Nationals can do at this point without completely giving up on the season. And they are making it plain and clear they aren't doing that. "The energy's there," Davey Martinez said after Tuesday night's 6-4 loss to the Cardinals, the Nats' third straight and fourth in five games to begin this road trip. "These guys don't quit. And they're going to fight to the end. I love them. I really do. They're playing...

No drama, only another loss for .500 Nats (updated)

No drama, only another loss for .500 Nats (updated)
ST. LOUIS - There was no ninth-inning disaster tonight, no bullpen implosion, no nightmare for the manager or his players to have to try to explain. There was only a 6-4 loss to the Cardinals that felt relatively mundane for a Nationals club that hasn't experienced anything resembling a mundane loss in some time. There was the requisite last-gasp rally that brought the go-ahead run to the plate, because this is what they do before they ultimately walk off the field each night. But there also...

Game 121 lineups: Nats at Cardinals

Game 121 lineups: Nats at Cardinals
ST. LOUIS - This critical road trip in the Nationals season has not gone how they would have liked, but it's not over yet. There are two games left to be played against the Cardinals, two games that could either continue the slide into oblivion or perhaps perk everyone up a bit and recapture some semblance of positive momentum. It begins tonight with Jeremy Hellickson on the mound for the Nats. It's been quite an interesting season for the right-hander. He has allowed three or fewer earned...

Madson goes on DL, Solís sent to Triple-A (Nats down 6-4)

Madson goes on DL, Solís sent to Triple-A (Nats down 6-4)
ST. LOUIS - On the heels of back-to-back bullpen implosions caused both by injury and poor performance, the Nationals brought in two new relievers - Tim Collins and Trevor Gott - for tonight's game against the Cardinals and removed Ryan Madson and Sammy Solís from the active roster. Madson, who turned a 3-0 lead into a 4-3 loss via David Bote's walk-off grand slam Sunday night in Chicago, was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a back injury (the official diagnosis was lumbar nerve...

Liz Barr: Franchise leaderboards are Zimmerman's domain

Liz Barr: Franchise leaderboards are Zimmerman's domain
Ryan Zimmerman has been the face of the Nationals since their inaugural year in 2005. You can't say the name without thinking about Zimmerman in some way, shape or form. Whether it be as a fresh-faced young third baseman, a Rookie of the Year runner-up, a Silver Slugger and Gold Glover, the humanitarian, the seasoned vet or the king of walk-offs, Zimmerman's fingerprints are all over this team. And his greatness on the field isn't just contained to Washington history, but it stretches over...

There's no quick fix to Nationals' bullpen woes

There's no quick fix to Nationals' bullpen woes
ST. LOUIS - Every manager has to enter every game with a plan in mind for bullpen usage. He considers that night's starting pitcher. He takes into account who pitched the previous night, who warmed up and who's available tonight. He sets contingencies for an abrupt exit by the starter and/or extra innings in which someone is needed to provide length. He might even consider who's scheduled to start the next night, in case a reliever needs to be held back for that possibility. Davey Martinez...

Nationals recall Trevor Gott, select Tim Collins' contract

Nationals recall Trevor Gott, select Tim Collins' contract
The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Trevor Gott from Triple-A Syracuse and selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Tim Collins on Tuesday. Additionally, they placed right-handed pitcher Ryan Madson on the 10-day disabled list with lumbar nerve root irritation, optioned left-handed pitcher Sammy Solís to Triple-A Syracuse and transferred right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde to the 60-day disabled list. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike...

Nationals find new way to lose late, fall to Cards 7-6 (updated)

Nationals find new way to lose late, fall to Cards 7-6 (updated)
ST. LOUIS - The 2018 Nationals don't lose baseball games. They lose Greek tragedies. There's no such thing as a simple ballgame for this team right now. The wins, few and far between as they seem, are still excruciating affairs. The losses? Well, they fall into a category all their own, suitable only to be written about by men named Thespis or Euripides. And so even when there were glimmers of hope tonight at Busch Stadium, in the form of seventh- and ninth-inning rallies by the visiting...

Game 120 lineups: Nats at Cardinals (updated)

Game 120 lineups: Nats at Cardinals (updated)
ST. LOUIS - And we're back for another evening of exciting Nationals baseball at Busch Stadium. What does tonight have in store for the D.C. nine? It's tough to imagine anything more dramatic (or devastating) than what this team has experienced in the last 48 hours. But at this point, nothing should surprise you. We don't yet know the state of the Nats bullpen for tonight's game, but reinforcements have arrived. Ryan Madson and Sammy Solís are not listed on the lineup card for tonight's...

Madson didn't reveal back injury until after walk-off loss

Madson didn't reveal back injury until after walk-off loss
ST. LOUIS - As Ryan Madson was struggling on the mound in the bottom of the ninth Sunday night at Wrigley Field, Davey Martinez was unaware his fill-in closer was battling anything other than a loss of command. By the time Justin Miller had begun throwing off the bullpen mound behind the ivy in right field, the bases already were loaded and David Bote was stepping to the plate. Had Martinez known Madson was dealing with back pain that shot down his right leg and, according to the veteran...