nationals

Behind gem from Hellickson, Nats win for ninth time in 10 games

May 08, 2018, 9:49pm

SAN DIEGO - It's easy to gloss over Jeremy Hellickson in a star-studded Nationals rotation. He doesn't have the stuff to match Max Scherzer or Stephen Strasburg. He doesn't have the wipeout curveball of Gio Gonzalez. He doesn't have the bulldog reputation of Tanner Roark. Here's what Hellickson does have: motivation. After sitting around all winter and the majority of the spring looking for work on the heels of a frustrating 2017 campaign in Philadelphia and Baltimore, the 31-year-old...

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How Matt Wieters has become an elite throwing catcher again

May 08, 2018, 5:28pm

Nationals

How Matt Wieters has become an elite throwing catcher again

SAN DIEGO - Managers will always say a pitcher is more responsible for the opposition's success stealing bases than the catcher who actually makes the throws. If a pitcher can't vary his timing and can't deliver the ball to the plate in short order with a runner on base, the catcher can't do much to make up for lost time, no matter how strong his arm. So a good amount of the credit for the Nationals' success at stopping the running so far this season - they've thrown out 48 percent of all...

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Liz Barr: Comparing Matt Adams to Adam Lind

May 09, 2018, 6:29am

Nationals

Liz Barr: Comparing Matt Adams to Adam Lind

When the Nationals didn't re-sign Adam Lind over the offseason, Nats faithful were heartbroken. Lind had become a fan favorite, and the left-handed slugger was incredibly important to the club all last season, providing a huge lift off the bench and filling in in the starting lineup when the Nats needed him most. But when they let him go, the question remained: Who was going to fill that giant hole left by Lind's absence? Enter Matt Adams. Adams and Lind essentially have the same role:...

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"MASN All Access" podcast: Nats are who we thought they were

May 07, 2018, 12:54pm

Nationals

"MASN All Access" podcast: Nats are who we thought they were

Runs galore? Check. Dominant pitching? Check. Winning homestand? Check. Above .500? Check. The Nationals checked off a lot of boxes while going 7-3 over this past homestand, and Paul Mancano and I are back on the "MASN All Access" podcast to wrap it all up. Now back over the .500 mark and just two games back in a tight National League East, the Nats are playing some good baseball lately and are hot heading back out west. Wilmer Difo capped off the happy homestand with a walk-off base hit in...

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Hellickson dominating Padres at Petco Park (Nats win 4-0)

May 08, 2018, 7:33pm

Nationals

Hellickson dominating Padres at Petco Park (Nats win 4-0)

SAN DIEGO - If Jeremy Hellickson wanted to make sure he gets to face a lineup for the third time, he's sure doing everything he can tonight to keep Davey Martinez in the dugout and the Nationals bullpen quiet. Hellickson has retired the first 15 Padres batters he's faced, cruising through five perfect innings on only 69 pitches. The veteran right-hander, who has pre-emptively been pulled from his last two starts before being allowed to face the opposing lineup a third time through, is making...

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Turner finally makes debut in San Diego ... and homers

May 07, 2018, 10:45pm

Nationals

Turner finally makes debut in San Diego ... and homers

SAN DIEGO - Trea Turner had hit at Petco Park once before, in September 2014, when the Padres brought their first-round draft pick to town at the end of his abbreviated first minor league season to get a look at him and give him a chance to take batting practice in the ballpark everyone assumed he'd be calling home in short order. Nearly four years later, Turner finally returned to this gem of a ballpark outside San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. And in his first official at-bat here, he homered....

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Game 37 lineups: Nats at Padres

May 08, 2018, 2:31pm

Nationals

SAN DIEGO - The Nationals have a chance tonight to win their third consecutive series, and Jeremy Hellickson has a chance tonight to actually receive his first decision of the season and maybe even face an opposing lineup a third time. Hellickson has pitched quite well for the Nats, posting a 3.00 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in four starts. But he has yet to complete six innings, mostly because Davey Martinez has deployed a really quick hook on the right-hander, not wanting to let him face a lineup the...

