nationals

Nats allow another home run (Nats come back and win 8-6)

June 24, 2018, 5:11pm

The Phillies connected first, against right-hander Jefry Rodriguez, to take an early lead over the Nats. Phillies pitcher Nick Pivetta singled to begin the third. One batter later, Rhys Hoskins slammed a two-run shot over the right-center field wall for his 11th homer of the season. Hoskins connected on a 94 mph four-seam fastball. Rodriguez has employed his changeup more than he had in his last start, and his curveball has forced a lot of swings-and-misses. The Nats have three hits, all...

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Martinez on Hellickson, Kintzler, Strasburg and more

June 24, 2018, 2:24pm

Nationals

Martinez on Hellickson, Kintzler, Strasburg and more

Nationals hurlers Jeremy Hellickson and Brandon Kintzler completed their rehab games today for high Single-A Potomac with polar-opposite line results in an 11-5 loss to Wilmington. Hellickson has been nursing a right hamstring strain since June 4, while Kintzler is returning from a right forearm flexor strain (June 10). Hellickson lasted 4 2/3 innings in Woodbridge, Va., Sunday, giving up 11 runs on nine hits with three walks in taking the loss. Hellickson threw a scoreless first inning, but...

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Clearly defined roles coming to back end of Nationals bullpen

June 23, 2018, 7:11pm

Nationals

Very soon - perhaps as soon as Monday, if right-hander Brandon Kintzler gets through his minor league rehabilitation assignment this afternoon with Single-A Potomac without any issues - the Nationals will be able to set up their bullpen with the goal of shortening games to six or seven innings. That will require the back end relievers - Kintzler, righties Ryan Madson and Kelvin Herrera, and left-handed closer Sean Doolittle - to slot into more regular roles. Kintzler and Madson will handle the...

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Game 76 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

June 24, 2018, 12:28pm

Nationals

The Nats have now lost seven of their last nine games, and are now 18-20 at home and 11-13 in the National League East. So before they head out on a six-game road trip, they need to get away with a win or be saddled with their third home series sweep loss of the season. In order for the club to get a win, they will need a solid start from an inexperienced starter in right-hander Jefry Rodriguez (0-0, 4.66 ERA), who is looking for his first win in his major league career. Rodriguez did fairly...

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Little mistakes haunt Nationals, Fedde in 5-3 loss to Phillies

June 23, 2018, 4:37pm

Nationals

Spend even a few minutes around Nationals manager Davey Martinez and you quickly realize how much he craves attention to detail. No action is too small to be rushed through or done poorly. Pay attention to the small stuff, and you'll prosper; ignore it, and you invite fate to intercede, usually in the worst possible way. The little things loomed large in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Phillies, a setback that came on the heels of a 12-2 drubbing that knocked the Nationals out of second place in...

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Phils' two-out rally ups Fedde's pitch count (Nats fall 5-3)

June 23, 2018, 12:48pm

Nationals

Phils' two-out rally ups Fedde's pitch count (Nats fall 5-3)

Erick Fedde cruised through the first five hitters he faced Saturday afternoon, but then the Phillies nickel-and-dimed the right-hander to death, stringing together four straight singles in the second inning to forge a 2-2 tie. Scott Kingery's infield single to short prolonged the inning and set the stage for the rally. Maikel Franco dropped a single into left field and then Jorge Alfaro's single to short center plated Kingery with the first Phillies run. None of the hits was struck...

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Zimmerman "about a week away" from rehab stint, Martinez says

June 23, 2018, 10:25am

Nationals

Zimmerman "about a week away" from rehab stint, Martinez says

Nationals manager Davey Martinez says injured first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who has been on the 10-day disabled list since May 12 (retroactive to May 10) with a right oblique strain, is progressing in his recovery and could be "about a week away" from beginning a minor league rehabilitation assignment, assuming he doesn't encounter a setback. "He's missed a lot of time," Martinez said before the Nationals' game against the Phillies on Saturday afternoon. "We've got to get him some...

