nationals

Scherzer wins another NL Pitcher of the Month award

June 02, 2018, 10:44am

ATLANTA - It doesn't rank with the back-to-back Cy Young Awards he owns, but the back-to-back National League Pitcher of the Month awards Max Scherzer now owns could help his cause to win a third straight Cy Young. Scherzer was named NL Pitcher of the Month for May this afternoon, this honor coming on the heels of his comparable award following an equally dominant April. The Nats ace went 4-0 with a 2.21 ERA and 63 strikeouts in six starts in May, numbers deemed by voters to be better than the...

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Game 57 lineups: Nats at Braves

June 02, 2018, 8:31am

Nationals

ATLANTA - The Nationals have scored two runs in this series and have been shut out on four total hits over the last 15 innings. That's not good. This is a lineup that, given the injuries and young players filling in on a regular basis, has been very hit-or-miss over the last month. It'll need to swing back into the hit category today if these guys want to avoid a third straight loss to the first-place Braves. On paper, the matchup against Brandon McCarthy looks like a better one for the...

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Saturday morning odds and ends

June 01, 2018, 9:33pm

Nationals

ATLANTA - Some odds and ends to get you going on this Saturday morning before the Nationals and Braves return for a 4:10 p.m. game at SunTrust Park ... * The bottom of the seventh last night, in which the Braves scored all four of their runs, obviously was the decisive inning of the game. How rare, though, was that outburst against Stephen Strasburg? Extremely. Though many longtime fans will recall how Strasburg used to struggle in Atlanta, the right-hander had completely reversed that...

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Strasburg's one mistake costs Nats on night Braves made none

June 01, 2018, 7:23pm

Nationals

Strasburg's one mistake costs Nats on night Braves made none

ATLANTA - Stephen Strasburg felt like he made only one mistake, a curveball down in the zone but over the plate to Dansby Swanson with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Then again, one mistake was all it took for the Nationals to drop tonight's game to the Braves, who rode a two-hit shutout from Mike Foltynewicz to a 4-0 victory and a second straight win to begin this weekend's National League East showdown. "We couldn't get nothing going," manager Davey Martinez said. "Our guy was...

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Four-run seventh dooms Nationals in 4-0 loss to Braves

June 01, 2018, 6:10pm

Nationals

ATLANTA - For six innings they dueled, Stephen Strasburg and Mike Foltynewicz posting up zero after zero, neither willing to give in on a muggy Friday night at SunTrust Park. Somebody, though, had to give in at some point. That somebody was Strasburg. And that point was the bottom of the seventh, the decisive frame that turned a brilliant pitchers' duel into a 4-0 Nationals loss to a young Braves team that can only feel emboldened after taking the first two games of this big weekend...

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Return of key players could impact lineup (Nats lose 4-0)

June 01, 2018, 2:35pm

Nationals

Return of key players could impact lineup (Nats lose 4-0)

ATLANTA - The Nationals outfield received a boost today with Brian Goodwin's return from the disabled list, and another boost is likely coming next week when Adam Eaton expects to return from his ankle surgery. All of which leaves Davey Martinez facing some questions about how he intends to divvy up playing time among, in theory, five outfielders with only three positions to fill. Goodwin was activated off the DL this afternoon, the injured left wrist that sidelined him more than seven weeks...

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Game 56 lineups: Nats at Braves (Goodwin activated)

June 01, 2018, 12:02pm

Nationals

Game 56 lineups: Nats at Braves (Goodwin activated)

ATLANTA - The threat of rain halted Nationals batting practice Thursday night but didn't impact the game. We may not be as fortunate tonight, with storms all around the area threatening to cause problems not only before tonight's scheduled 7:35 p.m. game but also the early portion of the game itself. As always, stay tuned. When they do play, the Nationals will send Stephen Strasburg to the mound. Strasburg was brilliant in his previous start against the Braves this season, tossing eight...