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Adams caps brilliant week with another big night in Nats' 8-5 win

May 07, 2018, 10:18pm

Nationals

Adams caps brilliant week with another big night in Nats' 8-5 win

SAN DIEGO - Matt Adams signed with the Nationals over the winter, understanding what would be expected of him from his new team. There wasn't a guaranteed starting job for the big slugger, only the promise that he'd get some starts at first base and in left field and a whole lot of pinch-hit appearances late in games against right-handed relievers. There was, however, a reason general manager Mike Rizzo chose to give $4 million to Adams rather than picking up Adam Lind's $5 million option....

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Turner goes deep in long-awaited Petco Park debut (Nats win 8-5)

May 07, 2018, 7:25pm

Nationals

Turner goes deep in long-awaited Petco Park debut (Nats win 8-5)

SAN DIEGO - Padres fans always expected to watch Trea Turner do something special in his first game at Petco Park. They just wish it didn't happen wearing a visiting team's jersey. Turner, the former San Diego first-round pick dealt along with Joe Ross to the Nationals in the controversial 2014 trade, connected for a first-inning homer tonight to give Washington an early 1-0 lead and remind everyone around here what they gave up 3 1/2 years ago. Turner connected off Tyson Ross, Joe's older...

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Kelley activated off DL, Zimmerman expects to return Tuesday

May 07, 2018, 5:11pm

Nationals

Kelley activated off DL, Zimmerman expects to return Tuesday

SAN DIEGO - The Nationals have Shawn Kelley back in their bullpen tonight. And they expect to have Ryan Zimmerman back in their lineup Tuesday night. Kelley was activated off the 10-day disabled list this afternoon, one day after completing a six-pitch rehab assignment for Single-A Potomac and only 14 days after he walked off the mound in San Francisco suffering from what some feared was a significant elbow injury. Kelley, who twice has had Tommy John surgery in his career, was relieved to...

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Game 36 lineups: Nats at Padres

May 07, 2018, 2:41pm

Nationals

SAN DIEGO - It's about 70 degrees, without a cloud in the sky, a gentle breeze coming off the bay ... yes, this is a tough assignment for the next three night, but someone had to do it. The Nationals open their second West Coast trip in three weeks tonight, beginning here in San Diego and continuing this weekend in Arizona. Having already visited Los Angeles and San Francisco in late April, they'll have played all of their games in the Pacific Time Zone for 2018 by mid-May, an odd scheduling...

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Nationals reinstate Shawn Kelley

May 07, 2018, 3:27pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals recalled from rehab and reinstated right-handed pitcher Shawn Kelley from the 10-day disabled list and optioned outfielder Rafael Bautista to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Kelley, 34, returns to the Nationals after missing 12 games with a right elbow irritation. The veteran reliever appeared in one Minor League rehab game with Single-A Potomac tossing a scoreless inning with...

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Scherzer continues to amaze on the mound and in the record books

May 07, 2018, 3:18am

Nationals

Scherzer continues to amaze on the mound and in the record books

Of all the records Max Scherzer has accrued in his career of pitching, consider he set another mark in Sunday's 6 1/3 innings against the Phillies: .@Max_Scherzer is the first pitcher EVER to strike out at least 15 batters while recording 19 outs or less. pic.twitter.com/lpYhGLePIl -- MLB Stat of the Day (@MLBStatoftheDay) May 6, 2018 The list of amazing feats from this Scherzer gem doesn't end there: 1. 15 strikeouts in game were a season-high. 2. He struck out the side three innings in a...

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Difo's clutch hit in last at-bat gives Nats 5-4 walk-off win

May 06, 2018, 2:24pm

Nationals

Difo's clutch hit in last at-bat gives Nats 5-4 walk-off win

The Nationals put together their first walk-off win of the year thanks to a ninth-inning rally over the Phillies. The two-run last at-bat surge demonstrated the lineup's ability to be patient with the game on the line. Facing Phillies closer HÃ©ctor Neris for the second day in a row, the Nats tallied two runs on two hits and two walks to rally from a 4-3 deficit to post the 5-4 win. Wilmer Difo's single over the infield plated Rafael Bautista with the winning run. Center field was vacant...