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Game 75 lineups: Phillies at Nats

June 23, 2018, 8:18am

Nationals

With a glut of healthy outfielders, it was a forgone conclusion that Michael A. Taylor would be the odd man out. Bryce Harper needs to play to get untracked, Juan Soto continues to sizzle and Adam Eaton can be a difference-maker at the top of the Nationals lineup when healthy. But instead of being the square peg trying to fit into the proverbial round hole, Taylor has made the most of the opportunities he's had, and is making manager Davey Martinez's choices more complicated. But even though...

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SolÃs sees slight mechanical tweak necessary, adjusting to new work load

June 22, 2018, 7:58pm

Nationals

SolÃs sees slight mechanical tweak necessary, adjusting to new work load

In Friday's 12-2 loss to the Phillies, there were plenty of facets in the Nationals' game that didn't go well. The starting pitching was unable to get through five innings. The offense put together only two runs, going 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. And the bullpen allowed six runs on eight hits, including two homers, with four walks and six strikeouts. Left-hander Sammy SolÃs was able to put away the first two hitters in the eighth. But then a walk opened the door to a...

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Nats say it's still early, but they should beware recent history

June 22, 2018, 8:28pm

Nationals

Nats say it's still early, but they should beware recent history

After losing a mid-June game in frustrating fashion and staring up at two teams in front of them in the standings for the first time, the Nationals manager insisted this was no time to panic. "I don't worry about that," the skipper said. "It's a little too early for me to start watching the scoreboard." After a different mid-June loss that left them hovering just over the .500 mark and firmly behind the division leaders, a Nationals veteran looked at the bright side. "We're in a good...

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Roark points to one mechanical issue after a few inconsistent starts

June 22, 2018, 7:39pm

Nationals

Roark points to one mechanical issue after a few inconsistent starts

Right-hander Tanner Roark had his second straight start where he was not able to get through the fifth inning as the Phillies dropped the Nationals 12-2. Last Sunday in Toronto, Roark allowed four runs on eight hits over four innings. Tonight back in D.C., Roark (3-8) surrendered six runs, the most he has allowed in one game this season, over 4 1/3 innings, with seven hits, four walks and seven strikeouts. Roark said he studied his mechanics on video after he got back to the clubhouse and...

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Nats thumped by Phillies 12-2 in opener, drop into third place

June 22, 2018, 6:35pm

Nationals

Nats thumped by Phillies 12-2 in opener, drop into third place

It's not a make-or-break series, not in late June, but if the Nationals wanted to remind the Phillies in tonight's weekend opener on South Capitol Street that they're still top dogs in the division, they didn't do a particularly convincing job. With another laborious and ineffective start from Tanner Roark and another lackluster performance from their lineup, the Nats were roughed up by rivals from up Interstate-95, falling 12-2 and falling into third place in the National League East. The...

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OdÃºbel Herrera solves Roark early (Nats fall to Phillies 12-2)

June 22, 2018, 4:19pm

Nationals

OdÃºbel Herrera solves Roark early (Nats fall to Phillies 12-2)

The Phillies got to Tanner Roark in the first inning thanks to a leadoff walk to CÃ©sar HernÃ¡ndez and a single by OdÃºbel Herrera. After a wild pitch advanced the runners, Carlos Santana unleashed a two-run single. Roark then settled in and struck out four batters in a row. In the second, Juan Soto greeted right-hander Zach Eflin with a double down the third base line. Michael A. Taylor added a run-scoring double almost to the same place, past third baseman Jesmel ValentÃn to score...