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Nationals recognize surprising Braves are for real

May 31, 2018, 9:08pm

Nationals

ATLANTA - The outcome of Thursday night's game wasn't going to make or break the Nationals' season. They were either going to increase their lead over the Braves to 1 1/2 games or cede first place in the division back to Atlanta and fall 1/2-game behind. Either way, it was only game No. 55 out of 162. And by the end of the weekend, they'll have played only 58 out of 162. There's a tremendous amount of baseball left to be played. So the Nationals weren't going to put too much emphasis on...

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How the Nats returned to first place in 57 days

May 30, 2018, 8:53pm

Nationals Orioles

How the Nats returned to first place in 57 days

BALTIMORE - It took until late into the night May 30, but the Nationals are back in first place in the National League East. The Nats won their sixth straight with a 2-0 dispatch of the Orioles on the road, behind eight shutout innings from Max Scherzer (9-1). The Mets grounded the Braves 4-1 in Atlanta, thanks to a pair of RBIs from Brandon Nimmo and AdriÃ¡n GonzÃ¡lez. Atlanta's loss and the Nats win provided Washington with a 1/2 game lead in the division at the start of play May 31. It...

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Nationals drop opener to Braves 4-2, fall out of first place (updated)

May 31, 2018, 6:15pm

Nationals

ATLANTA - The mild-mannered crowd of 22,380 at this second-year ballpark in the suburbs didn't much convey it, but tonight's game between the Nationals and Braves was the biggest matchup of these division rivals in at least four years, with first place at stake. Then again, the visiting club that has ruled the National League East for the better part of six seasons now didn't exactly put on its best show in the opener of this four-game series. Despite two early runs that seemed to set the...

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Ryan Sullivan: Tough roster decisions looming for Nationals

June 01, 2018, 5:29am

Nationals

The Double-A Harrisburg Senators' Twitter account last Thursday announced that Nationals players Matt Grace, Brian Goodwin and Daniel Murphy would begin rehabilitation assignments last weekend. Adam Eaton starts his rehab at Harrisburg today. The healthy return of each player is a positive for the Nationals, but could lead to some difficult roster decisions for manager Davey Martinez. According to Martinez, Goodwin is expected to return first, followed by Grace, Murphy and finally Eaton, who...

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Runs aplenty early on in big series opener (Nats lose 4-2)

May 31, 2018, 4:45pm

Nationals

Runs aplenty early on in big series opener (Nats lose 4-2)

ATLANTA - In the opener of their big weekend series with the Braves, the Nationals have played some small ball to get on the board. Atlanta, on the other hand, has piled up hits to take the lead. The Nats scored two runs in the first three innings with the benefit of only three hits, all singles. Rather, it was two walks, two stolen bases (one of them a double-steal) and two productive outs that helped make those two early runs possible. Back-to-back walks by Trea Turner and Bryce Harper put...

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Madson returns to roster, Goodwin appears to be next up

May 31, 2018, 2:52pm

Nationals

Madson returns to roster, Goodwin appears to be next up

ATLANTA - The Nationals are getting the first of their key injured players back tonight, with Ryan Madson activated off the disabled list. And more appear to be coming, with Brian Goodwin likely joining the club this weekend and Daniel Murphy and Matt Grace not too far behind. Madson was added back to the active roster in time for tonight's opener against the Braves, the strained right pectoral muscle that sidelined him for two weeks having healed. The veteran setup man was able to make it...

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Game 55 lineups: Nats at Braves (Madson activated)

May 31, 2018, 11:42am

Nationals

Game 55 lineups: Nats at Braves (Madson activated)

ATLANTA - And a very pleasant good afternoon to you from SunTrust Park, here in beautiful unincorporated Atlanta. The hometown Braves have been among the biggest surprises in baseball so far, with the youngest roster in the sport playing an exciting brand of ball and (until last night) holding first place in the National League East division. That changed last night when the Nationals finished off their sweep of the Orioles and the Braves lost to the Mets, but that doesn't make this weekend's...