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Marty Niland: Hall of Stars induction finally shines spotlight on Buddy Myer

May 07, 2018, 5:21am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Hall of Stars induction finally shines spotlight on Buddy Myer

Sunday was a great day for Washington sports. Before celebrating the Nationals' first walk-off victory of 2018, fans at Nationals Park got to see another set of local heroes inducted to the Washington Hall of Stars. In addition to fairly recent greats, like basketball stars Len Bias, Grant Hill and Walt Williams, came Buddy Myer, a baseball star from the distant past. His induction to the local hall was a step toward righting what his fans feel is the injustice of Myer's exclusion from the...

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Opposite dugout: Padres once again scuffling in NL West

May 06, 2018, 3:35pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Padres once again scuffling in NL West

Manager: Andy Green (3rd season) Record: 13-22 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 1B Eric Hosmer (.297 with 5 HR, 12 RBIs), 3B Christian Villanueva (.265 with 9 HR, 20 RBIs), LF Jose Pirela (.250 with 35 hits, 11 RBIs), RHP Tyson Ross (2-2, 3.28 ERA); LHP Joey Lucchesi (3-2, 3:13 ERA), LHP Brad Hand (8 saves, 2.70 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (2-5 in 2017) Pitching probables: May 7: RHP Stephen Strasburg (3-3) vs. RHP Tyson Ross (2-2), 10:10 p.m., MASNMay 8: RHP Jeremy...

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Scherzer dominating early, Adams homers again (Nats walk off 5-4)

May 06, 2018, 10:31am

Nationals

Scherzer dominating early, Adams homers again (Nats walk off 5-4)

Right-hander Max Scherzer is almost unstoppable right now. Scherzer struck out seven of the first 11 batters he faced in the first three innings Sunday against the Phillies. He gave up a double to OdÃºbel Herrera in the first and a single to Maikel Franco in the second, but each time he struck out the final batter of the inning to end the threat. In the third he struck out the side. He has seven strikeouts in three innings. Right-hander Jake Arrieta allowed a solo homer to Matt Adams to lead...

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Zimmerman, Rendon, Murphy and Eaton updates

May 06, 2018, 8:18am

Nationals

Zimmerman, Rendon, Murphy and Eaton updates

Nationals manager Davey Martinez held veteran first baseman Ryan Zimmerman out of the lineup again with a bruised side. "I talked to him today he said he felt better," Martinez said. "More of a bruise kind of a deal. He's going to keep me updated for today if he's available. He's shooting for tomorrow, but if there's an emergency he might be able to play." Third baseman Anthony Rendon made it through his first major league game since April 13 with no issues from the fractured left big...

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Roark solid again, but is he worried about wearing out arm?

May 06, 2018, 5:00am

Nationals

Roark solid again, but is he worried about wearing out arm?

Nationals starting pitcher Tanner Roark kept his team in the game and almost got through seven innings in a 3-1 loss Saturday to the Phillies. Roark went 6 1/3 innings scattering six hits and allowing three runs while striking out nine and walking three. His nine strikeouts matched his season-high against the New York Mets on April 8. The Phillies started quickly. CÃ©sar HernÃ¡ndez singled and Rhys Hoskins homered for a 2-0 lead. "First inning. I'm not gonna go walk a guy," Roark said of...

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Game 35 lineups: Phillies at Nats

May 06, 2018, 5:13am

Nationals

The series wraps up with a dandy of a pitching matchup as a pair of heavyweights square off. This is an important game for the Nationals, who are looking to go above .500 again and win an important divisional series against a team with a better record. Right-hander Max Scherzer (6-1, 1.79 ERA) takes on the Phillies prized free agent acquisition right-hander Jake Arrieta (3-1, 3.49). The dup have taken home the last three National League Cy Young awards. Now if the weather can hold up. Rain is...