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Martinez wants baserunners to be "aggressively smart"

June 22, 2018, 1:43pm

Nationals Orioles

Martinez wants baserunners to be "aggressively smart"

Part of the Nationals recent adjustments on offense has been focused on trying to figure out other ways to score besides the long ball. The home run numbers are down in June. The Nationals 10 homers this month is dead last in the National League. 19-year-old Juan Soto is responsible for four of those 10 homers. Conversely, the Nats have stolen 16 bases in the month of June, tied with Milwaukee for the most in the senior circuit. Their 59 overall stolen bases are tops in the National League,...

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Strasburg throwing again, Hellickson ready for start at Potomac

June 22, 2018, 1:39pm

Nationals

Strasburg throwing again, Hellickson ready for start at Potomac

Two weeks removed from his last start, Stephen Strasburg is throwing again, his right shoulder inflammation having cleared up enough to allow the Nationals right-hander to get back to baseball activities. Strasburg has thrown off flat ground in the outfield twice this week, most recently this afternoon. It was only a light game of catch, and there are several steps left for him to take before he could return from the disabled list, but it's nonetheless an encouraging sign that his injury does...

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Opposite Dugout: Phillies ready to see a whole lot of Nationals

June 21, 2018, 8:36pm

Nationals

Manager: Gabe Kapler (1st season) Record: 39-33 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: CF OdÃºbel Herrera (.299, 12 HR, 41 RBIs), LF Rhys Hoskins (41 RBIs), 1B Carlos Santana (41 RBIs), 2B CÃ©sar HernÃ¡ndez (.262, 10 SB), 3B Maikel Franco (36 RBIs), RHP Zach Eflin (4-2, 3.43 ERA), RHP Aaron Nola (8-2, 2.55 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 1-2 Pitching probables: June 22: RHP Tanner Roark (3-7) vs. RHP Zach Eflin (4-2), 7:05 p.m., MASNJune 23: RHP Erick Fedde (0-2) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (8-2),...

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Game 74 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

June 22, 2018, 11:24am

Nationals

So, as you know, it's been raining all day here in town. But as I type this, the rain has mostly halted, and they're currently working on the infield with the tarp off. And the forecast suggests that perhaps they can actually start tonight's game on time, though it probably won't stay dry all evening. In other words ... your guess is as good as mine. The Nationals are facing the Phillies for only the second time this season, having won 2-of-3 here in May and having not yet even made an...

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Previewing a weekend series with the Phillies

June 21, 2018, 9:44pm

Nationals

Previewing a weekend series with the Phillies

Hard as this may be to believe, the Nationals' season is nearly half complete. They've now played 72 games, a full 44.4 percent of the regular season. Just as hard to believe, the Nats have only played three games to date against the Phillies, their geographically closest division rivals. And they haven't even been to Citizens Bank Park yet in 2018 (that will finally happen next weekend.) So this weekend's head-to-head matchup on South Capitol Street provides the Nationals their first...

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Ryan Sullivan: Carter Kieboom's breakout season is being noticed

June 22, 2018, 6:18am

Nationals

Ryan Sullivan: Carter Kieboom's breakout season is being noticed

We are witnessing an outstanding season from a Nationals prospect unable to legally buy beer. If you immediately think this is yet another article about Juan Soto, I promise you it is not. Although he might deserve it, the 19-year-old Soto started the year at Single-A Hagerstown and is now batting cleanup in the major league. Yet somehow overlooked in the Soto tsunami, the Nationals have another prospect breaking out in their system in Carter Kieboom. Washington's first-round pick in 2016 out...

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Scherzer allows two homers, but fires seven strong innings

June 21, 2018, 6:52pm

Nationals Orioles

Scherzer allows two homers, but fires seven strong innings

It was unusual to see right-hander Max Scherzer allow a pair of home runs and uncork a wild pitch in Thursday's start versus the Orioles. But the fact that matters the most is that the Nationals' ace gave his club a chance to win the game. And that is exactly what the Nationals did, dropping the Orioles 4-2 and winning the series, thanks to a timely two-run double from rookie sensation Juan Soto in the eighth inning. "Hey, we won the ballgame," Scherzer said. "That's what matters. That's...