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Opposite Dugout: Braves host Nationals with NL East lead at stake

May 30, 2018, 7:37pm

Nationals

Manager: Brian Snitker (3rd season)Record: 32-23 Last 10 games: 5-5 Players to watch: 2B Ozzie Albies (14 HR, 34 RBIs), 1B Freddie Freeman (.335 with 9 HR, 40 RBIs), RF Nick Markakis (.332, 38 RBIs), LHP Sean Newcomb (5-1, 2.75 ERA), RHP Mike Foltynewicz (4-3, 2.55 ERA), RHP Arodys Vizcaino (9 saves, 2.38 ERA) Series vs. Nationals: 3-2 Pitching probables: May 31: RHP Tanner Roark (2-4) vs. LHP Sean Newcomb (5-1), 7:35 p.m., MASN2June 1: RHP Stephen Strasburg (6-4) vs. RHP Mike Foltynewicz...

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Scherzer tweaks fastball in 2-0 win, strikes out 12 as Nats sweep O's

May 30, 2018, 6:50pm

Nationals

Scherzer tweaks fastball in 2-0 win, strikes out 12 as Nats sweep O's

BALTIMORE - Max Scherzer was outstanding again facing Baltimore. The right-hander twirled eight shutout innings against the Orioles, allowing only two hits in lifting the Nationals to a sweep of the series in a 2-0 win. Since joining the Nats, Scherzer (9-1) has now pitched at least eight innings in four of his five starts against the Birds. He struck out 12 batters on Wednesday night, the third most he has punched out this season. He managed at least one strikeout in every inning. Manager...

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Game 54 lineups: Nats at Orioles

May 30, 2018, 11:33am

Nationals Orioles

BALTIMORE - For the fourth consecutive road series, the Nationals have the chance for a series sweep after winning the first two games of a three-game set. The Nats are riding a five-game win streak and have won nine in a row on the road. The road streak is tied with the 2011 Nationals, who won nine in a row from Sept. 12 to Sept. 26, 2011. And for the first time in his young career, left fielder Juan Soto is going to leadoff. Last night the 19-year-old produced his first three-hit major league...

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Eaton to begin rehab games on Friday, Soto to lead off tonight

May 30, 2018, 2:37pm

Nationals

Eaton to begin rehab games on Friday, Soto to lead off tonight

BALTIMORE - Nationals manager Davey Martinez announced that outfielder Adam Eaton (out with an ankle injury since April 9) will go out on a rehab assignment beginning on Friday, most likely with Double-A Harrisburg at home. "He ran today, looked really good," Martinez said. "So he's getting ready to go out to rehab this weekend. He'll get first maybe two at-bats, maybe three and then we'll go from there. We haven't decided where to go yet. Based on weather, we'll see where we send...

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Scherzer and Harper get going again (Nats win 2-0)

May 30, 2018, 4:12pm

Nationals Orioles

Scherzer and Harper get going again (Nats win 2-0)

BALTIMORE - It is very difficult to beat the Nationals' Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on the same night. Unfortunately, about 33 times this season opponents will have to contend with just that dilemma. That was what faced the Orioles on Wednesday night. Scherzer struck out six batters, including the last four batters he faced, in the first three frames. Harper crushed his 18th homer, a solo shot off of a 3-2 pitch from Orioles starter David Hess, in the third inning. Chris Davis singled with...

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With contributions from many, Nats have climbed back in NL East

May 29, 2018, 9:49pm

Nationals

With contributions from many, Nats have climbed back in NL East

BALTIMORE - For a few minutes Tuesday night, the Nationals found themselves tied for first place in the National League East division. And with the Braves trailing the Mets late, the Nats were on the verge of taking over sole possession of the top spot in the division for the first time since the season's first week. A Mets bullpen collapse prevented that from happening, and so as they wake up this morning the Nationals still remain 1/2-game behind Atlanta. Not that anyone inside the clubhouse...